As the end of the year approaches, I often hear this question from my community:
“How do I set goals that I will actually achieve?”
It’s a question that speaks to the heart of effective planning—wanting not only to dream big but to create a plan you’ll follow through on. If you’re feeling stuck or unsure about how to set goals that truly work, I want to break down some common reasons you aren’t achieving your goals and walk you through the goal setting method I teach and avoids these common pitfalls.
Let’s start with a thought-provoking question: What if the reason you haven’t achieved certain goals before wasn’t due to a lack of motivation or discipline but simply because your goal-setting process wasn’t designed to truly work for you? Many people struggle to reach their goals because they unknowingly fall into common pitfalls:
- Setting Arbitrary Goals: Many goal-setting methods encourage us to set goals in predefined categories, like health, career, or finances. While these areas are generally important, focusing on arbitrary categories often leads us to set goals based on what we think we “should” do rather than on what truly matters. When a goal isn’t personally meaningful, it’s difficult to stay committed. My process focuses instead on defining your true priorities, which are unique to you, and using those as the categories to set your goals against.
- Mistaking Habits for Goals: It’s common to set habits, like “drink more water” or “work out daily,” as primary goals, but these habits are actually objectives or action steps to take that support a larger goal. For example, if your overarching goal is improved health, drinking more water is a strategy to support that. Reading a specific number of books a year isn’t a goal itself, rather it’s a reflection of the type of person you want to be who may be more informed or considered well read- which is the actual goal you desire. Identifying and linking these habits to a big-picture goal makes it easier to stay motivated and see meaningful progress because you have correctly identified the reason why the habit itself is crucial to your success and self-image.
- Relying on Goals to Create Change: Many believe achieving a goal will magically create a sense of accomplishment or transform them into a better version of themselves. The version of themselves who eats right, works out, is great with money etc. In reality, change begins internally and must happen before you achieve the goal. Start by embodying the person you want to become, taking the actions that person would take and then your goals will happen as a natural result of the changes you’ve made.
If you resonate with any of these common mistakes or have used a goal setting method in the past that encouraged these errors to begin with, I am here to tell you that with the right goal setting system you can achieve your goals. Today I want to give you a brief overview of my method and process which has helped hundreds of women set goals they actually end up achieving.
Women like Rose who started using my method years ago and after the first month reported back to me “so far January has been my best month ever regarding productivity, focus, and goal achievement.”
She has been loyal to my method ever since and even purchased the workshops to share with her team because she swears by my method for goal setting and planning!
And Peyton who messaged our accountability group: “I’ve been truly struggling with identifying priorities and narrowing down my goals. I watched the master class and it was game changing for me. Something finally clicked and I was able to identify my true goals and priorities based off my current life situation and I am so proud of this! I think Alexis is a true subject matter expert and I’m so glad I decided to join the master mind!”
Or Karmon who ended up achieving all her goals much earlier than expected one year due to my method and had this to say: “I think this is the 4th of 5th year I’ve goal planned the year with Alexis. The process evolves and refines each year. The break out sessions with the other attendees was a great addition – the additional perspectives and glimpses into others’ goals were inspiring. Definitely the kick start I needed to work on my annual plans. Thanks, Alexis.”
I’m sure you are thinking now, Alexis, what is this unique goal setting process?!
Here’s the step by step process I have used for the last 10 years to set goals that I can achieve and get so much more done than most solo business owners.
Step 1: Choose 1-5 Priorities for the Year
The first step in any goal-setting journey is identifying what matters most to you. Think about the core aspects of your life that bring you joy, fulfillment, and purpose—these are your priorities. It could be family, your home, career, or a passion project. By narrowing your focus to 1-5 key priorities, you create a strong foundation for meaningful and impactful goal-setting.
Step 2: Set 1-3 Goals per Priority
For each priority, establish up to three specific goals. Each goal should represent an outcome that either raises, changes, or maintains a standard in your life. Make sure these goals are clear and measurable so that you can track your progress. This clarity not only gives you direction but also ensures that every goal aligns with your most valued priorities.
Step 3: Define Objectives for Each Goal
With goals in place, now it’s time to create objectives—these are the specific actions that will lead you to your desired outcomes. Think of objectives as your action steps. They should be chosen based on your strengths and interests, so the journey feels engaging and rewarding. And remember, your path can be unique to you; it doesn’t have to follow a conventional approach if there’s a better way that suits you.
Step 4: Assign Objectives Across the Months of the Year
Goal-setting is a marathon, not a sprint. Instead of trying to do it all at once, assign your objectives to different months, focusing on just a few at a time. Be realistic here—no more than three objectives per month will allow you to make steady progress without feeling overwhelmed. This pacing is key to creating a sustainable rhythm throughout the year.
Step 5: Use a Functional Planner to Track Your Tasks
Finally, your plan will only be as good as your follow-through, so tracking is essential. Using a functional planner (like the Charmed Life Master Planner) allows you to map out each objective, month by month, and track tasks daily and weekly. This approach keeps your goals top of mind, ensuring you make consistent progress toward achieving them.
Why this method works
- You are setting goals based on your priorities and where you want to go in life next, not arbitrary goals you feel like you “should” be setting but may not be meaningful for you.
- You have a clear roadmap put in place at the start of the year so you can confidently show up in the short term to take actions knowing that by the end of the year everything will add up to the completion of your goal, instead of trying to do it all at once, getting overwhelmed and giving up.
- You are limiting the amount of new tasks you can apply to a given month so you don’t take on too much and then fail to complete any single one objective.
- You have room for changes and adjustments because your future objectives are penciled into your roadmap but not planned out in depth until you reach the month they belong to. I can’t see the future and neither can you, so our forward planning needs to be a point of reference, not detailed instructions.
Now, it’s one thing to read about the process, but it’s another thing to actually see the activities and steps as you would be performing them all together.
That’s why today I want to give you a look inside my YOU GOT GOALS Planner, including the Annual Review & Goal Prep Workbook!
The video is going to answer another major question I am often asked about my goal planning system…
“Is the YOU GOT GOALS Workshop + Planner only for personal goals or can you also use it for business goals?”
Answer: No, this system isn’t just for personal goals, you can also use it for business goals as well. However, because business goals require more specific types of annual planning including strategic projects, marketing and campaigns, I use another system that is designed specifically for reviewing business data and breaking down business related goals, called the CEO RETREAT!
Both systems are available as on-demand workshops to purchase from my shop individually or as a special bundle.
But of course, Charmed Life Master Mind members get these workshops included in their membership subscription. Master Mind members get to attend the live workshops for direct coaching from me during our class and also get on-demand goal setting support through our private Slack community.
So, if you want to use a goal setting method that increases your chances of success instead of setting you up for unnecessary expectations and failure, I’d love for you to get your hands on one or both of these guided goal planning systems.
🏆 Set your 2025 goals with a guided system
👯♀️ Or set your goals along with me for extra support and accountability!
I can’t wait to see what you achieve in 2025 with these goal setting systems!
xoxo,
