Why Your Goals Aren’t Working (Even When They’re SMART)
- 7 Minute Read
The Real Cost of Misaligned Goals
You can work your socks off, hit the goal, and still feel like there’s nothing to celebrate—because the goal was never really aligned with you in the first place.”
Misaligned goals don’t just stall progress — they drain your energy. You can hit the target and still feel unsatisfied. Or worse, you burn yourself out trying to reach something that never felt right in the first place.
So, what’s really going on when your goals aren’t working – even when they’re SMART?
Let’s explore three key shifts that will help you write goals that feel good and actually happen.
Shift 1: Set Goals from Desire, Not Pressure
We often write goals from a place of external pressure: revenue targets, KPIs, or even subtle comparison. But when we anchor our goals in fear, guilt, or imposter syndrome, we create tension—not traction.
Instead, we need to start with desire. Ask yourself: “What do I truly want?” and “How do I want to feel when I achieve it?”
When your goal is aligned with your internal compass, you’re no longer forcing motivation—it flows naturally. That shift alone can change everything.
Shift 2: Goals Need to Feel Right in Your Body
It’s not just about setting goals that look good—it’s about choosing ones you can feel.
If your stomach knots when you say the goal out loud, or your chest tightens when you write it down, your nervous system is telling you something. Embodied goal setting invites you to pause and notice what your body is saying.
At my in-person and online workshops, I guide clients through visualisation and future-pacing techniques so they can connect with what success looks, sounds, and feels like. Because if you skip this step, even your clearest goal might fall flat.
Shift 3: Rhythm Over Rigidity—How to Stay Connected
Goals aren’t one-and-done declarations — they’re relationships.
Rigid systems can make you feel boxed in or behind. But when you set goals with rhythm and flexibility, you give yourself permission to grow with your goal, not against it.
That’s why I recommend building monthly rituals to stay connected. A check-in with your numbers, your energy, and your emotional state helps you course-correct without shame. When your goals aren’t working, it’s often rhythm – not effort – that needs adjusting. That rhythm keeps your goals alive long after the initial motivation fades.
Ready to Set Aligned Goals That Stick?
If this post is resonating, you’re not just chasing goals—you’re ready to create them from a deeper place.
✨ Join me for the Goal Setting Workshop on July 15 in Seaford, SA—or hop on the waitlist for the online version, which is coming soon. You’ll learn how to:
Set goals from alignment, not pressure
Use embodiment to connect with your success
Create sustainable rituals for momentum and clarity
👉 Sign up here: selenawoodward.com/goal-setting-workshop-seaford
This is your moment to shift how you set goals—especially if your goals aren’t working the way you hoped. Let’s make them stick and feel good when you achieve them.
Skip to the Part You Need
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
00:00Intro: When goals look good but don’t stick
00:16New financial year reflections
00:35Why your goals might already be misaligned
01:06SMART goals + frameworks aren’t enough
02:30Shift 1 – Pressure vs Desire
03:33Setting goals from fear, guilt, or imposter syndrome
04:40Why misaligned goals cause burnout
06:00Shift 2 – Goals that bypass the body
07:00What your nervous system has to do with your strategy
08:00Shift 3 – Rhythm over rigidity
09:00Rituals that build momentum
10:10How to join the Goal Setting Workshop
11:00What’s coming next in the mini-series