Why You Suck At Setting Goals– And How to Plan Better In The Next 90-Days
Let’s cut to the chase: most goal setting and planning sucks. Not only is it vague and overly ambitious, but it’s buried in a notebook you haven’t opened since January.
You’re not lazy. You’re not a failure. You’ve just been setting your goals and planning wrong. And that’s exactly why you haven’t reached those beautiful and inspiring goals you’ve set for yourself earlier this year (yet).
If you’ve set personal and business goals that you’ve either forgotten about or haven’t achieved yet this year, then stop what you’re doing right now and let’s plan your next 90 days to achieve the exact results you want.
In my 90-Day Planning Masterclass, we ditch the fluff and get real in this interactive, accountability-driven workshop on how to set goals that actually become reality in your business and your life. Join us live on Monday, July 28th from 9:30-11 AM (CST) or catch the replay for our 90-day goal-setting workshop on “90-Day Planning: Goal Setting for Q3/Q4” here.
“It must be borne in mind that the tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goals to reach.”
- Benjamin E. Mays
The Hard Truth About Goal Setting
You know the drill: write down some “resolutions,” feel great for 48 hours, and then never look at them again. Sound familiar? Yup…
Here’s where most people (including me) go wrong:
Goals are too broad
Goals focus on the end only- and not the process
There’s no accountability, so no one notices when you fall behind
They’re not visible, but rather tucked away, never revisited or updated
They’re not measurable or trackable
They’re based on subjective feelings, not objective data
There are no rewards along the way
My favorite way to learn is through mistakes, and that’s exactly how I figured out these goal-setting pitfalls. So, I flipped the script and asked: What am I doing when I’m actually meeting my goals? Here’s what I found:
Goals are specific
Goals focus on the process and are broken down into tangible steps
There’s accountability, so someone is there to recognize when I miss a step two days in a row
They’re visible and there are constant reminders in place
They’re measureable, documented, and trackable
They’re based on objective data points, making it easy to see when the goal has been reached
They’re rewards for reaching each step and mini celebrations along the way
So, tell me… When you look at your resolutions, business visions, personal goals, or any goal-setting materials from this year, what has worked and what hasn’t worked for you so far?
“All successful people have a goal. No one can get anywhere unless he knows where he wants to go and what he wants to be or do.”
- Norman Vincent Peale
The 90-Day Goal-Setting Framework That Works
Instead of focusing on the end goal, tackle goals by focusing on the process to get there. In order to set and reach goals that actually work, I combine James Clear’s philosophy on focusing on systems rather than setting goals and Jay Shetty’s 1-4-3-1 Method for achieving goals.
Here’s how I help my dietitians (myself) tackle goals that actually stick:
Step 1: Pick One Big, Yet Realistic Goal To Reach In The Next 90 Days
For both your personal and business life. Examples for your business may be something like:
Launch my course
Hire a new RD
Get my RDs' schedules full
Reduce my client load
Start a podcast
Leave my full-time job
While personal goals may look something like:
Take time off
Go on a vacation
Pay off debt
Run a half marathon
Build 5lbs of muscle
Step 2: Break It Down by Month
Take that goal you want to reach over the next 90 days and break it down by the month.
Map that big, yet realistic goal over the next three months. This forces clarity, direction, and realistic planning - no more setting massive goals and losing momentum as the year progresses.
Here’s what the breakdown may look like for the business example of: Launch a podcast
Month 1: Film 4 episodes
Month 2: Launch podcast
Month 3: Promote podcast and automate processes
Step 3: Get Specific by the Week
Take each monthly priority and break it into weekly action steps. Yes, we’re getting that granular because that’s how things actually get done and not lost in the hot mess of a to-do list.
Example:
Month 1 – Film 4 episodes
Week 1: Sent survey
Week 2: Schedule interviews
Week 3: Film 2 guest interviews
Week 4: Film 2 solo episodes
Step 4: Create the System
The biggest pitfall from here is having amazing goals, but no system to reach them or hold you accountable from week to week. In order not to forget about these goals, now create a system to reach them continuously.
Each week, time block 30-120 minutes (depending on size of your goal) onto your calendar, first thing in the morning to complete your tasks. Open your calendar and set the goals for the next 4 weeks. Then set a reminder at the end of week 4 to plan the next 4 weeks.
This month-to-month planning allows for fluctuations, life (SMH), and staying engaged in the planning process to hold you accountable to yourself!
“If a goal is worth having, it’s worth blocking out the time in your day-to-day life necessary to achieve it.”
- Jill Koenig
A Reminder: Your Goals Don’t Suck – Your System Does
If you want to:
Get more clients (without losing your mind)
Set boundaries with your time
Actually launch the project you keep putting off
Feel like you’re making intentional progress…
You need more than ambition. You need a system that meets you where you are — and holds you accountable to where you want to go. And this can be that system for you.
“It is not enough to take steps which may someday lead to a goal; each step must be itself a goal and a step likewise.”
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Want to Plan Better (for Real This Time)?
Join us live on Monday, July 28th from 9:30-11AM (CST) or catch the replay for our 90-day goal-setting workshop on “90-Day Planning: Goal Setting for Q3/Q4” here. Plus, join our weekly biz coaching group for weekly accountability after the workshop.
Let’s make the rest of this year your most aligned (and productive) season yet.
“If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else.”
- Lawrence J. Peter
90-Day Planning: Goal Setting for Q3/Q4
90-minutes
Virtual (Live / Replay Available)
$35 or FREE for first-time guests using code #FIRSTTIMER and Dietitian Business Network members
Ready to make the rest of 2025 even better than the first half? Let’s skip the fluff... This isn’t some corporate goal-setting worksheet you fill out and never look at again. In this no-BS workshop, we’ll use real data from your practice (and your life) to set goals that actually mean something -- and create a plan to make them happen.