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Why it’s important to have goals and values

Amy Gorman

They take the questions and hassle out of making decisions.


I’ve spoken about both goals and values a lot in the past and you’ve probably read it and thought, “yeah, what is this mushy stuff, I just need to eat better, or move more” or whatever it is you might tell yourself whilst mostly ignoring the idea.


This week I came into a situation where my goals and values could really have been tested.


It was something that put my livelihood at risk and this time last year I definitely would have had to go away and think before giving an answer to the question. It would change the number of hours I work, the amount of time I have to give to my own ventures, the quality of life I have, and the potential for me to earn (because if my response wasn’t well-received, I could have been up shits creek).


Looking at my values, is an opportunity for me to assess the person I want to be. It also tells me the person I don’t want to be.


  • I want to be approachable, relatable, empathetic, supportive.

  • I want to be strong (mentally and physically.

  • I want to learn more, all the bloody time.

  • I want to spend time with family and friends.

  • I want to be happy.

  • I want to be healthy.


In order to be all those things, it fundamentally comes down to:


  • I need to be able to take time off - whether that’s a holiday, or a day, or two hours to lie in the sun when the opportunity arises (which I maxed out on yesterday).

  • I need to get enough sleep (6-7 hours is the absolute minimum - balanced out by a day a week where it’s significantly longer).

  • I need to eat at regular intervals (ideally every 3-4 hours, otherwise I am HANGRY and absolutely none of those good person qualities I want exist).

  • I want to have an hour a day to move/train to balance out the time I put into helping other people.

  • I want to work with people that make me want to pick up the phone, or go into the gym and help them.


So this week when I was faced with a question that would change the foundation of my daily life, the answer was clear and immediate. No.


Then I wondered if I was too abrupt and closed off to change. But really, no. I knew this answer immediately because it was so engrained in who I want to be and where I want to go that I didn’t need to think about it. I knew it wouldn’t allow me to be that person, or do what I want with my business.


This is when it gradually has become easier for me to make changes, compared to in the past where things were so uncertain, and I was so indecisive. Because I didn’t really know where I was going, I people pleased all the time and I was so anxious.


Sure, there’s still a little of that, but mostly when I’m overtired, hungry, or uninspired by the things I’m doing.




If you haven’t already, sit down and think about:


  1. The person you want to be

  2. The goals you have

  3. What you’re willing (within a lot of realistic reason) to do to achieve them or be that person


Maybe it’s also a little bit of getting older and being a boring bugger, but doing this on a regular basis has helped me to work out quickly what matters to me and how involved I want to be, or how much effort I want to put into things.


Give it a go!


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