This is How Successful People Set (and Crush) Their Dream Home Goals

Essential steps to set clear goals — and achieve them. And the good news? Anyone can follow these simple steps to crush their home goals.

Got some big home goals for your year, friend? I do — you can read about them here! Do they feel a little daunting? Good! Big dreams are the best, and this post is going to show you the proven steps to set and achieve your biggest home goals this year.

Because those people out there crushing their dreams — building thriving businesses, earning degrees while juggling life and parenthood, or building their dream home. They’re not superhuman. 

And they’re not inherently smarter or more talented than you.

But they might know something you don’t.

It’s taken me years to learn and implement these key goal-setting habits and routines into my day, and it’s made all the difference in my business, my life, and my home. So today, I’m sharing my go-to goal-keeping strategies with you.

Want to read about my top three favorite goal planning tools? You can see them here!

How to Accomplish Your Biggest Home Goals

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To achieve your goals, you first need to get clear on your priorities and values…

Value-aligned goals are so, so important. So before you start writing down your list of goals, take a moment and think about what really matters to you. Ask yourself:

• What does the best version of myself look like?
• What does she do each day? 
• What doesn’t she do each day?
• Where does she spend her time?
• How does her home look and feel?
• How does she feel at the end of the day?
• How do people feel around her?

These questions are powerful, my friend. And they give a little glimpse into what you really value. Because it’s easy to get distracted by others’ goals and achievements. We convince ourselves we want them for ourselves when really, they might not align with who we are and what we really want our home or life to look like. 

These questions can also be tweaked to help you discover your specific goals for your home. Oftentimes we save little squares on Instagram or create Pinterest boards from other people’s homes based on looks alone, without stopping to consider how those furnishings or finishes might work for us. So, if you’re looking to set some home improvement or renovation goals this year, consider:

• What does the best version of my (kitchen/bathroom/family room) look like?
• How do we use it? 
• How does it function?
• How does it feel to be in this space?

Whether you’re hoping to make changes at home or on a personal level, take a few minutes and write down the answers to the above questions. Then move onto goal-setting…

Make Sure You Set the Right Kind of Home Goals

Ever set a big, bold New Years’ resolution, only to realize that by February you’d completely abandoned it? Me too.

That’s not because you’re “not a goal-oriented person”. We fall short of our goals not because there’s something inherently wrong with us, but because we haven’t framed them the right way.

40 years ago, George Doran created the concept of “SMART goals”, and goal-setting experts have sung its praises ever since. 

What does the “SMART” in SMART goals stand for? SMART goals are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relatable
• Time-bound

Let’s break it down further.

The Best Home Goals are: Specific

To get specific with your goal-setting, think about:

• What exactly do you want to achieve
• How will you do it, and
• Why is it important to you

For example, instead of saying, “I want to redo our kitchen,” a specific goal might say, “I want to create a kitchen that functions better for our family so we spend more time together in the evenings.”

The second version gets to the heart of the matter — why you actually want to achieve this goal — and gives you a clearer path forward.

The Best Home Goals are: Measurable

While the above goal is specific in intention, it’s not super clear about what success will actually look like in the end. A measurable goal includes a specific measurement of success. It addresses not only what the goal is, but how you will achieve it and how you’ll know you have achieved it in the end.

For example, “I want to improve my kitchen with added storage and more seating around a central island” gives a measurable benchmark for success. 

The Best Home Goals are: Attainable

This one can be tricky because everyone’s bandwidth is different. And, I’m all for setting big goals without limiting yourself because it feels daunting.

But, time and energy are ultimately limited resources. And when you’re talking home goals, budgets come into play, too. So it’s important to be thoughtful in your goals and set yourself up for success. 

A kitchen renovation is totally doable! But a full kitchen remodel with luxury finishes in 3 months for under $3,000? You might be setting yourself up for some disappointments there. So get clear on what’s possible with the resources you have and plan accordingly.

The Best Home Goals are: Relevant

While it’s great to have inspiration and accountability, your goals need to be aligned with your life to ultimately be successful.

For example, you might really want a Pinterest-worthy kitchen. I mean, who doesn’t!? But before you claim that goal, consider other factors in your life that might thwart your efforts or make you lose drive/momentum.

Are you a new mama just trying to squeeze in a couple hours of sleep each night? Or working crazy hours as you daydream about taking that side-hustle into your full-time career? Just because a goal sounds good on paper doesn’t mean it’s the most relevant one for your life right now. 

Some seasons, it’s ok to say “no for now” and revisit in a few months. No sense setting a goal just to have it hang over your head, friend. Make sure it’s what you really want to invest your time, money, and energy in to avoid regret and burnout down the line.

The Best Home Goals are: Time-Bound

This is all about accountability. If you just throw a goal out into the world, it’s pretty easy to keep putting it off “for later”. But attach a realistic-yet-challenging timeline to it? Suddenly there’s a sense of urgency propelling you forward.

Instead of “I want to redo my kitchen this year,” maybe your goal is “I will research and hire a contractor in the next 10 days so we can start work by April.” Now you’ve got an action item for your calendar and it’s holding you accountable.

Break Down Big Goals into Smaller, Logical Steps

There’s a reason marathon runners stick to training plans. Running 26.2 miles is a huge, daunting task. By breaking it up into smaller runs, they’re able to build momentum toward the ultimate goal while reducing overwhelm. It’s all about that next mile.

Similarly, breaking up big home projects into smaller, more manageable steps will help you tackle overwhelm of a remodel. Instead of looking at the long to-do list, focus on one task at a time.

In my Home Goals course, I have homeowners write down an action list of each step they need to tackle to reach their goals: measuring the room, making a list of tools needed, planning a budget, creating a timeline, etc. 

By creating this list of action items and logical next-steps, you walk through your project confidently, in a logical order. Plus, you get the satisfaction of crossing each step off your list as added motivation for the step ahead.

Finally, Get the Support You Need.

When you partner with a coach, mentor, or accountability group, you’re much more likely to succeed at your goals. Not only does this provide a great support system, but oftentimes the right leadership can help guide you and prevent missteps and setbacks along the way.

If you’re looking to tackle a home project this year and could use some guidance and support, I’ve got you covered. My Home Goals course will give you in-depth resources and tools to help you reach your goals and create your dream home. I’m running a beta test first (at a steep discount) to make sure I can make the course as helpful as possible. If you’re interested in becoming a tester, click here!