What if everything you’ve been told about goal setting is actually only half the story?

Imagine what it would be like if the real power of a goal wasn’t just in achieving it, but in the person that you become along the way.

I mean, really think about this for a second. You set a goal, and you’ve got this clear vision of what success looks like inside your mind and you’re determined to make it a reality.

Now, let me ask you this: What usually happens when you do hit that target?

I’m sure you probably experience a nice release of dopamine and feel a sense of accomplishment. But then what? ‍

‍You’re definitely not alone. This is a common experience. I know that I have felt it more times than I can possibly count; but over the past couple of years, I have found a way around that empty feeling that sometimes happens once you’ve hit your target.

You see, most people view goals as the finish line or just another thing to cross off the list. That’s where we have all been severely misguided.

What I have come to realize is this: The purpose of a goal isn’t to necessarily achieve some long-lasting end result. That’s actually only a very small benefit of goals. The real reward is that working toward a goal forces you to evolve.

Instead of seeing goals as the finish line, I want you to start looking at them as markers on a never-ending path of self-mastery.

The goals that you set for yourself are no longer just about achieving some external result. Goals are about building a stronger, sharper version of yourself. Goals are about reshaping your identity.

This isn’t just some off-the-wall bullshit idea. This concept can really benefit every aspect of your life; because if you can understand the deeper purpose of goals, you will then be able to move forward with more clarity and intention.

Take a moment to think about how many times you’ve achieved a goal only to wonder what comes next. because you still don’t feel fulfilled. 

How many times have you given up on a goal because you didn’t have a strong enough WHY to actually see it through to the end?

How often do you set goals just because you feel like it’s what you’re supposed to do without really understanding how it all fits into the larger picture of your life?

It’s not your fault if this is how you’ve gone about it. Modern culture glorifies the end-result. You know, things like the six pack abs, the millionaire lifestyle, the new car in the driveway. And all of that is completely okay if that’s what you are going after.

It becomes an issue when you put these things on a pedestal without acknowledging what it takes to get there, and more importantly, who you have to become in order to make it happen.

Luckily, there is a much better way to go about all of this, and I’m going to show you how to do it.‍

‍This shift in thinking will lead you to real fulfillment, aligning your external achievements with your internal growth. 

Accomplishing a goal will no longer just be about hitting another target. You will be fueled by an ongoing desire to keep stacking victories because you see who you are becoming and how it’s impacting your overall journey throughout life — that’s when you will really start to fall in love with the entire process.

Have you ever given up on a goal or felt empty after achieving one? This episode is for you. Here’s what we’re going to do:

• Break down how goals are more than just an end point
• Learn the difference between goal setting to obtain and goal-setting for self-transformation
• Understand how goals are tools for personal evolution
• Learn how to avoid let-down after goals are accomplished

Dismantling the Traditional Goal-Based Mindset

To get started, we need to tear apart the traditional goal-setting approach so you can better understand why, no matter what you achieve, you are still left feeling unfulfilled.

We’ve all been conditioned to see goals as points on a map: Once you fully reach them, that means that you’ve “made it”. This concept is drilled into us by a society that measures success by external achievements and by how well you are keeping up with everyone else.

This is the wrong way to go about it because you are not creating your own life, you are chasing after someone else’s.

This flawed mindset leads you to believe that once you do achieve your goal, you’ll finally feel complete, as if crossing some imaginary finish line will just unlock some kind of everlasting happiness.

You and I both know that this is very rarely the case. Actually, I don’t think it’s even a possibility. 

How many times have you accomplished a certain objective, only to feel lost and empty shortly afterwards? I’m sure the answer is “every damn time.” If anything, you probably still feel about the same, even if it was a big win.

That emptiness that you are feeling is not just a coincidence: it’s the direct result of seeing goals as the endpoint instead of an ongoing process.

When you treat your goals as the final destination, you will almost always fall into the trap of thinking that once you get there, that the work is done. But here’s the truth about that: ‍

‍Everything in this universe is in constant motion, and you can’t bullshit yourself into thinking that you are the exception. You should always be moving forward in some sort of way. If you don’t, you will stagnate, and everything will start to feel dull, meaningless, and you will begin to fall apart.

Unfortunately, this way of thinking that a single goal will make you finally feel complete is everywhere. It’s like a plague that feeds off a society that is hyper focused on the final outcome.

This mentality has created an illusion that once you do achieve a certain objective, you can just stop going and “take it easy” for the rest of your life because you finally made it. You did the damn thing.

But that, my friend, is not how life works.

Achieving a goal doesn’t mean that you’ve reached the pinnacle of success. It just means that you have now leveled up and are ready to tackle the next challenge.

The reality is that when you stop setting new goals, or when you set a goal and lose your sense of purpose, you are always going to risk stagnating — mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Trust me, this is the last place that you want to find yourself.

I’ve been there and it has taught me a very valuable lesson: The sole purpose of a goal is to help you level up and move closer to your ideal self.

There is a reason why we get a massive uptake in dopamine (the feel-good chemical) when we tackle a challenging task and push through discomfort. It’s nature’s way of rewarding us for undertaking something difficult — so obviously, conquering challenges is something we are supposed to be doing.

