The Ultimate Goal-Setting Guide For Clarifying Your Vision And Curating Your Dreams
written by Jasmine Irven
Goal-setting can be incredibly powerful when it comes to making progress in your life that is meaningful, actionable, and in support of your bigger vision.
So, we’re taking you through a step-by-step process that will help you:
Reflect on your past.
Recognize the progress you’ve already made and how much your success and goals are worth it.
Manifest your higher-self.
Create your big picture vision for your dream life.
Break that vision down into smaller goals you can see tangible success on this year.
Schedule your goals to see success.
Stay focused on your goals throughout the year.
P.s. if this post seems a little overwhelming — don’t worry about it! It is for us too sometimes. Simply working on setting intentions may be a good place to start in which case we recommend checking out this post.
If you’re looking forward to this deep dive into goal setting though, here it is.
review + reflection
While looking forward and setting goals for the future is incredibly important to help you step into your higher self and move forward with intention, it’s also so important to take a look at how far you’ve already come.
Give yourself a moment to reflect on all that you’ve been able to accomplish this past year.
Here are some prompts to get you started in the reflection process:
what are your 3 favourite moments or memories from the past year?
what was your biggest accomplishment from the past year?
what is the most important challenge you overcame?
what is a step you took in the right direction that you’re very proud of?
describe a decision you made that has helped move you forward.
what was your biggest learning experience this past year?
what is an area of life you felt you really cultivated this past year?
big picture goals
Now let’s get into the dreamy phase of goal setting (my personal favourite stage). Let’s start with a simple practice for gaining clarity on what your big picture goals look like.
Close your eyes. Take 5 deep breaths, breathing in through your nose (bringing in cool, crisp air embodying a fresh slate), and out through your mouth (releasing any heat and tension from your body).
Now envision what your dream life looks like. Imagine yourself waking up in your dream home. Where are you? What do your surroundings look like? How do you start your day? What does your daily routine look like? Who is there with you? How are you spending your time? What practices or rituals have a part in your life? What do you do for fun? How do you feel?
Get a super clear vision of what your life looks like. Write down everything you saw in this vision that you want for your life. These are your big picture goals – the things you hope to accomplish in your lifetime. Maybe you want to write a book, buy a house, start a family, move somewhere new. NO judgements. This is your vision.
current vs. ideal self
In addition to the tangible goals, it’s also important to consider who you need to be in order to live your vision. What does that person look, feel, and act like?
The current vs. ideal-self exercise is a super revealing journaling prompt which I often do (via inspiration from Lavendaire) to gain clarity in the areas of my life that needed work. Here’s how to do it:
Grab a blank sheet of paper or set aside a couple pages in your journal. On one side draw a quick sketch of the person you currently are (if drawing is not your thing you can just write “[insert current year + your name]”, but I do feel the drawings are a really great visual, even if they aren’t the prettiest!).
Around this drawing write down all the things that embody your current self. Consider,
How do you spend your days?
How do you feel?
Who is part of your life?
What is important to you?
Where are you working? What’s your income level?
What impact are you making?
What are your passions/interests/hobbies?
Really try to trust your intuition when writing. I see this process as almost like a brain dump of everything that comes to the surface when I think of my current self. Try not to censor or restrict yourself! Some of the most important realizations come from vulnerability.
Now, beside this drawing, complete the same practice but envisioning your “ideal self”. The self that lives that dream life you just envisioned. The self that you are so excited to step into. Again, draw that person – what’s different about how they look?
Now write down all the things that embody that future self (using the same questions from above, or any others that come to mind):
How do you spend your days?
How do you feel?
Who is part of your life?
What is important to you?
Where are you working? What’s your income level?
What impact are you making?
What are your passions/interests/hobbies?
Going back to our above question, when you look at what your dream life looks like, get clear on the person you need to be to live this vision. What kind of transformation needs to take place?
The point of this practice is not to see the “lack” in your life, or to make you feel overwhelmed with the work that’s to be done. Remember: you are enough exactly as you are right now. This process is just to help you see which areas of your life potentially need more support moving forward.
releasing
At this point you’ll likely start to notice that as you step into your higher self, you are going to need to leave things behind. This is the part of the process where you journal on what you want to release moving forward.
What do you need to let go of? Maybe,
✨ past practices
✨ mindsets
✨ limiting beliefs
✨ people
✨ habits
Now ask yourself what you want to call in. Maybe,
✨ more supportive relationships
✨ inspiring beliefs
✨ sustainable habits
✨ positive mindset shifts
✨ new experiences
What you truly want can't come into your life if there isn't any space for it! So, begin to recognize what you need to let go of so that you can begin to embody the life I know you're truly meant for.
determine the areas of life you’d like to set intentions & goals in
Clarify where you want to spend your efforts this upcoming year. What do you feel needs the most support moving forward?
mind
body
emotions
career / study
finances
relationships
self-care
fun
In this process you can really choose any terminology that resonates with you. Simply write down the areas of your life, and then from your list, begin to look at what areas you’re currently fulfilled in, and which areas you feel you’re lacking.
