< Click here to return to RESOURCES

Behind The Scenes:

Goal Setting with Dr. V

Hello there, my friends!

Today I’m excited to take you behind the scenes and share a glimpse into one of my favorite routines, and that is GOAL-SETTING. Embarking on a journey toward a new goal can be as exciting as it is intimidating. Let’s be honest, in the moments we find ourselves intimidated by a goal, I’m almost certain this stems from an expectation. That can be an expectation related to timing such as due dates and timelines or expectations related to oneself such as self-doubt or fear of lack of confidence or competence.

Personally, I find goal-setting both energizing and refreshing—much like one’s home after a deep spring cleaning. Over the years, I’ve come to recognize and respect the ebb and flow of the process. I’ll tell you, neither resistance nor rigidity led to the achievement of those goals—not once. As a matter of fact, it often leads to burnout or frustration. While I am a firm believer in the power of intention and purposeful action, no path toward my goals was straight, let alone without its pauses, new routes, or full-on stops.

Have you ever achieved a goal only to find you’re not satisfied with the outcome? Have you ever wondered why that is?

I’ll tell you. Your sense of fulfillment in achieving a goal is only as fulfilling as the journey itself. Focus on the challenge and/or the frustration of the goal journey, and you may find it difficult to celebrate your accomplishment. Perhaps, you may forget to do so altogether. On the other hand, if you focus on how impossible the journey feels and/or looks, you may discourage yourself from ever reaching the finish line. Let’s say you focus on the brevity or ease of others’ journeys—that only leads to disappointment, which has never been a source of energy or motivation.

Over the years, I’ve come to understand just how crucial it is for my belief in myself to remain intact—it propels me on my journey towards the goal.

Now let’s dive into one of the favorite parts of my goal-setting routine: Trello. Trello has been my go-to tool for organizing my thoughts, tasks, and goals in a visually appealing and highly efficient manner. I utilize lists to categorize priorities by urgency or project and add cards with detailed descriptions to track progress and deadlines effectively. Not to mention my love for relevant color-coded labels. Here's how I make it work for me:

• Upcoming Priorities: Add cards here for each task that you need to accomplish. I like to begin my week by reviewing my upcoming priorities and adding any new ones to the list.
• In Progress: Move cards here from your upcoming priorities list when you are working on them. When I initially add a priority, I may not be aware of all of the moving parts (i.e. steps to achievement). When I begin moving tasks to this section/category, it’s important to ensure that they’re realistic and manageable. I especially enjoy using the list feature within the card details to track each step (i.e. those parts of the process that are more likely automated/in our subconscious).
• #1 Priority for Today: Each day, set a top priority by moving a card from your upcoming priorities list.
• Blocked: Is one of your tasks blocked because you are waiting on someone, a resource, or additional information? Move it to this list to keep it out of your “In Progress” list so that you are not distracted by it. When you have what you need to move forward, move the card back to the “In Progress” list.
• Done: As you finish tasks, move those cards to this list. Here’s why I love this section: it reminds me of everything I’ve accomplished and reminds me to celebrate every part of the process—however big or small.
• Team/Collaboration: Add cards here that you’re assigning to a team member. Once invited to a board, you can use the tag feature (@username) to ping/notify team members.
• Due Dates: Last but not least, you can add a due date or date range to any card to better keep track of deadlines.

My goal-setting routine with Trello is not just about setting goals, let alone perfection or productivity metrics; it's about cultivating a mindset of growth, intentionality, and self-awareness. By harnessing the power of visualization and organization, I'm able to turn my goals into tangible realities one step at a time.

With boundless optimism and unwavering resolve,
Dr. Veronica