When you treat a goal as the final destination, you rob yourself of the happiness and growth that comes from continuously pushing your limits. You stagnate because you’re no longer challenging yourself. You’re no longer evolving.

This is a rough place to be because it will keep you stuck in a cycle of temporary highs followed by inevitable lows. It limits your potential by stripping away the true motivation behind pursuing new objectives for yourself.

If you ever expect a goal to solve all your wants and desires, you’re much more likely to give up and stop setting new ones because you still don’t feel happy and fulfilled; OR you will just continue chasing shallow goals until you eventually realize that no matter what you achieve, you’re never going to feel “complete”.

Trust me, it doesn’t have to be this way. There is a much better approach—one that transforms the way you set and pursue new objectives for yourself.‍

Goal Setting for Self-Transformation

Instead of chasing fleeting achievements, you can use your goals to continuously reinvent yourself and move closer to the highest version of yourself — which, by the way, there is no ceiling on — because you have unlimited potential.‍

‍ This is the whole principle behind using your goals to develop a new identity — one that is stronger, more resilient, and aligned with that ideal vision of yourself.

Every challenge you face along the way becomes an opportunity to grow. The obstacles are no longer seen as just another pain in the ass inconvenience; they are the very tools that will sharpen your skills, fortify your mindset, and allow you to upgrade your character.

To really help you grasp this whole idea, we will use fitness as an example, since it’s one of the most common goals people set for themselves. 

Let’s say that you want to lose thirty pounds. So, you start putting in the work and you actually hit that target! But then what? Do you just stop there and potentially fall back into old habits? Or, do you use that achievement as your new baseline and continue improving your health and fitness because you’ve now adopted that identity?

You’re the guy that goes to the gym. You’re the guy that eats solid healthy food. See what I’m saying?

When you approach your fitness goals with the mindset of ongoing growth, each milestone— whether it’s dropping weight, getting stronger, or just improving your overall endurance— becomes part of the larger picture, which is to help you become the best version of yourself.

You’re not just someone who achieved a goal, you are now someone who has embraced fitness as a core aspect of who they are. This is extremely important to understand.‍

‍This shift in thinking and seeing goals as part of a continuous on-going journey of self-improvement is what frees you from that cycle of temporary highs and inevitable lows. It replaces that feeling of emptiness with a deep, ongoing sense of purpose.

Instead of thinking that the goal itself will ever make you happy, you realize that it probably won’t, but it will help you level up and become a better person. That will definitely make you feel pretty damn solid.

Because you are now going about goal-setting in a more beneficial way, you’re are constantly thinking, “How can I continue to improve?” You’re always looking for new ways to grow, to push your limits, and to keep evolving.

Now, I know that might sound a little intimidating, maybe even exhausting, and you might be asking yourself “What’s the point?”

Let me ask you this: What could be more important or beneficial to your overall well-being than dedicating your life to constant improvement? Seriously, think about it for a second.

The pursuit of excellence is the highest form of self-respect.

You want to be the best for yourself, so you constantly seek out challenges in the form of goals that force you to discover untapped potential and increase your skillset. You do this because you know that it will increase your capabilities, which directly carries over to your quality of life. You’re always doing what’s best for you because you care about yourself.

This constant improvement allows you to show up better for those who depend on you most, because you are now more capable—you’ve essentially increased your social value.

So, if you don’t care enough about yourself to seek out goals that force you to evolve, then at least do it for the people that you love.

To effectively do this, you must break the cycle of setting goals just for the sake of it. It’s about setting the right kind of goals—goals that align with your values, challenge you to grow, and help you become the person you truly want to be.

When you are able to fully begin seeing goals as tools for self-transformation, you will be able to tap into a whole new level of motivation and fulfillment. You’re no longer just chasing shallow success; you’re creating a life that is rich in purpose and meaning.

The best part is, you don’t get all bent out of shape on how long it takes you to achieve something anymore. You’re playing the long game, and you really don’t care how long it takes as long as you’re getting 1% better every day and moving in the right direction.

To really make this whole way of thinking part of your life, you must understand that the process itself is the reward — not necessarily the external outcome.

Every step that you take, every obstacle that you overcome, every lesson that you learn is part of the process of becoming.

The real victory isn’t in reaching the goal; it’s who you become along the way.

This sort of mindset isn’t just going to reduce the emptiness that usually follows a big win, it’s going to fuel an ongoing cycle of improvement where you never stagnate again.

You’re no longer going to be satisfied with just checking off another box—you’re driven by the desire to continuously evolve, to see how far you can go, and to discover what you’re capable of in this life. This is how you avoid regret later down the road.

Instead of looking back on your life, wishing you would have done more with yourself, you’ll be looking back and reminiscing about all the battles you overcame and the victories you won.

So, let’s go over some strategies that will help you make this future your reality.‍

The Strategy: How to Shift Your Goal-Setting Mindset

I want you to think of this as turning each objective into a mission, where the final victory is becoming the highest version of yourself before your time is up.

