You Don’t Have to Write All Your Goals

In my 20s, a dental hygienist said to me, “You don’t have to floss all your teeth.” I said, “Great!” Then she landed the one-two punch with, “You only have to floss the ones you want to keep.” Her trick worked. I’ve been a devout flosser ever since. The same is true for goals: You don’t have to write all your goals, only the ones you want to achieve.

Like flossing your teeth, you know setting goals is important to do on a regular basis; however, do you understand why writing them is crucial? Let’s learn from the experts. 

The results of Harvard Business Study found that:

• 83% of respondents had no goals

• 14% of respondents had plans but didn’t write them down and still, they were 10 times more likely to succeed

• 3% of respondents had written down their goals and were 30 times more likely to succeed compared with those who had no goals

Are you convinced that goals are valuable for you? I am. And still, finding what works for me has been, and continues to be, an evolution. I know that goals lead me to a satisfying life I love. Conversely, I know that chasing shiny objects leads me to frustration. What do you know about the role goals play in your life? 

I’ve struggled with goal writing because I make it too complicated by following someone else’s complex system, too overwhelming with more goals than a mere mortal can accomplish, and too time-consuming to stay on-track. 

Now I believe you must design your own goal system. Using someone else’s process is an awesome way to start, but you can’t stop there. You need to make it work with your lifestyle, work, values, thinking style, physical environment, technology preferences, creative and professional style, etc. The key is to give your goal system that special zing that motivates you! 

A study by the Dominican University of California revealed a basic goal system structure. Participants were divided into five groups. They found the group with the highest success rate of 76% did this: 

• wrote their goals

• wrote their action commitments

• shared with a friend

• sent updates to a friend

When you’re ready to get serious about building your goal system, use this guide to begin.

Write what you want.

This first step is about envisioning the big picture of what you want more of or less of in your life. You can use time frames to imagine what you want in 30 days, 90 days, 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years. You can find more details in this blog post.

Write your goals.

Decide what you will do in order to get what you want from step one. Each goal needs to be S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound). These questions keep me on track. 

• Can this be checked off? If not, I need to be more specific.

• Can I really do this within the time-frame I set? I have a tendency to be unrealistic in my completion dates. Separate your goals into the same time periods as your “wants” above e.g., 30 days, 90 days, 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years

• Is this really important to me? Sometimes I think it is and then after continually not doing it, I admit to myself that it’s not important or figure out why I’m not doing it, which is usually related to being scared or not having enough knowledge. Without writing the goal, I wouldn’t know this.

You might want to add to this process by creating a vision board (cut out images that represent your goals and glue them onto paper) or hand-writing your goals (like note-taking, this conveys to your brain that this is important). 

Build your container.

Don’t skip this part! This is what will make writing and accomplishing goals satisfying, and dare I say, enjoyable.

• Where will you keep your goals so that you can review them on a regular basis? Ideas: hang them near your work space, put them in a digital spot that you consistently see, tuck them in your planner, purse or cell phone holder.

• How often will you read your goals?

• How often will you update your goals?

• Who will you tell about your goals?

• What might make this fun, efficient, fascinating, or exciting for you?

You can build your own goal system to receive what you truly want. Start by envisioning what you want, then decide what you will do to get it, and finally, build a container to support your goal system so it can support you. 

Creating your own goal system may not change your life, but then again, it just might. I’d love to hear about the structure of your goal system! Send me a note to Jalene@JaleneCase.com.

Note: This is part three in a series of nine blog posts exploring a blueprint for self leadership. You can read the previous post here.

Allow Your Wild & Wonderful Wants to Bloom: A Method to Uncover What You Want

What do you want? This question is simple on the surface but the answers to it can sculpt your life, define your goals, and bring a myriad of emotions from frustration to fulfillment. By declaring what you want, you’re also deciding what you don’t want, and drawing a blueprint from which to build your goals. Consider the definition of want: to feel a need or a desire for; wish for. When was the last time you thought about what you truly wanted, desired, wished for?

My coach asked me to write what I wanted in 30 days, 90 days, 12 months, 5 years, and 10 years. I enthusiastically dove into the assignment. Knowing what I wanted in the next 30 days was easy. Knowing what I wanted in all the other time frames stumped me. I felt surprised and confused! How could I possibly not be able to write what I wanted? Rather than quickly getting the assignment done, I decided to dig in to figure out what was getting in my way.

