When it comes to building a life you love, I’ve found that setting relevant goals is the difference between feeling constantly drained and feeling truly aligned. Let me ask you something honestly… have you ever set a goal that sounded great out loud, but deep down you weren’t really connected to it? Maybe you wrote it down, but every time you saw it, you felt a sense of guilt rather than excitement.
I’ve been there more times than I can count.
Sometimes we set goals because we think we should. Because it sounds productive or looks good to other people. But when a goal isn’t truly connected to our life, our values, or our current season, it becomes a burden. That’s why today in our SMART Goals series, we’re taking a deeper dive into the letter R: Relevant. This one is all about alignment—making sure you are setting relevant goals that actually fit your soul
Catch Up on Last Week’s Episode
What Does “Relevant” Really Mean in Goal Setting?
When a goal is relevant, it connects to your real life, not an imaginary version of yourself. It’s not about doing more; it’s about doing what matters. Setting relevant goals means answering questions like:
- Why does this goal matter to me?
- How does this support the life I’m building?
- Is this goal right for this season, or am I just forcing it?
Relevance gives your work meaning. And when your work has meaning, staying consistent becomes much easier. This is exactly what we dive deeper into during my 5-Day SMART Goals Challenge, where we strip away the “shoulds” and get back to the “why.”
Learning to Refocus My Ambition
I’ll be honest—I used to say yes to every idea. Blog posts, business expansions, complex content plans… all of it. On the outside, it looked like ambition. On the inside, I was overwhelmed and constantly frustrated.
I finally realized that not every “good” idea was a relevant goal for me. I had to open up my Planner and really look at my time and my heart. I started asking:
- Does this support my stationery business?
- Does this connect to the community I’m trying to build?
- Does this align with the life I want, not just the life I think I’m supposed to want?
That shift changed everything. Instead of chasing everything, I started setting relevant goals—focusing on growing my creative business and building something meaningful. When my goals became more relevant, I felt calmer. More focused. More at peace.
Why Setting Relevant Goals Keeps Us Motivated
When your goal is relevant, you don’t have to constantly push yourself to care—the care comes naturally.
- Working on my stationery business is relevant because creativity is part of who I am.
- Writing for this community is relevant because I truly care about encouraging others to grow.
Because these goals are connected to my purpose, I’m more likely to keep showing up, even on the hard days. If you find yourself constantly “starting over,” it might be because you aren’t setting relevant goals that truly move you.
How to Tell If Your Goal Is Truly Relevant
If you’re staring at your Planner and feeling stuck, try asking yourself:
- Does this goal support the life I’m trying to build?
- Does it still make sense for my current season?
- Do I feel connected to this, or just obligated to it?
If you need help narrowing this down, my 5-Day SMART Goals Challenge is designed to help you filter your ideas until only the most relevant ones remain.
A Final Thought to Carry With You
If there’s one thing I hope you take away from today, it’s this: you are allowed to build goals that make sense for your life.
You don’t have to chase what everyone else is chasing. Take a moment today and gently ask yourself: Are my current goals still relevant to who I’m becoming?
If you’re ready to get intentional, grab your Very Simple Undated Monthly Planner and join us for the 5-Day SMART Goals Challenge! Let’s start setting relevant goals together.
As you go about your day, take care, be well, and remember to live every day life very simple. See you next Monday.