With this greater awareness of where you’re currently at, pick 2-3 areas of focus to set intentions in (we don’t want to overwhelm ourselves).
Also include why you feel it is important to cultivate or work on these areas!
Consider filling out the following for each area of life:
I want to cultivate _______________ this year because in [insert previous year] ___________________ and I know that __________________.
For example,
I want to cultivate more meaningful relationships this year, specifically with my partner and close friends, because last year I felt like I neglected these relationships and I know that when I look back on my life I don’t want to have regrets about not spending time with the people I love.
I want to cultivate more financial growth this year because last year I spent a lot of money unintentionally and I know that financial stability is important in building my dream life because it will allow me the freedom to live large while making an impact in the lives of others.
I want to cultivate my career this year because last year I feel like I settled for a corporate career I don’t truly love because it was the “right thing to do” and I know that my mental health and emotional wellbeing are more important than what others think. Moving forward I want to find a career I am truly passionate about and that supports my lifestyle.
These should not be things that other people are doing, or that you feel pressure from society to do. Really focus on what’s important to YOU!
“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but building the new.”
goal setting
Now that you have more clarity around the areas of life you want to support, and the direction you need to move to bring you closer to your higher self, set specific goals in these areas.
For each area, focus on approximately 3-5 goals. The most common format for goal setting is creating SMART goals which are —
specific: get clear about what you truly want and remember why it is important to you. If your goal is to work out more, why? Determine the drive behind the goal.
measurable: this should answer the question of how long, how much, etc. Instead of saying “I want to work out more,” specify how often you want to work out and for how long so you clearly know whether you’re hitting your goal or not.
achievable: make the goals big enough that you’re a little out of your comfort zone but not so big that you can’t achieve it. For example, if you don’t work out at all now don’t set a goal of working out every day. You can always add to your goal as you see progress, but if you set it so high that you keep missing it, negative self-talk will begin to set in and you’ll be more discouraged.
relevant: the goals should be reasonable, realistic, and relevant to the progress you want to make. Ensure the goal is worthwhile and that it matches the vision of your higher self.
time-sensitive: set a deadline for each goal so you have something to measure your progress against.
For example, if your area of focus is cultivating stronger relationships, maybe one of your goals is to implement 1 date night every week with your partner for 45 out of 52 weeks of the year, as this quality time is important for building a stronger foundation for your relationship.
brain dump
These annual goals are incredible for making big progress on your life’s vision. However, there’s no doubt that it can be overwhelming to look at those goals as a whole.
This step is where we break down our goals into smaller, more sustainable actions we can take daily. Take your goal and brain dump all the small steps you need to take to complete it. For example if your goal is to cultivate financial growth, maybe you need to:
complete a finance course to learn more about taxes, RRSPs, etc.
review your finances + determine what you can remove or simplify
compare your fixed vs. variable expenses
set a budget
find an app for budgeting
get your partner/family on-board
determine a savings goal
put away a certain amount of money each month
automate bill payments
look at alternate ways to gain income (i.e. try to monetize your blog, start a side hustle, etc.)
Breaking your goals into smaller steps can help you see exactly what needs to be done to make tangible progress on your goals. Then you can schedule deadlines for each of these smaller goals – breaking them down based on when you feel it’s manageable to complete them.
monthly and weekly goal setting
Set aside time for review and reflection. If you complete this goal setting practice and then never look at your goals again for the rest of the year, of course there are going to be things you don’t accomplish!
Think of each of these time periods as an opportunity to check-in with yourself and your goals. Set reminders in your phone to reflect + move forward. Not only do you need to review what you’ve done so far but what you want to do next. This doesn’t have to be a huge elaborate thing (though I’m all one for making it one).
Maybe you:
go to a coffee shop for an hour each Sunday to review + plan the week ahead.
set aside some time at a favourite nook in your home where you light candles, make coffee, and sit down with your journal.
meditate for 10 minutes + review for 10 minutes
add review time to your morning or night routines
During this review period consider dedicating some time to:
reviewing your vision + big picture goals
reflecting on the progress you’ve made so far
gratitude journaling
planning what you want to accomplish the upcoming week/month/quarter
revising goals + timelines if needed
daily goals
To further break things down, we need to stay focused each day on our bigger why. Keep a daily to-do list where you write down the top 3 things you want to accomplish that day. There is only so much time in a day, so ensure these items are important to you and your vision.
Try to complete these top 3 tasks before anything else. Often we get caught up in menial tasks like checking email, because they’re easy and we feel a sense of accomplishment for checking them off the list, not because they’re important.
The idea behind the big 3 is to focus first on making progress on the items + tasks that will actually make a difference in your life and that will bring you closer to your goals.
strive for progress, not perfection.
tackle the resistance
Just guessing that some of the goals you have written down are those that you’ve had in the past. Building new habits can be challenging, and it often feels like we’re working on things for a long time. Often our lack of progress is not about the goal being too challenging, or about a lack of willpower, It’s that there’s an internal resistance stopping you from completing the goal.
