Setting Goals From the Inside Out

I don’t know about you, but when those year-end magazine issues hit the stands, I feel a familiar sense of dread. It signals a time of reflection—where I inevitably start tallying up the things I did or didn’t accomplish. I replay the highs and lows, often with a twinge of guilt over lost time or missed opportunities.

That dread deepens when I revisit my to-do list. What stands out is that the lingering tasks—the ones still unchecked—are usually those I wasn’t truly invested in. They’re not connected to my goals or passions. They ended up on the list out of a sense of obligation.

But responsibility, at its core, is simply the ability to respond to external cues that may or may not align with our core values. Somewhere along the line many of us shift our focus and adopt goals that may not be truly ours. We change our goals to fit in, to get ahead, to look good or to hide. When goals are created from the expectations of others, from the “outside in,” even when we reach them we may still feel unfulfilled.

In order to feel fulfilled when we reach our goals, we must do two things: (1) set our goals from the “inside out” and (2) let go of the outcome of these goals. Setting goals and telling others about them is a powerful way to attract the things that you desire in your life. The more your goals represent your dreams and are rooted in your core values, the easier they will be to achieve. I call these “resonant goals.” Resonant goals are set from the inside out and attract the resources that you need most.

To set resonant goals we must answer the following questions:1. What are our core values?2. What do we truly need to be happy?

1. Core values are at the heart of your moral conduct and are unique for each individual. Core values identify objects, conditions or characteristics that one considers important and useful when making decisions in your life. Make a list of your core values or the core values of your family system (Typically people hold 6-10 core values). Examples include: Integrity, health, education, and financial independence.

2. Happiness is a state of being that is defined by each individual. Think about the times in your life when you were genuinely happy. What was it about that happy state that you remember most? Determine what or who helped create that state of happiness. An easy exercise is to write (without thought or judgment) what makes you happy. You can do this for 4-5 minutes and come up with a long list that may surprise you.

Once you know what your core values are and what makes you happy, it will be easy to set resonant goals. For example, I value creativity and know that this requires time alone to ruminate. My goal would be to have a regular night to myself to get in touch with my creativity.

After you’ve identified these goals, the last step is to let go of the outcome. This is a process of surrender where you must hold the intention of attaining your goal without basing your happiness on it’s outcome.

For example, if my goal is to have a night for myself once per week, I will still be happy to come home to a messy house and a child who ate pizza for dinner again! For many, this is the true test. With practice and effort you will find that letting go of the outcome creates true freedom.