First, I did a session of wild writing to gain insights into what was driving me from the inside out. This technique, outlined by Natalie Goldberg in Wild Mind, is designed to bypass your inner critic and get to your inner operating system. Every time I do it, I see the situation from a new viewpoint. 

If you’d like to try it, there are a few simple rules: 1) Hold a topic in mind. Example: What do I want? 2) Use a prompt to write for two, 10-minute sessions. Example: For session one, I know… and for session two, I don’t know… 3) Go for the jugular. In other words, don’t hold back; know you can destroy it later if you choose to. 4) Read what you wrote and circle what stands out to you. 

From my wild writing session, I realized that I wasn’t allowing myself to want what I really wanted. I felt like it was too much to ask for, felt anxious and afraid. Yikes. I could hear that inner saboteur voice coming through loud and clear. It said things like, who are you to want that, that’s too much, you should be more humble. The kryptonite to that kind of inner dialog is light-hearted play, so I played. 

I gave myself full permission to write (with fun, colored markers on my whiteboard!) whatever I wanted in each of those time frames. It could be ridiculous, gigantic, tiny, fun, serious – no boundaries! Viewing it from a third person perspective was also helpful. Example: What does future Jalene want? I left what I wrote on my whiteboard for a while so I could gradually hone it. I reminded myself repeatedly that I could want whatever I truly wanted.

Writing what I wanted led naturally to visualizing it. Seeing glimpses of what future Jalene wanted her life to look like from 30 days to 10 years felt powerful. Plus, I knew it was going to make my goals more potent when it came time to write them.

Next, I wanted to breathe life into my vision, to operationalize it, to make it part of my routine. Now it’s one of nine components on a Self-Leadership Blueprint that I designed. The document hangs on the wall near my desk and is read weekly within about 5 minutes. As I read it, I’m reminded of where I am now and where I want to go the future. That’s huge for me!

I can be super-efficient at being busy with what needs done right now, what’s urgent and even important, but lose sight of the big picture I’m painting of my whole life. 

Examining my wants has grown like a field of wildflowers in my life, popping up in unexpected places, bringing splashes of color to mundane decisions. I hear the word want when it shows up in everyday internal dialog. For example: What do I want to eat? What do I want to do next? Where do I want to go on vacation? Those all seem like simple questions and yet, they will shape me physically (what I eat), how I use my precious time (what I do), and how I enjoy myself (vacation). 

Bottom line, actions based on consciously choosing what you want will bring feelings of fulfillment, contentment, and satisfaction. The return on your investment of time couldn’t be higher. I challenge you to find your way of discovering what you truly want. I’d love to hear how you unearthed your wants! Email me at Jalene@JaleneCase.com.

Note: This is part two in a series of nine blog posts exploring a blueprint for self leadership. You can read the previous post here.

Paddle Toward Your Vision

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Our responsibilities can toss us around like we’re rafting through white-water rapids without a paddle. Our direction feels like it’s utterly controlled by the river. This is how it can feel when we don’t have a clear vision and goals guiding us to where we want to go.

I knew where I was heading and how I was going to get there before the pandemic hit. And then, for a while there, it felt like I was on a wild river without a paddle! To stick with this metaphor…now I see my path forward and have paddles in-hand to take me where I want to go. Here’s what my route looked like.

1. First, I felt mad and frustrated.

2. Then, I took advantage of several virtual learning opportunities.

3. Slowly, a new vision of my future began to emerge.

4. Recently, I wrote my new vision and goals and feel more focused and productive than ever.

In the past, I would have lingered longer in a state of busyness that gave me a false sense of purpose based on getting something done. This time, I went inside first to clarify what I wanted and how to get it. I didn’t get lost in wishing things were different. I took action – even though it was mostly uncomfortable – to make changes from the inside out.

Imagine you have a blank canvas in front of you and that your vision and goals are going to paint your future. Like every artist’s work is original, your approach will be your own. Use the ideas below to stimulate your inner creative, visionary.

Clarify Your Vision

Choose the exercise(s) that will help you paint your vision of the future.

• Write or Mind Map what you want your future to look like. Include every sensory detail possible and the aspect of your life that you want to focus on now.

• Use the Wild Writing technique by Natalie Goldberg. This method helps bypass the inner critic and get to what I call our inner operating system. Hold the topic of your vision in mind. Write for 10-minutes using the prompt “I know…” and then (shake your hand out!), and use the prompt “I don’t know…” to write for another 10-minutes. Follow these rules:

  • Don’t lift your pen from the paper.

  • Keep writing no matter what. If you don’t know what to write then write “I don’t know what to write” until something else comes.

