Write Down Your Goals: Why It Actually Works
- linnearader
- Jul 15
- 4 min read
What you write down, you prioritize.
Over the last few weeks, I lost my focus. Not entirely, but when you've got a lot going on and like to make progress on a bunch of different projects, even a small sidestep in focus makes a big difference.
Guess what my loss of focus looked like? Scrolling. Playing games on my phone. Marathoning Elsbeth on Paramount Plus. Relaxing without a plan was fun for a bit, and honestly, I probably needed the break. It's been a busy year. But I have stuff to do, and I got a little carried away on the relaxing part.
So What Do You Want to Do Each Day or Week?
If you write it down and put it somewhere you see it regularly, guess what happens? It actually happens. You still have to put in the effort, don't get me wrong. But seeing it, right there in front of you, helps. It reminds you of your goals, your focus, your priorities.
There's actual research behind this too, and it's not just a leadership platitude. Studies on goal setting have found that people who write their goals down are significantly more likely to follow through on them than people who just think about their goals or keep them vague in their head. Something about putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, makes a goal feel real instead of hypothetical. It stops being a nice idea floating around in your brain and starts being a thing you're accountable to.
"What you write down, you prioritize."
This last week I did much better with my priorities. I still got in some Elsbeth and some games, but in a much more manageable way. Honestly, I got a little clever about it too. I watched Elsbeth while I played my game. Lol.
My Learning and Growth Goals
Anyways, here's the better part. I love to learn and grow. I'm not sure how many times I've typed that sentence over the last year and a half, but it's a lot. Here's what my current learning and growth goals look like:
1. Watch one MasterClass per week
2. Listen to two podcasts per week
3. Read every day
I could stretch that list from three items to a hundred if I really wanted to push it. But then it would be overwhelming, and I probably wouldn't do any of it. When I do more than my goals, it makes me genuinely happy. And if I'm honest, once I listen to one podcast, the second, third, and fourth are way more likely to happen too. Once I start, I'm on a roll. So I set the goal at two, something completely manageable and doable without any stress, and I usually knock it out of the park.
If I set that goal at five podcast episodes instead, and I looked at that list while I was busy or stressed, it would just add to the stress instead of relieving it.
Why These Goals Matter to Me
The next part that makes this work is meaning. Why are these three things so meaningful to me?
MasterClass teaches me a lot. More ways to use AI, how to write better, how to engage through storytelling, different perspectives on leadership. Tons. Podcasts do the same thing. My favorites are Mel Robbins and Rachel Hollis. They always seem to be speaking directly to me, handing me the insight, ideas, focus, and motivation I need that day.
And reading? Heck, right now my main read is the Sweet Magnolias series. Not exactly a development book. Shocking, I know. But keeping the habit of reading every day keeps me being a reader. Sometimes it's personal growth and development. Sometimes it's not. And if I'm honest, reading any book with people in it means the leadership nerd in me still picks up on the traits and behaviors playing out between the characters. I process it whether I mean to or not.
Do you see what I'm getting at here? It's important to be realistic, and to set goals that are attainable and have meaning.
"It's important to be realistic, and to set goals that are attainable and have meaning."
Are Your Goals Actually SMART?
You've probably heard about SMART goals before. If not, here's the quick version. SMART stands for:
Specific: Clear and well defined, not vague or general.
Measurable: You can track progress and know when you've hit it.
Achievable: Realistic given your time, energy, and resources.
Relevant: Tied to something that actually matters to you.
Time-bound: It has a timeframe attached, like weekly or daily.
Let's run my MasterClass goal through it real quick. Specific? Yes, one class, not "learn more stuff sometime." Measurable? Yes, I either watched one or I didn't. Achievable? Absolutely, one class a week fits into my life without a fight. Relevant? Completely, it feeds my love of learning and gives me new tools for both my job and Lead with Linnea. Time-bound? Yep, it resets every week.
Checking my own list against that, all three goals are SMART. Did I sit down and run them through an actual checklist when I first set them? Probably not. The idea was likely in the back of my mind, but I didn't formalize it. That's okay. You don't need a worksheet to set a good goal. You just need to be honest with yourself about whether it's specific, doable, and meaningful to you.
Your Turn This Week
So here's what I recommend you do this week. Write it down. Write down what you want to accomplish. Write down what actually means something to you. Write down where you want to be, and work backwards from there to set your goals. Just write it down. Start somewhere.
Do you want to learn and grow? Do you want to do better in the parenting or spouse department? Do you want to get more active? Learn a new skill? Get a new job? Pick up a different hobby?
It doesn't matter how big or small it is. How earth shattering or how life changing. It's time to write it down and start.
As always, carry social kindness with you everywhere you go. The world needs you and your positive mindset!
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