Focus On Your Values, Not Big-Picture Goals

When we set goals, we often focus only on the big picture. We want to run marathons, open coffee shops, and travel to 100 countries.

Setting big goals can be exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. I love thinking about and setting long-term goals for my life. I dream and get excited about the future.

On the other hand, big-picture targets are so far away from current realities that they are not enough for me to get up early to do an interval run.

I have found that for me to achieve the most, it’s not enough to set goals. What gets me out of bed to actually do that interval run is not what I want to achieve with that particular exercise, it’s that it’s in alignment with who I want to be.

In his book Atomic Habits, the popular author James Clear says that “every action is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.” I’ve found this to be true when it comes to goal-setting. Rather than being guided by a long list of specific goals, I strive to embody my core values in everything I do. To his point, I believe that by focusing on having crystal-clear values instead of being guided by a 10-item bucket list, we can live a more intentional life.

By focusing on having crystal-clear values instead of being guided by a 10-item bucket list, we can live a more intentional life.

Following this idea requires that you know your values and what is truly important to you. Take some time to reflect on what moves you, what you care about, and what you want to embody. Once you have a clear understanding of your values, you can start to make intentional choices that align with them.

Learning and self-improvement are meaningful areas of my life, something I intrinsically value. As part of my gradual shift towards slow productivity, I am putting less focus on big goals like “read 200 books before turning 40.” That goal sounds overwhelming, and where do I even begin? Instead, I try to embody the person who finds learning and self-improvement hugely important. If I focus on reading a book I enjoy for just 30 minutes tonight, imagine what I will have learned and read in 5 or 10 years.

I don’t need to quantify my progress or measure my results. I trust that by focusing on my values, I’ll end up in a place that I never could have imagined. And right now, that’s just as exciting as writing out a bucket list.

By focusing on following my values rather than specific goals, I feel that my life goals are more attainable. This approach also allows me to be more relaxed, yet confident, about where I’m headed.