Gentle Goal Setting for an Intentional Year

Why Gentle Goal Setting? 

'For your goals to be achievable, they must move you towards things you want... The key is to get really clear on your personal values and set goals that align closely with them. Values are the things you believe are important in the way you live and work. They should determine your priorities and help you measure whether your life is turning out the way you want.’ – How to Set Goals (and Be Gentle with Yourself)

I’ve been talking about the power of gentle goal setting for a long time. When our goals are rooted in values rather than pressure, they feel lighter, more achievable, and much more motivating. It’s an approach I firmly believe in, and one I think everyone can benefit from, especially as the world around us becomes increasingly overwhelming.

What is Gentle Goal Setting?

You’ve probably heard of SMART goals and stretch goals. Maybe you’ve been told to ‘dream big’ and ‘smash your goals’. Well, gentle goal setting is different. It’s softer, less pressured, and more supportive. 

Gentle goals…

… are guided by your personal values, not what everybody else is doing.

… prioritise your wellbeing with an emphasis on building rhythms and routines you can actually maintain. We’re adding small daily habits we can stick to, not overhauling our entire lives, all in one go.    

… reflect your current season of life and honour your natural pace and capacity. No toxic hustle culture allowed!

… support rather than stress you out. Gentle goals are flexible and designed to reduce overwhelm, not add more tasks to your to-do list.  

… focus on progress, not perfection. They’re made up of small achievable steps that generate momentum without adding pressure. They also celebrate the learning and growing that happens along the way, not just the outcome of your efforts. 

… come with a massive dose of self-compassion. While you’re working towards these goals, I want your inner voice to sound as kind and encouraging as possible.

My Gentle Goal Setting Process

1. First, spend some time reflecting on your values. Journaling is my preferred way to do this. Note down your top three core values (e.g. creativity, connection and freedom) and write about how you want them to influence your daily life. If you feel you’re falling short in any way, this might highlight an area of your life or business you’d like to work on. 

You might also find the following journaling prompts helpful:

1. • When do I feel most fulfilled or at peace
   • What skills or strengths do I have that I’d like to use more often?
   • What do I want to be known for? What would building this legacy look like?
   • What limiting beliefs or old patterns are holding me back right now?
     
     
2. Turn your journaling session into intentions for the year ahead. Rather than rigid outcomes, focus on being or feeling a certain way. Based on the core values listed above this might look like ‘live a more creative life’, ‘nurture friendships’, and ‘protect my time and energy’. 
   
   
3. Next, shrink these intentions down. Your gentle goals can be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) but remember to keep the metrics small. A more creative life could look like 15-minutes of sketching a day. Nurturing friendships could involve reaching out to a friend every week. Protecting your time and energy could be taking one Friday off a month.
   
   
4. Celebrate small wins and be ready to course-correct if needed. Setbacks are inevitable, and it can take time to build new habits. If you miss a sketching session or accidentally book a client call on your day off, don’t beat yourself up or abandon your goal completely. Engage your compassionate inner voice and keep going. There is no 'failing' at gentle goals – only learning what works for you.
   
   
5. Finally, give yourself permission to wait until spring! I know January is supposed to feel like a fresh start, but it’s still winter. If we take our cues from nature, we can see this time of year is a period of rest and preparation. By all means, dream and plan if you want to, but it’s OK to hold off on the doing for now! 

More Tips to Help You Begin the Year Gently

• Block out time for rest. Look at your calendar for the year ahead and mark down things like annual leave, bank holidays, school holidays, and inset days. Maybe you’ve always wanted to take your birthday off, or you know you’ll need a break at the end of what tends to be your busiest season. Blocking these things out now makes them more likely to happen.
   
• Schedule joy first. Before filling your diary with work commitments, book in that date night with your partner or evening out with a friend. You might want to make sure you catch a certain movie at the cinema (I’ve just been to see Hamnet – highly recommend!), or perhaps there’s a show you’re desperate to see at the theatre. Prioritise the fun stuff, give yourself things to look forward to, and plan your work schedule accordingly. 
  
  
• Make time for winter self-care. Suzy Reading’s 7 Steps of Winter Wellbeing are a great starting point and the book Wintering by Katherine May is another useful resource.
  
  
• Curate an analogue bag. I don’t know about you, but I often find my screentime creeps up at this time of year. It must be those cold, dark evenings curled up on the sofa! If you’re struggling with digital fatigue, and you’re looking for a way to switch off, the analogue bag trend has got to be worth a try. The trend’s originator, content creator Sierra Campbell, suggests filling a small bag or basket with screen-free activities such as a book or magazine, puzzle book, sketching tools or your favourite craft. Keep your analogue bag somewhere handy and practice reaching for it instead of your phone.    

Still Feeling Stuck or Overwhelmed? 

I’m passionate about helping people define the life they want, so they can follow their dreams and build a career that matches their vision. Together, we can untangle your ideas, identify your priorities, clarify your goals, and create a plan that feels supportive rather than overwhelming. Learn more about 1:1 Business Coaching, Group Coaching or get in touch to discuss your options. I’ll look forward to hearing from you.

Further Reading

•    How to Decide What to Focus on in Your Business
•    How to Self-Coach Your Way from Stuck to Let’s Go
•    How to Shrug Off ‘Shoulds’ and Run Your Business on Your Own Terms