S1 E3 - How to actually achieve your goals

Goals have never really worked for me. They are mostly there for direction.
So that I have something to aim for.
And if that’s the case, you might as well aim for the stars.

We think that self-improvement and productivity are about doing more. It’s not.
It’s about doing more of what matters.

Vision instead of goals 

For most of my life, I have struggled to stay consistent with most things.

School, work, hobbies, exercise, you name it.

I became curious, obsessed, lost interest, and moved on to the next thing.

Until one day.

It started with an anonymous Instagram account where I posted landscape motorcycle photos.

It resulted in personal growth, passion, purpose, and a ticket to freedom.
A path for a regular guy in Sweden, from a small town no one has heard of.
A guy who didn’t have much going for him.
A journey that changed the trajectory of my life.

A project where I got back what I put in.
An asset I own 100% equity in.
A staircase, not a hamster wheel.
A place where I don’t have to follow the rules or operate within set boundaries.
A place where I can use my perks and quirks to my advantage.
A place where I don’t have to hide my traits to fit into a role someone else created.

Traits that, in the right environment, act as strengths.

Instead of trying to find a place where I belong, I created it.
I built a career around my strengths and weaknesses.

Curiosity led to growth.
Growth led to results.
Results led to passion.
Passion led to new opportunities.

I knew that becoming a creator was a huge opportunity.
Even if I had no idea what I was doing at the time, it gave me a path forward and something to believe in.

And it was a big enough vision for me.

So even after the initial excitement wore off,
even when I was struggling or didn’t feel like I was making progress,

I kept going.

Because my goal was not really to become a creator.

I wanted to make a living doing what I enjoy,
be financially free by 35,
retire to a cabin in the woods,
and spend my days in nature, riding my motorcycle and splitting firewood.

If I had goals like,
start a YouTube channel,
get bigger biceps,
or learn personal finance,

I would have quit ages ago.

Even though having a YouTube channel,
being fit and healthy,
and having my finances under control,
became necessary to get there,

they were not my goals.

Have a vision, something to believe in,
and you will hit goals as a side effect.

The power of clarity

The thing about a vision is that it can easily overwhelm you.

I remember sitting in my office.

I was in my thirties.
I had left a stable job to become a creator, with no guarantees.

I was trying to find a replacement for my old role,
train him,
and delegate more and more responsibility,

while simultaneously trying to find traction in my creator business.

So that I actually had a way to make a living.

All while recovering from burnout.

Writing things down has always been important to me,
but I wasn’t very organized with it.

But I knew that if I was going to make this transition happen, I had to be.

I needed a clear vision of where I was going.
I needed a clear path for how I was going to get there.

And I had to break that down into smaller tasks so I could actually execute.

I also wanted a place to track my progress and hold myself accountable.

And I needed a structure to operate within.

To stay on top of my sleep, my training, and my health,
so I wouldn’t burn out again.

That’s when this system was born.

An all-in-one weekly planner.

What started as a desperate attempt to create clarity during a messy life transition,
turned into a system that over 200 people have downloaded to help them stay on track.

It’s amazing how much you can accomplish in a week,
if you have the clarity to do so.

Just consistent effort.
Small steps.
One week at a time.

Go slow

It doesn’t matter how much clarity you have if you set the bar too high.

For example,

Whenever I wanted to make progress in the gym,
I would try to jump into a complex 5 day training split,
a strict diet,
and new exercises I didn’t even enjoy.

Everything would fall apart,
and I would stop going altogether.

That’s what happens when you chase quick results.

Change takes time.

Trees don’t grow tall overnight,
they grow ring by ring, season by season.

Trees that grow fast prioritize speed over density.
They produce wood that is lighter, and more vulnerable.

Don’t wish for quick results.

Wish for resilience.

Grow slow and steady,
and become the sturdiest tree in the forest.

Because when the storm comes, and it will,
you will still be standing,
while everyone else has to start over.

Prioritize yourself

Remember, self-improvement is not always about doing more.
Sometimes it is about removing what should not be there.

Notifications that steal your attention.
Pointless meetings that fill your calendar.
Responsibilities you regret saying yes to.
A cluttered space that drains your energy.
Endless scrolling that scatters your focus.
Outdated goals that no longer align with your values.
Social events you don’t actually want to attend.

All of these can be reduced or removed,
to make more room for yourself.

It would be great if we could do everything.

But trying to do everything,
undermines the things that matter most.

Whatever your goals are, you will benefit from prioritizing yourself a little more.