Journal on where your challenges + resistance related to your goals stem from. This goes back to the above point of releasing what doesn’t serve you and finding things that do. Maybe,
your environment isn’t supporting you.
you aren’t sure where to start and need a coach.
you need to set stronger boundaries.
you need to put some distance between you and other people in your life.
One of the biggest reasons we often don’t complete our goals is lack of time – or *supposed * lack of time. That’s why I’ve created an additional section to this guide (below) with tips for overcoming this resistance and scheduling your goals.
schedule it
It’s extremely easy to let the day get away from you. Stuff always comes up, other people’s priorities seem to take hold, and we lose track of our vision.
There are a number of different ways to ensure you’re making time for the things that matter to you. Here are a couple of ideas:
reflect on your current method(s) of productivity. Do you time-block your calendar? Do you have a planner? Implement reminders, journaling practices, etc. with your current habits.
if you don’t currently have a productivity ritual, create one. The simple practice of starting your day setting an intention and writing down the 3 things you want to accomplish that day in your journal or on a sticky note can be a game-changer in helping remind you of how to focus and schedule your day.
get up earlier. Don’t sacrifice your sleep but if your mornings are often hectic and you have no time to spend on your own goals, or habits you want to cultivate, it may be worth it to shift your sleep schedule a little to implement more “you time.”
consider setting reminders in your phone. Maybe they remind you of your big picture vision, or the areas of life you want to focus on, or maybe they’re affirmations that you’ll find supportive.
implement a nightly routine of checking in with yourself: how did you do that day? What areas need greater support?
if you’re unsure how your days just seem to constantly disappear without you feeling accomplished (super relatable for me), consider completing a time audit, where you track how you spent your time for 3 days. I think you’ll find it pretty incredible how much free time you would have if you dropped things like scrolling Instagram or watching Netflix (no shame in those things but if your excuse is that you have no time you need to shift your priorities!).
tips for keeping up with your goals
make a “wins” list. This is a super simple practise that does wonders for mindset. Write down your biggest moments of achievement + success, no matter what they look like. Maybe it was the time you bought your first car, graduated college, got a job in your field, won an award, set a personal record, etc. Whatever makes you proud, and is validation that you are 100% capable of great achievement. Refer to this list whenever you are doubting yourself!
accountability. While it’s really important to be able to hold yourself accountable, sometimes we need a little extra support (especially at the start). Determine what works for you, whether that’s sharing your goals with your partner or a friend, finding an accountability partner, setting reminders in your phone, or telling your Instagram followers your goals.
make a “to do when I’m feeling overwhelmed list.” The purpose of this (slightly) extensive goal setting process is to gain so much clarity on where you’re going that there’s no question of what you need to do. However, we all have days or weeks where we lose that vision and drive. Instead of letting that mindset take over, have a list of practices or rituals that you can do to help shift your thoughts. Maybe that’s taking a walk, journaling, or disconnecting. Check out our current list here.
quality > quantity. if you’re feeling overwhelmed, take items off your list. It’s better to make big progress on one goal than to make tiny progress on a bunch of different goals.
get into the habit of asking yourself, “does this support the person I want to show up as?” Whether it’s a choice, decision, habit, etc., does it bring you further away from your goals or closer? Closer or further away from your higher self? Reflect, readjust, and move forward.
“Don’t wait for everything to be perfect before you decide to enjoy your life.”
affirmations for fresh starts
I am deserving of glorious opportunities
I am letting go of all that no longer serves me
I am confident in my ability to see success
I am strong and resilient
I have the power to change my story
This day is filled with opportunities and potential
remember
growth is uncomfortable but it is SO rewarding. Find comfort in the unknown and in the discomfort, because you know that staying in your comfort zone is NOT working.
aim for 100% but be happy with 90%. Things will always come up that are outside of your control. If you’re really hard on yourself and let negative self-talk in, you’ll be more discouraged rather than recognizing that you are still making incredible progress.
it’s important to find a balance between being compassionate with yourself and still being driven toward success. Create daily rituals that support you in your journey but also give you the flexibility to take time off when you need it.
starting is the hardest part. It will get easier.
While goal setting + driving forward in life is so important, remember that growth occurs throughout the process. So, enjoy it, take time to appreciate where you are, see struggles as opportunities, and see every week/day/minute as an opportunity to start, make change, and reset.
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about the author
Hey there! I’m Jasmine, founder of the Sustainable Bliss Collective, a Certified Meditation Teacher, and lover of all things self-care, slow-living, and personal development.
I believe that ambition and self-care can coexist, and as such I hope to encourage and inspire you to take care of yourself, breathe deeply, connect with who you are, manifest your dreams, enjoy the blissful moments of each day, and make an impact in this beautiful world we call home.
Connect with me on Instagram here!
