Create Your Future: Well-Being Practice

Create Your Future by Declaring Your Goals Each Day

Simple Instructions:

1. Identify three goals at the beginning of the week. We recommend picking one short-term, one medium-term, and one long-term goal.
2. Use present tense language when you identify your goals, as in “I can do a pull-up” or “I am living in Costa Rica.”
3. Rewrite these same three goals each day.

Watch this video for an explanation of this Well-Being Practice from Whole Life Challenge co-founders Andy Petranek and Michael Stanwyck.

Why Is This Practice Important?

We all like to promise ourselves we’ll do things, but we don’t always act on those promises. These goals might be small things — like calling friends or family regularly, making a dentist appointment, or sending holiday cards. Or your goals might include big things — like saving money every month, having an important conversation, or changing careers.

Our goals often dwell in the future, waiting to be acted on. And while declaring your goals can feel great, it’s keeping them present right now that can actually get things moving. Picture in your mind the difference between saying you’d like something to be a part of your life and doing something that would be a real, concrete action. Pretty different pictures, aren’t they? If you aren’t keeping your goals in mind, you’re far less likely to do something that will move you toward your target.

Reminding yourself regularly of what’s important to you can not only spur you into action, but it can also help you notice opportunities. In the context of your goal, things may present themselves in your daily life that align perfectly with your objectives.

This week’s practice is about staying present to what you said is important to you. Taking the time to visit with your goals each day is one way to stay conscious and tuned in to what you need to do to create the best year possible.

For More on This Practice

In this week’s podcast, Andy spoke with professional life coach Carolyn Freyer-Jones about the upsides and downsides of of traditional goal setting. Carolyn shares her thoughts on how we can make our goals more helpful — instead of becoming additional ways to judge ourselves. The first step is understanding your “why.” For more click through to the podcast and jump to 57:15 where Carolyn shares her unique insights on setting and achieving goals.

Michael Stanwyck

Michael Stanwyck is the co-founder of The Whole Life Challenge, an idea that developed during his seven years as a coach and gym manager at CrossFit Los Angeles.

He graduated from UCLA with a BA in philosophy as well as a degree from the Southern California School of Culinary Arts, and feels food is one of the most important parts of a life - it can nourish, heal, and bring people together.

Michael believes health and well-being are as much a state of mind as they are a state of the body, and when it comes to fitness, food, and life in general, he thinks slow is much better than fast (most of the time). Stopping regularly to examine things is the surest way to put down roots and grow.

He knows he will never be done with his own work, and believes the best thing you can do for your well-being starts with loving and working from what you’ve got right now.