Tag: feedback loops

Did you blink? Yep — it’s June already!

Maybe your New Year’s Goals are thriving. Or, maybe they’re MIA?

Either way, you’re halfway through the year.

Most of us set ambitious goals in January and then quietly abandon them month by month. Not because we’re lazy, but because we focus on what we want… not how we’ll get there.

Let’s explore a better way to achieve our goals.

Start With the Goal

What goal (or goals) did you set?

Defining your goal is a great start. What makes the difference between goal setting and accomplishing your goals is strategy. Strategy is how you will accomplish your goals. This year, I’ve been studying for the Psychology of Leadership certificate program with Cornell University. Part of this program includes diving into the psychology of getting things done.

What I’ve learned has helped me approach goals differently. It’s less about pressure and stress, and not about relying on motivation and momentum. It’s about progress, not perfection.

1. Make Your Goals Stretch…Just Enough

Goals should feel like a challenge. They need to stretch you beyond your comfort zone. Far enough to spark focus, but not so far they leave you overwhelmed.

For example, my workout routine already consists of 4 days of workouts each week. One of my goals is to add a 5th cardio day to my weekly workouts. It’s not a total overhaul — just enough to push me physically without burning me out.

2. Stack New Habits Onto Old Ones

One of my favorite strategies? Habit stacking. It’s the idea of anchoring a new habit to something you already do.

If you already make coffee every morning, you could pair that moment with a review of your top three tasks. Or if you already set your phone on the charger at night, use that moment to write down one thing you’re grateful for.

This takes effort out of your system, and lets routine do the work.

It’s important to note that often we think we should push ourselves into accomplishing a goal. This will lead to burnout! You can’t rely on motivation because life happens and our motivation muscles get fatigued. Use your routine to add on or tweak here and there. This strategy is so much more sustainable long term.

3. Use If-Then Planning (a.k.a. Implementation Intentions)

Want to follow through on your goals more consistently? Implementation intentions can help. It’s about creating a trigger-based plan: *”If X happens, then I will do Y.”

For example: “If it’s Monday between 5-6 pm, then I will workout.” Or “If it’s bedtime, I will read my daily Bible reading through Bible Recap.”

These small, specific cues reduce the need for motivation, and increase follow-through.

4. Break It Down with Mini Goals

Big goals can feel overwhelming. That’s why it’s helpful to break them down into weekly or monthly mini-goals. These smaller wins build momentum and give you natural check-in points to see what’s working or what needs to shift.

For example, instead of “Payoff $10,000 in debt this year,” maybe I track:

• Pay $833.33 toward debt each month
• Earn an extra $208.33 each week

Now the goal isn’t a vague aspiration — it’s a system with checkpoints.

5. Build in Feedback Loops

The best goals aren’t fixed — they evolve. Ask: “Is this working?” “Is this still meaningful?” “What’s getting in the way?”

Goals should talk back. If they’re not moving you forward, it’s not a failure — it’s feedback in the form of data points. Use that data to refine the process.

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Evaluation of My 2025 Goals

These are goals I set in January of this year. I’ll give you an evaluation of how it’s going below. I will also show how I can tweak the goals to make them more attainable if they are lagging behind. Alternatively, I may decide to remove a goal altogether.

Here are the categories of my goals.

Reduce Mental Stress

• Simplify meal prep planning — Create monthly menus. Evaluation: This one progressed through February and now it’s no longer important to continue this year. I took on too many goals and this one will remain on the list for the future!
• Boundaries on phone and distractions. Evaluation: This one has been hit and miss which tells me I need to define it more. I can make this one more robust by using an “if-then” strategy. If it’s 8:00 pm, my phone is put away until the next morning.

Physical

• Continue 4 days/week workouts. Evaluation: This one has been a success. I attribute the success because I decided early on that my workout days are Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. The time I workout on those days are between 5:00 and 6:00 pm. This is part of my routine and it’s a habit. (Hint: Success of this goal is due to implementation intentions)
• Add 5th day of cardio (interval running). Evaluation: Due to shin splints, I have not been able to run. I’ve shifted to include additional interval cardio after weight training. I usually watch a fun or interesting YouTube video while I’m getting my cardio in. This is an example of Habit Stacking.

Spiritual

• Attend Silent Retreat in April. Evaluation: This one has been completed.
• Begin Bible Recap. Evaluation: This one is going well. I have begun reading through the Bible using the Bible Recap. I have consistently been reading for 100 days. (Hint: the success of this goal is due to breaking it down to mini-goals or a daily reading plan)

Social

• Attend 1 Girls House Church event every other month. Evaluation: This one is going well.

Marriage

• Monthly date night experiences. Evaluation: My hubby purchased a set of scratch off date cards. These cards tell you what to do for a date night. We followed through with this through March. This goal needs more definition using implementation intentions. If it’s the third Saturday of the month, we will go on a date night experience.

Professional

• 1 blog post every Friday. Evaluation: Success! Posting a blog post every Friday!
• 1 article submission to Tish Co News each month. Evaluation: I’ve submitted 5 articles so far and will turn in another article this week. Turning in articles monthly has built accountability. This habit has helped me write not only for Tish Co News, but also my blog. *Ahem* this is habit stacking!

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Looking at this list, I know I won’t hit every target perfectly. And that’s not the point.

The point is to design goals that fit real life. To stretch, but not snap. To evolve, not obsess.

So if you’re halfway through the year and wondering if it’s too late to get back on track — it’s not.

You don’t need more motivation. You just need better methods and a strategy!

Here’s to a second half that’s more intentional, more grounded, and more aligned with who you’re becoming.

If you’re looking for someone to help you with your goals. Help you create implementation intentions, habit stack, define stretch goal, and/or hold accountability for those goals. I’m here for that! That’s what a coach does, after all. Use the submission form below and let’s get after those goals!