Goal Achievement

Where you are now may once have been your dream.

Are you taking time to appreciate that, or are you already upset that you are not further along?

I had this conversation with my son Christian while he was playing college golf and working toward becoming a professional. He was hungry for the next level. I understood that excitement, and I wanted him to see what he had already created.

Goal achievement deserves more than immediately moving the finish line.

Do not miss the beginning

When I started my business, the energy I had before making my first $100,000 was extraordinary. There was fear, but there was also hope, ambition, and the promise of what could happen.

Later, working toward a million dollars brought less fear and more belief in the possibility.

We tend to think the best part will be arriving. Sometimes what we expect to feel at the finish is what we are already experiencing in anticipation.

For me, it is like anticipating Christmas morning as a child. Wondering what was inside the presents could be more exciting than having them.

If you are at the beginning of a goal, do not miss the magic of not knowing what you can do yet. That uncertainty can feel disorienting, but it also holds possibility.

Celebrate progress before the finish line

You may not have won the tournament or earned the money you want. That does not mean nothing has happened.

Who have you become simply by setting the goal?

A new possibility can change your thoughts, feelings, and actions before you achieve it. Notice those changes.

I told Christian that playing Division I golf and shooting the scores he was shooting had been his dream three years earlier. Now he was frustrated about not winning at another level.

I wanted him to appreciate his progress. If he knew he would ultimately win a professional tournament, would he be so upset about every imperfect shot? Or would he recognize those shots as part of the process?

The process is where you live every day. Do not reduce its value to whether you have arrived yet.

Pause when you achieve something

I think I brushed past making my first million dollars too quickly. I was already focused on ten million.

When you achieve a goal, take at least ten minutes to pause. List what you accomplished. How did you do it? What was difficult? What can you feel proud of?

You may have set the next goal already. Still take time to acknowledge this one.

Celebration is not a reason to stop growing. It is a way to recognize the growth that has happened.

Evaluate the process honestly

After celebrating, look at what worked and what did not.

When my business made $52 million in a year, it was a major milestone. It was also a year in which I did many things wrong. I worked hard and burned myself out.

I needed to acknowledge the accomplishment and recognize that the way I had produced it was not sustainable for me.

What surprised you? What challenges taught you something? What would you avoid doing again?

Put those lessons in your toolbox before creating the next goal. You can be proud of the result and still decide you want a different process.

Achievement can change your sense of identity

At the time of this episode, I shared an offer I had received to purchase The Life Coach School. The proposed amount was more than twice the $100 million goal I had thought was outrageous.

Learning about the deal and considering what it would mean was an extraordinary experience. I felt a sense of accomplishment and completion I had not expected.

I did not accept the offer. I loved my company and my work, and I did not feel the buyers were aligned with the mission.

The experience was not about finally having enough money. It was about seeing that something I once thought impossible was not even the limit of what could be possible.

It also made me consider my identity and what I wanted next. Surprisingly, my response was not an immediate desire for a bigger financial goal.

Pay attention to those changes in yourself. The next goal does not have to be a larger version of the last one.

Expect achievement to have challenges, too

Achieving a goal does not guarantee the emotional experience you imagined.

When I was trying to lose weight, I projected a perfect life onto being thinner. I imagined happiness, approval, and an end to struggle.

But changing your body size does not automatically change the thinking in your brain. That work still needs attention.

I have seen clients feel disappointed after weight loss because the promise of a better life was no longer out there waiting for them. There can also be a significant identity shift.

A client who quit drinking felt wonderful about that goal, but losing friendships was painful. The achievement had consequences she needed to process.

Try to anticipate those obstacles. They do not have to be reasons to abandon an important goal. They are experiences to consider and work through.

Do not ask a goal to create your worth

If you are continually setting goals to arrive at a place where you finally love yourself or become worthy, there will never be enough achievement.

Do that work along the way. You will not become a more worthy human by reaching the finish line.

I set goals to explore capacity, evolve, increase ability, and make life interesting. The journey gives me a way to see what I am made of.

Choose a goal that helps you become the person you want to be. When you achieve it, celebrate and evaluate. Then create the next one from abundance and excitement.

It may take you into a completely different part of life. Be willing to be a beginner again—and enjoy the promise of not yet knowing what you can do.