The Importance of Visualizing Your Goals

In this episode of Before Breakfast, host Laura Vanderkam shares a practical strategy for personal development: putting your goals where you can see them. While the excitement of setting resolutions in January is universal, the reality of daily life often leads to those aspirations being forgotten or sidelined.

The Problem: Forgetfulness and Vague Objectives

Laura notes that in the rush of daily life, "life will get busy" and "things will happen." When goals are not consistently reinforced, they become "nebulous" or "vague." She provides the example of planning to attend a sporting event that doesn't occur until the fall. Without a constant reminder, by the time the season arrives, you may have "a vague feeling like there was something you wanted to do," or you might "forget it completely." The primary risk, according to Laura, is that we fail to achieve our goals not because we chose to abandon them, but simply because we forgot they existed.

Strategies for Goal Reinforcement

To combat this, Laura suggests several low-effort, high-impact ways to ensure your goals remain at the forefront of your mind:

• Physical Displays: Write your goals on a sheet of paper and tape it to a wall in your home office.
• Planner Integration: Write them at the start of your planner and transcribe them onto the monthly page for each new month.
• Digital Reminders: Set your goals as the home screen on your laptop or smartphone.
• Small Notes: Place a sticky note with concise goals on your bathroom mirror.
• Calendar Prompts: Schedule a recurring reminder to review a notebook or document where your goals are kept.

The Role of Flexibility and Intentionality

Crucially, Laura emphasizes that "your plans don't need to be carved on stone tablets." She acknowledges that "goals can change" and, in many cases, they should. The core philosophy of this episode is rooted in intentionality. If you decide not to pursue a goal, it should be because you made a conscious decision to stop, "not just because you forgot."

Conclusion: Making the Most of Our Time

By implementing these simple visual cues, you ensure that you are the active driver of your own plans. Laura concludes that the practice of "putting your goals somewhere you can see them" is a vital step toward "making the most of our time." By shifting from a passive approach to an active, visual engagement with your objectives, you significantly increase your chances of sticking with your plans throughout the year.