GOAL is Not a Four-Letter Word

GOAL is Not a Four-Letter Word

Maybe you've noticed the shift, too. Where people used to talk about their goals for a new year, some now prefer to set "intentions." Or to "cast a vision" for the year ahead and leave it at that. In some circles, it feels like talking about your goals is admitting you still partake in a retrograde practice, one that's best not mentioned in polite company. Why is that? 

Setting a goal means admitting that there is something you want to change about your life or even yourself—that there is something you wish could be better, that there is something that's not as it should be.

And that feels uncomfortable in today's culture, right? We hear "you're great just the way you are" and "love yourself" and "ignore the naysayers" and "just keep things simple." And we at Cultivate agree with all those things—absolutely! But take one quick look around and it's easy to see that our lives are not yet perfect. Things are not as they should be. Most of us could easily point to some area of our life—our relationships, our finances, our businesses, our health—where we hope for something better.

That's healthy! That's good! As people, we're meant to always be learning and growing and making small improvements along the way and creating more good out of what we've been given. And that's where goals come in.

An intention is a dream without a plan. An intention is wishful thinking. An intention is a body without muscle, without a spine, without a brain.

A goal is a dream with a plan. Here at Cultivate, a goal is an actionable, achievable plan that moves you from where you are to where you want to be. Cultivated goals are lifegiving, joyful, deeply satisfying—and there's absolutely no perfection required. 



And yet, the goal is not the goal. No matter how good the goal is, we are after something much bigger than a one-time achievement or mastery of a new habit. If PowerSheets® were only about helping you set and achieve goals, we'd close up shop tomorrow. PowerSheets are the anti-busy tool, and they'll lead you into a whole new way of doing life. Cultivated goals simplify your life, because they allow you to focus your heart and your efforts on what matters, and clear away the rest. Doesn't that sound good?!

Don't be ashamed to set goals, sister. Let the goodness blooming in your life convince any naysayers once and for all! And remember, you will always have a cheerleader and champion here at Cultivate. Today and everyday, we celebrate YOU:

The women who are not afraid to dream
and who back up their dreams with plans. 
The women who care about what matters, 
who celebrate little-by-little progress, 
and who grow good things with boldness and love.

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Emily Thomas

Emily Thomas

Emily Thomas

Emily Thomas is Cultivate What Matters' Content Strategist and Writer. With over a decade at Cultivate, Emily loves helping women uncover what matters, set good goals, and live them out with joy. Her free time is spent with her high-school-sweetheart husband and three young kiddos.