Are your goals too big?

I’m gonna say something that might ruffle a few feathers or might surprise you coming from a coach—your goals are too big. 

And before you abandon this post or send me your “dream big” quotes, hear me out. I want you to dream big. I want you to want all the things. I want you to succeed. But if you keep making huge goals without any plan or systems to support you, I’m afraid you won’t reach those goals you're aiming for. 

If you’re setting goals, I encourage you to ask yourself these three questions: 

1) Are your goals really your goals?

A lot of people, including myself, have set goals based on what sounds impressive or what other people are doing. We have FOMO for the job title, the vacation, the triathlon completion, the huge house, the seemingly-perfect relationships. Social media puts a magnifying glass on this phenomenon, and we find ourselves chasing what others have, without even really asking ourselves what we really want most in this season. 

Here’s the truth: Alignment is the key to success in reaching your goals. A goal that aligns with your priorities in this season of life will always be more powerful than chasing someone else's goal. 

2) Are you being realistic with the time it takes?

You can promise me a transformation in 30 days?…Sign me up! Sound familiar? I’ve fallen for it myself. For me, it was a health program. I followed the prescribed 30-day diet and exercises, and I saw results. Big results, in fact. But fast forward a few months, and I was right back to where I started. Why? Because nowhere in the program did we look at the “why” in my goal-setting or what was really getting in the way of my health goals all these years. 

Without taking the time to really uncover these truths, transformation can be fleeting. Give yourself the gift of patience and grace as you reach for your goals. Success isn’t a sprint—it’s a journey. 

3) Do you have systems in place to support your big goals?

A big goal is like climbing a mountain. You don’t leap to the top in one jump. You take one step, pacing yourself, and sometimes even stopping to catch your breath. What happens when you set huge goals without any steps in between? You get overwhelmed. You lose motivation. Then you quit. Not because you weren’t capable, but because you never gave yourself a chance to succeed in the first place. 

Don’t just set goals—break them down into smaller steps and build systems to support them. Slowing down and taking the time to come up with a plan that is realistic and has support built in will help you succeed in the long run.

So yes, I want you to dream big. But I also want you to actually achieve your goals—one intentional step at a time.

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About the author: Kelly (Underell) Stevens is an alignment coach and speaker dedicated to helping women leaders and entrepreneurs grow their impact and live life on their own terms by giving them the tools to choose less and show up for themselves. Learn more at www.kellystevens.co.