I was in a meeting the other day and overheard someone say that they had committed to a goal and now they felt nauseated.

I know that sometimes we might set a stretch goal for ourselves, and then feel some butterflies in our stomachs.

But, for this woman, it was different than that. She had set a goal based on what she thought she “should” do and wasn’t feeling good about it. In fact, she was feeling physically ill.

If you are feeling nauseated by a goal, then I am going to go out on a limb here and say that it is time to change that goal. 

Your goals should inspire you to action not drive you to drink … Pepto Bismol.

One of my favorite tools that I learned during my coach training, and something I teach in my Career Reset program, is the Body Compass tool. Simply, it is a way to ask your body how it feels when making decisions or setting goals.

As you prepare for 2023 let’s use a simplified version to create goals that inspire. Try this:  

1. Write down at least 5 career or personal goals. Just the goal. Not all the steps you need to do to achieve it. That comes later.
2. Starting with the first goal you wrote down, read it aloud. As you read it notice how your body feels. Does your jaw clench? Does your head start to ache? Do you feel nauseated? Or are you smiling? Do you feel lighter? More relaxed? Inspired?
3. If you felt more nauseated than inspired cross that goal off the list (just for now, you can always get it back).
4. Go to the second goal and do the same process. Listening to your body. If you are nauseous cross it off, if inspired keep it on. Keep moving down your list of goals checking in with your body and eliminating goals as you go.
5. Now, look at the goals that you have not crossed off your list. On a scale of 0-10 with 0 being
   “no chance in hell” and 10 being “Hell Yes!”,  how confident are you that you will achieve these goals? I suspect you are reaching toward a 10 and not reaching for the toilet.

What about the goals you crossed off?

If you really want to achieve some of the goals that you crossed off the list, then ask yourself how you can adjust them to feel less nauseating and more inspiring. Maybe you extend the date when you hoped to achieve them, giving yourself more time.  Maybe you get someone to partner with as you work towards the goal?

This same technique can be used as you begin to figure out the steps you need to put in place to achieve your inspiring goals. If you are feeling nauseated, then cross that step off or rework it so your body smiles!

A Career Strategy Session is a perfect way to make sure the career goals you set for yourself are inspiring instead of nauseating. Sign up today!