Think of the biggest goals you've set yourself in the past. Whether you realized the specific outcome you wanted or not.

I hold the view in my coaching the goal that shows up first is rarely, if ever, the real goal.

The goal is not the goal

The goal is not—

• to write for 30 days, or 100 days

• to complete your first marathon, tri-, or ultra

• lose 5 kilos

• bench press a certain weight

These are all lag measures. There's a meaningful span of time between your intention today and having done that thing. You won't know until it's either done or not.

It's a long time to hold your breath and battle daily to build the escape velocity needed to break free from the gravity of old patterns and behaviors.

Levels of creation

To improve your chances of success I suggest broadening your thinking. Leave the laser focus on outcomes and tap into different levels of creation - areas like the environment, your beliefs, your identity.

The goal is not the goal.

The goal is habit building; being intentional every day; being fully present to your focus and purpose; being who you are. Becoming more each day of the kind of person you want to be.

• You want to be a marathon runner (identity)...

• Be the person each day who gets up and puts on running kit - ready for running (behavior)

• Learn a warm-up routine to do today before your run (capability)

These things are lead measures - you know each day if you've been successful or not.

"Every action you take is a vote for the person you wish to become."
— James Clear

I'm an executive coach and I work with talented people working on being the kind of person they want to be.