when to change your goals

 

Flexible Goals – When To Change Your Goals

If you’re ready to embrace flexible goals, here are 4 signs that it’s time to change your goals and change your path.

 

 

 

Let’s chat about flexible goals.

If you’re wondering if it’s ever okay to change your goals (because yes, goals may change over time) you have come to the right place!

Here’s how to know when to change your path and make your goals more flexible.

Now this will be an interesting conversation today! In case you haven’t guessed I’m a little obsessed with setting goals and working hard to achieve them.

This is definitely the sole reason I have managed to achieve dream after dream in my life.

 

Setting big exciting goals – – the more exciting the better – has given my days both purpose and direction.

 

That being said, you’re probably wondering if it’s ever okay to change your goals.

Does that mean you are a “giver-upper” if you decide to do something different?

Is it a smart move or terrible one if you opt to steer your ship in a different direction?

 

This is an excellent question and if you were expecting a clear-cut YES or NO response, I’m sorry but it’s a little more complicated than that.

 

The truth is you need to work out the reason why you want to change your goals.

Why, why, why?

Perhaps you’ve taken a different path in life and you think it would be helpful to adjust some goals.

 

Hey, sometimes life requires that we alter the direction we’re headed.

 

Or maybe your focus has changed due to the loss of a partner or job, demanding that you relook at the goals you established long ago, when your circumstances were different.

Whatever the case, I think there are definitely situations when it pays to see if an adjustment to your goals and life’s dreams may be in order.

 

 Consider these ideas:

 

 

FLEXIBLE GOALS

 

 

 

FLEXIBLE GOALS

TIP # 1 – Review your current goals list.

 

Pull out a list of your current goals and ask yourself if – in the heart of hearts – you still want to achieve these dreams.

Are they still what you want?

 

Give yourself permission to adjust your list as needed.

 

As you grow, you may need to adjust your goals to suit your growth as a person.

You may need to let go of some and make room for some new EVEN BETTER goals that are more fitting.

 

Case in point:

 

When I was younger I desperately wanted to be a novelist so I wrote and published a total of three chick-lit novels (remember when that genre was a big thing? I even went to see the Irish author Marian Keyes at a book reading/signing and remember thinking “all I want to do is be famous like her.”)

But then I discovered that I loved writing other genres (like for kids – WONDER by RJ Palacio is my all-time favorite book).

So I did that pivot and wrote ENCHANTED ISLAND, a 90,000 words middle school novel. After that I wrote and published a string of other non-fiction books, always writing whatever my heart called me to write.

My timeline has involved me leapfrogging from one big dream to another– something always involving writing – until I ended up discovering blogging at the end of 2017.

 

My eyes honestly lit up at the idea of becoming a successful blogger – a goal I didn’t even know was A REAL JOB YOU COULD DO before that moment in time.

So I set and achieved my crazy goal to achieve one million pageviews in 2018 and the rest they say is history.

 

Do I think it was a mistake that I changed my goal from “becoming a famous chick-lit writer” to something different?

 

NOPE.

That was the smartest move I ever did, refusing to pigeon-hole myself into one genre. I learned from EXPERIENCE and as I grew more in life what my true passions were. Now I’m the author of over 20 books and work from home online business owner (my DREAM JOB!)

 

Every goal I have ever changed has led to me setting an even better goal than the previous one.

 

Maybe in your case you thought you’d become the president of a company someday, but you discovered along the way that you’re more of a salesperson.

You love making new acquaintances on the road and watching your sales stats rise.

It’s okay to shift your goal from becoming president to becoming best sales rep in your company if that new goal makes you feel more excited than ever.

 

FLEXIBLE GOALS

TIP # 2 – What do you want out of life?

 

Deep question yes but it’s an important one to ask.

What do you really want from life and do your goals much what your heart secretly desires?

Sometimes you discover later that what your HEAD says it wants (i.e. a massive promotion with a six figure salary) is different from what your HEART says it wants (a beach-house in a little town, running the local bookshop).

It’s a good idea to have your goals written down and in a file where you can easily access them to make changes and updates.

 

Yes it is okay to make changes if your head is telling you that the goal is not right for you anymore.

 

This is not the same feeling of overwhelm that leads to procrastination, laziness or self-sabotage, EVEN THOUGH THE RESULTING BEHAVIOUR MAY APPEAR TO BE THE SAME.

 In one instance you talk yourself out of wanting a goal out of fear (fear of success, fear of failure, fear of unknown etc) and in the other instance you genuinely don’t want that goal anymore (because you are already working towards something better).

 

FLEXIBLE GOALS

 

 

FLEXIBLE GOALS

TIP # 3 – Verbalize any changes to goals you’re considering.

 

Sometimes I think it’s okay to keep your dreams quiet (if you know that you will achieve them anyway and don’t need that accountability).

Other times I think it’s important to be open about your thoughts and this is the perfect time to do so – when you are thinking about changing your goals.

 

Speak to someone you trust about the changes you are considering making.

 

Saying out loud will help you conceptualize your goals.

Your close friends and family will also want to support you in your quest to accomplish your master life plan.

They should be able to help you clarify whether this new goal is right for you, or whether you are ditching the old one for the wrong reasons such as fear.

 

FLEXIBLE GOALS

TIP # 4 – Try setting and achieving mini-goals.

 

If you’re curious about a new particular goal, but are unsure as to whether you want to change your life’s direction, establish a mini-goal to start exploring this area.

 

It doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing situation – there’s no reason why you can’t explore two goals at the same time.

This is a great way to test the waters slowly…take a little dip first and see whether you really want to jump right in and swim to another island.

You might try the new goal out and see that it really isn’t for you (which is always a blessing in disguise, to have learned something new).

 

 

FLEXIBLE GOALS

 

 

 

FLEXIBLE GOALS

Through experience, you can figure out whether your new goal genuinely enhances your interests.

 

  • Do you want to go further with this new venture?
  • Or have you learned enough to conclude you’ve been on the right track with prior goals you set?
  • Either way, you can put the concept of mini-goals to work for you.
  • Establishing small targets that will lead you to accomplish your main goals is a smart and effective strategy either way

 

When you include daily efforts to create the life of your dreams, your goals won’t just be some lofty ideas you rarely think about.

 

This effort will create the stepping stones to your dreams.

 

 

So back to our original question:

IS IT EVER OKAY TO CHANGE YOUR GOALS?

 

Now that you understand the things you need to consider first my answer is this:

 

Sure it is but only if you are trading them in for something even better.

 

Remember: life happens.

Things change.

People grow.

You will grow.

You may at some point see the need to alter the life plan you previously set for yourself and that’s cool.

Do so wisely, using the smart head on your shoulders and put these strategies to work when it’s time to remove an old goal or add a new one.

 

 

 

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