POOF! Just like that. Our goals and the motivation that support them seem to magically disappear often not long after setting them. What’s that about?

Well, sometimes we don’t set the right goals. Sometimes we don’t back up our goals with a plan. We rely on that wish-upon-a-star strategy. And then sometimes – which is a lot of the time – when the outcomes for our goals don’t happen within a certain period, we drop them and “moveon.org.”

I have two pieces of advice. First, don’t confuse goal setting with a daily to-do list. Hitting goals is an ongoing process – not a one-time event, and it requires lifelong investment. Second, set talent-strengthening goals versus ones that focus on material outcomes like a job or money or project.

Everyone is born with talent but not everyone converts that talent into a skill. To develop a powerful skill, you have to invest in your talent and turn it into a strength that delivers the receipts without fail.

This doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and growth.

Flashback to my “moveon.org” moment. Communicating came naturally and with ease to me. Early in my career, I decided to capitalize on this talent and pursued an opportunity to give a speech on behalf of my company. The company was NPR, the speech was for a global conference in New York with over a thousand attendees, and the stakes were high. Guess what?  I failed spectacularly. Why? I confused talent for skill and was not ready.

You see, my goal was to be a hotshot speaker when it should have been to strengthen my skills as a communicator. So I had to decide: drop my dreams of being a speaker (I was so embarrassed) or set a new goal. I hired a coach, closely studied successful speakers, and practiced speaking right at home giving talks inside of my company and on small stages where the stakes were lower. I converted my talent into a strength, the strength into a skill, and that skill into a TED Talk, Grit and Grace.

There are some goals that you can’t achieve like a task on a to-do list. You must grow into them over time and with consistency.

Think back on past successes and identify the talent you relied on to deliver those wins. Invest in THAT talent and strengthen it. Hone it into a powerhouse skill by intentionally and consistently leading with it at all times. And in time, it will become your greatest strength that delivers your dreams. 

If you’re ready to take charge of your career, there’s no better time than right now. Join my g2Coach community today and gain clarity, confidence, and a game plan to transform your growth with coaches, resources, empowering content, and an amazing tribe of ambitious women eager to support one another. Get your first month’s membership for just $1!