About that goal...
- Valerie Rider
- Dec 30, 2024
- 2 min read
This piece isn’t about goals themselves; it’s about transformation. Each of us faces a crossroads where we either take action or keep circling the same patterns that trap us.
Most of the time, change feels impossible until it’s not.
Until you decide it’s not.
That’s when it begins.
The goals we set aren’t about perfection. They’re not even about achievement in the traditional sense.
Goals are about momentum—putting one foot in front of the other when the alternative is standing still.
They’re about doing something, anything, that shifts the trajectory. Even a little.
Especially when a little feels like a lot.
For some, it’s starting with two workouts a week—not because it’s the magic number but because it’s something. For others, it’s swapping takeout for a single homemade meal or walking around the block instead of staring at the screen. These aren’t grand gestures; they’re micro-decisions. But micro-decisions compound.
The trick isn’t in overhauling everything at once—it’s in embracing flexibility. Progress isn’t linear. Some days will be a shuffle, others a sprint, and some a stumble. That’s okay. Adjust as needed.
Life isn’t a straight line; neither is your plan.
Track something, anything, to remind yourself where you started. Steps, meals, minutes of movement—metrics aren’t the goal; they’re breadcrumbs. Proof that you’re moving, that you’re trying. And when life throws you a curveball—holidays, travel, injuries—you adapt.
You don’t quit; you shift. A workout becomes a stretch session. Meal prep turns into just eating a little more intentionally. The vote is cast, and it’s still for change.
Don’t wait for perfection. Don’t even wait to feel ready. Start somewhere. Starting is the signal to yourself that change is possible. That you’re possible.
The most consistent piece of advice I give is to stay consistent.
Show up.
It doesn’t have to be pretty. It doesn’t have to feel like progress every day. It just has to be something. Some days you’ll be on fire, and other days, showing up will feel like pulling teeth. Both count.
Fear will tell you to wait, to plan more, to prepare better. Sometimes that’s true. But most of the time, it’s not. Most of the time, fear is just a shadow waiting for light. The only way to turn the light on is to act.
What do you want more of? Less of? Everything you do is a vote. Choose deliberately. Start small. Pick a direction and keep moving. The rest will come into focus as you go.
Change isn’t about waking up one day and doing it all.