  • Go for the jugular. You can burn or shred it later!

  • Don’t go back and correct anything. You can do that when you’re finished.

• Consider these questions through writing, speaking the answers into your phone, pondering them while walking, or sharing them with someone you trust.

  • What do I want more of in my life? What do I want less of in my life?

  • If I could wave a magic wand, I would…

  • If I were to step into a way of being that represents me more fully, I would…

• Make a Vision Board by gluing images to paper that represent the future you want. Tips: Choose metaphorical images such as facial expressions that represent how you want to feel or images that represent something tangible you want like a new BBQ grill, dog, or house. Use any paper you want. I’ve used everything from letter-size to poster-size. Give yourself uninterrupted time to create this visual image of your future.

Craft Your Goals

Disclaimer: I have a love/hate relationship with goals. I hate declaring what I will do because it means I have to abandon (for now!) some of my bright shiny ideas. I love that goals tether me, in the best way possible, to the future I want.

Goals work when they’re held within a system that works for you. Design your process. Work with it. Innovate it over and over again so it’s a valuable tool for you.

Tips for building a goal system:

• Connect them to your values and vision.

• Language matters so use words that inspire you (for example, instead of goal use action or target).

• Key Results (which I call Desires) set a general direction (such as connect with clients, earn a healthy income, etc.).

• Monthly and Quarterly Goals maintain focus on specific actions to achieve Key Results. These are the S.M.A.R.T. goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound).

• Post Key Results and Goals in a prominent spot to minimize Squirrel! moments.

• Share the results out loud monthly, with a person you trust, to stay true to yourself.

• Take 15-minutes in the morning to write what you will do that day.

• Consider what will support you in terms of habits, people, structures, etc.

• Celebrate often! Based on neuroscience, celebration teaches our brain to do more of whatever we’re celebrating. I like to raise my arm in the air and say, “Yay me!”

Discerning your vision and goals will make riding the river of life much more fulfilling and meaningful. I’m a geek when it comes to learning about goal systems so I’d love to hear what yours looks like. Send me a note to Jalene@JaleneCase.com.

Revive to Thrive

Hey there!

Are you feeling the urge to revive your spirt so you can thrive in the coming year? I sure am.

It’s full-on wintertime, snuggle in time, reflection, celebration, and envisioning time. Remember, I’m here for you if you want a Coach to walk with you toward those big, juicy dreams in 2019. Send me an email or schedule a complimentary Curious About Coaching Session.

In appreciation of the year-end swirl of activity, I’m signing-off until the new year.

Before I leave, I want to share five inspiring images I just found while reorganizing files on my laptop. They contributed to my digital Vision Board in 2017. I still love them! I hope one or more of them speak to the desires in your heart.

In the spirit of creating lives we love!

Jalene

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2019 Creation Sessions

What are you doing to wrap up 2018 and hit the ground running in 2019?

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I’ve been in my own deep-dive process of reviewing 2018, and designing a system for setting and tracking meaningful goals for 2019. I feel focused on what I want to create and excited to do it!

I’d love to be your partner in:

• Reviewing your accomplishments from 2018

• Designing a 2019 goal setting and tracking system that works for you

• Tapping into the primal power of your values

• Building a support system to inspire and nurture you

Reach out to me and we’ll customize a program for you.

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Always Offering

Executive & Personal Coaching

I help powerful female leaders who are always improving (and sometimes anxious!) do what they want. Learn more.

Team Development

I help teams who want to be more potent, and are struggling to authentically communicate with each other so they can get the right work done. Learn more. 

Why are some people more happy & successful?

Hey there!

Do you ever have a question, and its answer, suddenly pop into your brain? That what happened to me with the question, “Why are some people more happy & successful?”

In the video, I talk about doing what’s most important to you. I’m not talking about the never-ending to do list. I’m talking about the baby steps leading to the future that you envision. What excites you? What lights you up? Do that!

Being a member of a mastermind group is an effective (and fun!) way to transform your dreams into realities. That’s why I’m offering the…

Pilot Women’s Mastermind Group

Three to six women will meet 6 times from November-January via Zoom video.

You’re Invited…

To unlock your potential and take empowered action to reach your goals with the continued support of a mastermind group.

You could benefit from a mastermind group if:

• You want to expand your vision of what’s possible and be held gently, yet firmly accountable in taking action.

• You often feel isolated and alone in working toward your goals.

• You have a desire to gather with other women who are ready to go all-in on making their dreams come true.

Does this sound like you? If you’re feeling an excited (yet slightly scared!) yes, I invite you to consider joining.