Align Your Goals with Your Values

The first thing that we need to tackle is aligning your goals with your core values and long-term aspirations. I’m not talking about what you want to achieve in the next 3-6 months. Think 5-10-20 years from now.

Imagine that you are designing a map, but instead of marking random-ass destinations, you’re drawing up the actual journey itself. You are creating your ideal life and then figuring out how to get there.

To help you do this, ask yourself: What do I truly value in life? Whether it’s optimal health, career success, family and relationships, spirituality, personal freedom, whatever it might be.

Really contemplate this and figure it out. When in doubt, you can just keep asking yourself “Why?” until you get to the root of it all.

WHY do you value optimal health? WHY do you want career success?

Every time that you dig deeper and investigate by asking these sorts of questions, you are learning more about yourself, which is the most valuable knowledge that you could possibly have.

You’re going to likely discover that each of these values interconnect; they feed off each other. For example, you can’t be your best at work or be a better parent if your health is garbage.

So, the connection is clear: To live a life that is aligned with your morals and values, you need to constantly be improving physically and mentally. If your goal doesn’t help you do this, then it’s not worth pursuing because it’s not going to help you in all the important areas of your life.

Now, use these values as your compass that guides you to see goals that will push you towards the ideal self and life you want to live.

You’re not just going in a random direction anymore; you’re setting goals that are deeply personal and tied to that vision of who you want to become.‍

Break Larger Goals into Smaller Pieces

As you start working towards these goals, break them down into smaller, more manageable pieces. Think of each step as a small victory that fuels your long-term aspirations. You’re going to need this fuel because every objective will be met with opposition.

You’re adventuring into unknown territory. You’re going to have to solve new problems. The current version of you doesn’t have the skills yet to effectively deal with these situations — so you’re going to have to learn, evolve, and adapt.

Go ahead and accept now that this journey will be tough for a short period of time. You’re going to have to go through a season of difficulty, but it’s exactly what you need because it means that you’re growing, learning, and most importantly, you are improving.

Think back over your life and you’ll see that this has always been the case when trying to learn anything new. Learning is initially difficult because the brain has to form new neural connections and manage a high cognitive load as it processes unfamiliar information.

This entire process involves trial and error while the brain gradually refines and strengthens the connections through repetition. Over time, these pathways will become more efficient, reducing the mental effort required and the task becomes easier. 

So, if you are learning something and getting frustrated, it’s a good sign that you are on the right path.

Now, when obstacles do come your way, I want you to see them as nothing more than another opportunity to level up. This will give you the extra motivation needed to keep going.‍

Reflect, Reassess, and Adjust

Make sure that you take some downtime to think about what these challenges are teaching you and how they are helping you become this ideal version of yourself in the larger grand scheme of things.

Being able to look back on these experiences with an open mind will bring them into your conscious awareness and help you on your road to victory.

Another important key is to reassess and adjust your approach periodically. You can think of it as improving your battle strategy. Every once in a while, take some time to go over your progress, see what’s working and what’s not working.

You’re going to develop new skills and gather new insights along the way, so sticking to the exact plan that your previous self came up with doesn’t really make any sense. Take your new knowledge and use it to give yourself an advantage.

‍Get Obsessed with Knowledge

Now, the final, and most crucial piece of advice for today is to get obsessed with acquiring new knowledge that aligns with who you want to become.

Athletes read books, hire coaches, and watch videos from people that can help them perform better and win. Entrepreneurs are always seeking out new information that will allow them to grow their businesses.

This is also how you start to take on the identity of who you want to become. You start living as if you were that person already.

If you’re not sure where to start, the best thing you can do is just sit down with pen and paper and create this character for yourself.

I know that might be kind of a mindfuck, so I’ll give you an example: Let’s say you want to build muscle and improve your overall physique. So, you begin adopting the lifestyle of a bodybuilder, since this way of living will allow you to accomplish your goal.

Luckily, countless others have followed this same path. You just need to study their methods and find similarities that allowed them to be successful in this pursuit.

You’ll realize that all bodybuilders have certain characteristics in common:

They are some of the most disciplined people on the planet and they know how to say no to things that do not move them towards their main objective. They meal prep, follow a strict workout and diet plan, train extremely hard, prioritize sleep and recovery, and avoid alcohol and shit-quality foods.

So, now all you have to do is start implementing these same habits into your own life.

This is how you start living as the person that you want to become. You adopt habits and mindsets that align with this future version of yourself.

If you’re uncertain of what this looks like for you, do what I mentioned and create a detailed image of what this person looks like. Write it all down and be as specific as possible.

What does this person do daily? What are their habits? How do they handle challenges? How do they talk and carry themselves in this world?

Then, whenever you face negative temptations, you can ask yourself: “Would the person that I want to become do this?” This simple question can guide your actions in the right direction and keep you on track.

This will be extremely beneficial because staying true to your word is the foundation of self-belief. Every time that you act in accordance with your vision of who you want to become, you reinforce this identity and build confidence in yourself to make it a reality.

I want you to take a minute and really see yourself living each day with a clear purpose, knowing that without a shadow of a doubt, every action you take from this point forward is moving you closer to your highest potential.

I promise you that it’s not just possible — it’s within your reach and easier than you might think.