From Goals to Reality: The First Step to Transform Your Life

I began goal setting and vision boarding over 20 years ago.  

Over the years I have gathered information about goal setting and vision boarding through multiple resources, I have listened to numerous podcasts, attended workshops and courses, read every single recommended book and have qualified as a Life & Wellness Coach, but always wanted something where I could find all the information I needed in one place, making it easily attainable, digestible and relatable to everyday life. During my studies, I became so passionate about the power of goal setting and visualisation, not only when I saw the profound effect it had on me and my life, but when I realised I could immediately distinguish the people that also knew how to make it happen from those aimlessly going through life. I won’t lie, it took years of self-doubt, but I finally decided to bite the bullet and take the steps to create the masterclass I NEEDED all those years ago when I was beginning my personal development journey... and I know you NEED to. I am so proud to announce that The Head Plan Goal Setting & Vision Board Masterclass with myself, Denise Kenny Byrne, will be launching VERY soon.  

Before I dive into this blog post where I will detail why your goals matter and why you should set well-rounded SMART goals, I want to share a bit of my personal background with my personal development journey... I have experienced the immense benefits of goal setting and vision boarding, with a lot of my proudest personal and professional achievements being things I have pinned to my own vision board. I have shared a lot of my goals with you throughout the years, from personal goals such as my wedding and having my little girl Charlotte, to big business goals from launching The Head Plan to growing it to where we are today, with SO many more in between. The truth is, if I have achieved it... I have pinned it. Over time, I have developed many tools to help me stay laser-focused on my goals, even throughout life’s inevitable challenges. The tools I have fostered throughout the years have allowed me to dream even bigger, reach for the stars every year and take action towards these big goals. Believe me when I say, if I can do it, you can too...  

This information is not new, it has been nurtured and developed throughout the years, but once it begins to make sense for you, EVERYTHING will change. I am going to start by saying, you absolutely cannot create a vision board until you have set your goals. So, step one will always be setting meaningful goals.  You can spend all the time in the world making an aesthetically pleasing vision board, pulling images from Pinterest and pinning generic goals, but without understanding the importance of goal setting and taking the time to set your own goals, this is nothing but pretty images on a board. When we try to juggle too many responsibilities, it becomes normal to go from one task to the next without taking a moment to ask if you are working on yourself, for yourself... to question if you are truly happy. Goal setting is key to discovering your true-life purpose and living a life of meaning and satisfaction.  

Let me begin by telling you why goals matter... 

Setting personal, meaningful goals matter because it gives you a sense of purpose and direction in an ever-changing world. Without goals and clear intention, it becomes easy to fall into other people’s plans, to go about your day aimlessly and without clear direction. When you have clear goals, you essentially give your brain a clear set of instructions to help you navigate your own life path.  

The Benefits of Goal Setting:  

Clarity and Focus: Goals provide a deep sense of focus and direction in life. Without them, how will you know your destination? When you are crystal clear on your goals, every action, every move and every decision become intentional, putting you in alignment with your goals.  

Motivation and Accountability: Writing down your goals transforms them into powerful commitments to yourself. Use The Head Plan Journal to plan your day in alignment to your goals, keeping yourself motivated and accountable to achieve them!  

97% of the population don’t think about their goals... of the 3% that do, only 1% take the time to write it down. When you write down your goals, you are 42% more likely to achieve them. Are you ready to be in the 1%?  

Personal Growth: Once you begin ticking your goals, your self-belief and self-esteem begins to increase, affirming that you can achieve your goals. Every time you achieve a goal, no matter how big or small, it reinforces the belief that you can make it happen and encourages you to reach even higher! This continuous process of pursuing your goals will encourage you to step out of your comfort zone, learn new skills, meet new people and reach new heights... all creating a sense of heightened personal growth.  
 

Did you know?  

Our brains have a hard time distinguishing between actual events and vividly imagined ones!  

Hence the power of visualisation! 

Visualisation is an extremely powerful mental technique, whereby you create vivid, detailed images of goals you want to achieve. Visualisation is so much more than just daydreaming... it is a truly transformational process. When you visualise your goals with clarity, focus and intention, you activate your brain’s RAS system (which I will delve into later in this blog post!), helping you stay laser-focused on relevant opportunities to achieve your goals. The process of visualisation engages the same neural pathways as actually performing the action, so your brain doesn’t know any difference. If you can visualise it, you can achieve it!  

The Science of Goal Setting  

A key element of goal setting is the actual science behind it. As a Qualified Life & Wellness Coach, I do want to explain a little more about why setting goals matters. Setting goals isn’t just a feel-good, tick the box exercise, it is deeply rooted in science. Years and years of study and research shows that those who dedicate time to setting clear, meaningful and actionable goals are more likely to be successful in both their personal and professional lives. Goal setting allows you to live a balanced and fulfilling life, ensuring you feel satisfied in all areas. As soon as I understood the science behind goal setting, especially how it works on a neurological level, EVERYTHING changed for me!  

Have you ever heard of the Reticular Activating System?  

The Reticular Activating System (RAS) is a network of neurons located in the brain that play a crucial role in goal setting and goal attainment. Think of RAS as the brain’s filtering system. Every day, we are exposed to thousands of different pieces of information, so it is the job of the RAS to determine the information your brain pays attention to and what it can choose to ignore. Your RAS is responsible for ensuring you don’t become overwhelmed by what’s around you, allowing you to ‘tune in’ to what is important and what is in alignment to your goals. Think of it like hearing your name in a noisy room... you might not be able to hear any other conversations, but since your brain is tuned in to hear your name, it will choose to hear it over all the noise. The RAS plays a crucial role in goal setting, especially when you begin to visualise a specific outcome. When you set a certain goal and become laser-focused on a specific outcome, the RAS helps you stay on track and notice everything around you in association with those goals. There is a theory on this, called The Red Car Theory... I won’t get into this now, but it is SO INTERESTING (you will have to watch my Goal Setting and Vision Boarding Masterclass to hear more about this...I really can’t wait for this to be live) This is why tools like vision boards are effective, they program your brain to actively seek out anything and everything that aligns with your goals, making it easier to acknowledge opportunities or ideas that bring your goals to the forefront.  

If you’ve made it this far, I am really so happy and excited you’re here, I know you won’t regret it. I hope this masterclass empowers you to live a life of clarity, focus, achievement and purpose, as you begin to understand that you are the author of your own life story, and you hold the pen (or pin in this case!)  

It’s time to step into the highest version of yourself and make it happen...  do it for yourself, show up for yourself, but let’s do it together...  



Denise xox