The group will be 3-5 women meeting 6 times from November to January via Zoom video.

Why Join a Mastermind Group?

Napoleon Hill wrote about the mastermind group principle as: “The coordination of knowledge and effort of two or more people, who work toward a definite purpose, in the spirit of harmony.”

At the core, a mastermind group helps all members achieve success and be better versions of themselves:

Better Humans = Better World!

I believe that desires are divine and that the dream that’s been whispering to you is yours to do. It is your positive contribution to a better world for all of us. Doing it alone is the hard way! In our mastermind group, we empower each other to transform our dreams into realities, one baby step at a time.

Send me a message and I'll send you all the details :)

In the spirit of creating lives we love!

Jalene

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Offering

Executive & Personal Coaching

I help powerful female leaders who are always improving (and sometimes anxious!) do what they want. Learn more.

Professional Development

I help teams who want to be more potent, and are struggling with communication, goal setting, collaboration, accountability, decision making, and participation. Learn more. 

Masterminding

Hey there!

What do you think of when you hear the term “mastermind group?” When I started a mastermind group more than a year ago, I thought it would be a great way to support each other in reaching our goals. Now I know that’s only a part of the story.

Do you want to be part of an empowering women’s group?

I’m forming a one-time pilot Women’s Mastermind Group based on the Patagonia Quest Coaching Package. The focus will be moving from “I wish I could.” to “Yes! I did it!”

Are you ready to go all-in to make your ideas, dreams, and goals a reality? Do you feel isolated and yearn for a group of diverse yet like-spirited women to cheer you on and call you on your excuses? Are you ready to be you, find (and use!) your voice, and radiate your brilliance? If the thought of this gives you tingles of excitement, send me a message and I’ll share the details with you.

In the spirit of creating lives we love!

Jalene

Deep gratitude & high-fives to my beautiful fellow masterminders…Katie, Svet, Allison, and Liz!

Offering

Executive & Personal Coaching

I help powerful female leaders who are always improving (and sometimes anxious!) do what they want. Learn more.

Professional Development

I help teams who want to be more potent, and are struggling with communication, goal setting, collaboration, accountability, decision making, and participation. Learn more. 

Giant Step, Baby Steps (repeat)

Ten years ago, Keith and I married in a special cove that can only be reached at low tide, below the Yaquina Head lighthouse in Newport, Oregon. Last weekend, I facilitated the final day of a private women’s retreat above that spot. It felt like a time warp.

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Yaquina Head Lighthouse. Photo by Chad Case, Chad Case Photography & Video, April 2008

While there, it occurred to me that ten years ago I also started a Masters degree program with the dream of doing the work I’m doing today. Wow. I never would have imagined that it would take a decade to realize that dream. Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have had the guts to begin.

Looking back, I realized that I have taken a giant step, then tons of baby steps that take me to the next giant step, then tons of baby steps…and so on. Professionally, this is the birds-eye view of what it looked like.

Giant Step: Left a 22-year career. (2008)

Baby Steps: Started Master’s degree program to change professions. Started a job in a completely new field. Completed a 3-year degree program.

Giant Step: Gave ourselves 2-years to ride our motorcycles to the southern tip of South America. (2015)

Baby Steps: Traveled by motorcycle in Latin America with challenges, magic, learning, and so much more.

Giant Step: Went all-in on my dream business. (2017)

Baby Steps: I’m working on these now!

Of course, there are zillions more baby steps that I’m not listing here but I'm pretty sure you get the picture.

We can’t know how long it will take for our dreams to fully come alive. The best we can do is to have the guts to take those giant steps, and the tenaciousness and heart to keep taking those everyday, seemingly meaningless baby steps until one day (like the day last weekend at the women’s retreat!) we realize that our dream is alive.

What’s your dream?

What did (or will!) your Giant Step look like?  

What are the Baby Steps propelling your forward?

In the spirit of knowing ourselves,

Jalene

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Are you ready to accomplish your dream? I'd love to hear all about it and help you move from, "I wish I could (fill in the blank)" to "Wow! Yes! I did it!" Schedule a complimentary Curious About Coaching session to learn more.

Can you think of a business team that could get along better and accomplish more? I help teams improve their communication and get the right work done. Contact me to learn more.

Join Me Here

Women's Symposium located in Lincoln City, OR on June 23rd.

Befriend your Creative Self located at the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology near Lincoln City, OR on August 12th.

Explore all the details and, as always, you're welcome to contact me with your questions.