Dec 18, 2018
This time of year you hear a lot about goals - how to set them, meet them, and measure them. But what if there were a better way to grow in your leadership and business by doing less, not by adding more and more goals? What would it look like to do remove what’s hindering you so you can move the needle in life and work?
In this episode, I talk with Barbara Carneiro about how to set goals from a mindset of doing less not more. Barbara is a wife, mom of three children, and entrepreneur.
How to Grow and Reach Your Goals by Doing Less
Barbara shares that we tend to be very ambitious with our goals. But it be can be very demotivating to set huge goals and fail to meet them.
Two Ways You Can Reach Your Goals
- Set a goal and then cut it in half. Barbara learned this through reading Jon Acuff’s book Finish*. By setting a goal then cutting it in half, you can build momentum and keep pushing.
- Ask yourself who’s keeping you accountable? Spouses don’t count. Ask your accountability partner to check in at least once a month.
Create a Manageable Routine and Do Less, Not More
Barbara has chased balance for so long that she’s started to resent the word. She realized that live is never going to be balanced, but it can be manageable.
Here are some of Barbara’s tips on how to create a manageable routine:
Be present and create a time snowball
If there are areas stressing her out, she corrects that area, which may require sacrifice in another area. She asks herself if she’s being present in all areas and where she can “cut the fat.” She thinks through what is keeping her busy, but not moving the needle. Barbara also shares the idea of a “time snowball” based on Dave Ramsey’s debt snowball.
Find mentors
Barbara recommends finding a mentor - someone who is doing what you want to do, but they are a little further along in the journey.
Get outside help
Barbara loves hosting people and implement ideas on Pinterest. However, she has a difficult time practicing self-care.
As a mom and business owner, she knows that everything must still keep moving, even in stressful and busy times. The first things we put aside are meal prep, sleep, and exercise.
She relies on outside help to remind her that she needs to practice self-care. Barbara shares that she has a nanny and this really helps her to keep her home running.
Be creative
Barbara shares a fun idea about how she managed the time while her husband was away on a missions trip. She let friends and family know that she would love to connect with them over a meal at their homes, and she ended up having a place to go for dinner every night for the rest of her husband’s trip.
For the full show notes for this episode, visit estherlittlefield.com/episode25.
Connect with Barbara:
Barbara is the founder of Word Revolution (a communication and design agency for Christian ministries) and the brain behind 4:12 Lab (a training program for Church Communication). She is Christ follower, forever curious strategist, minimalist designer, storyteller and geek. You will make her happy with a white chocolate mocha.
Episode Sponsor: Audible
Today’s show is brought to you by Audible. Audible is offering our listeners a free audiobook with a 30-day trial membership. Just go to estherlittlefield.com/audible and browse the unmatched selection of audio programs – download a title free and start listening.
Connect with Esther and the Christian Woman Leadership Podcast:
This episode was originally published on estherlittlefield.com/episode25. To join the Purposeful Leadership Facebook Group, go to estherlittlefield.com/group.