Goal Achievement for Leaders: How to Turn 2026 Goals Into Real Results
Episode 34
Do you ever feel motivated to set goals - only to lose momentum a few weeks later?
Many HR leaders and business owners know what they want to achieve, but struggle with turning goals into real results. That’s where goal achievement for leaders becomes the real challenge. In this episode of The People Success Circle, I shift the focus from goal setting to goal achievement and walk through a practical framework that actually works in the real world.
If you want clearer priorities, better follow-through, and goals that stick beyond January, this episode is for you. Listen in or keep reading for actionable strategies you can apply right away.
In this episode of The People Success Circle, I share practical strategies to move from goal setting to real goal achievement.
Why traditional leadership goal setting often fails—and why shifting the focus to goal achievement for leaders changes everything
How to create a clear, practical goal achievement plan that increases follow-through and long-term success
The difference between setting goals and actually achieving goals at work, especially in busy, real-world environments
A step-by-step breakdown of proven goal achievement strategies, including habits, milestones, and accountability
How to align goals with calendars, support systems, and regular check-ins to improve execution
Common obstacles that derail progress—and how leaders can anticipate, adjust, and stay on track
🎧 Tune in or keep reading to walk away with practical insights you can apply immediately—for yourself or the people you lead.
🔗 Helpful Links
🌐 Mindy’s website for business consulting: https://www.limerockcareerco.com
🎧 Listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts
Episode 35: Watch or Listen
Key Takeaways From Episode 34
Shift From Goal Setting to Goal Achievement
As leaders, we spend a lot of time talking about leadership goal setting, but far less time focusing on execution. The real challenge isn’t setting goals—it’s following through. I explain why leaders need to move beyond intentions and focus on systems that support achieving goals at work, especially in fast-paced environments.
Use a Clear Goal Achievement Plan
One of the biggest shifts I’ve made in my own work is teaching leaders to use a structured goal achievement plan. Writing goals down, clarifying milestones, and identifying what success actually looks like dramatically increases follow-through. A simple plan creates clarity, focus, and accountability.
Choose Goals You Can Control
Effective goal achievement for leaders starts with choosing goals no one else can block. If success depends on someone else’s behavior, timing, or approval, progress stalls. I walk through how to set goals that stay within your control so momentum doesn’t disappear.
Break Goals Into Actionable Steps
Large goals feel overwhelming unless they’re broken into manageable actions. I share practical goal achievement strategies that help leaders turn long-term goals into weekly or monthly progress, making it easier to stay consistent and motivated.
Build Habits That Support Success
Goals don’t succeed without habits. To understand how to achieve goals at work, leaders must create routines that support progress—whether that’s blocking calendar time, creating check-ins, or reinforcing priorities through daily behavior.
Review, Adjust, and Celebrate Progress
Check-ins matter. Regular reviews help leaders course-correct, stay realistic, and avoid burnout. Celebrating milestones—big or small—keeps energy high and reinforces progress across teams.
🎧 Want the full story, examples, and action steps?
Listen to the full episode of The People Success Circle for more insights on building a thriving culture that drives results.
Read the full transcript
Mindy East:
Welcome back to this week’s episode of the People Success Circle podcast. It is the first week of January, and if you’re like me, you’re hearing about resolutions, goal setting, words of the year, and all the things that come with the start of January—or honestly, even the end of December. It’s the topic everyone is talking about.
As an HR leader, I’ve always had a passion for goal setting. Even in my Gallup CliftonStrengths, focus is right up there in my top five. I genuinely love goal setting, and over the years, I’ve helped senior leaders and employees at all levels understand what it means to set a strong goal.
But something shifted for me a few years ago when I was teaching goal setting. We hear over and over how to make SMART goals and meet all the right criteria. And I’m actually a fan of SMART goals—some people like them, some people don’t. I think they’re a fine way to set a goal.
The problem, though, isn’t setting goals. It’s achieving them.
Statistics show that fewer than 10% of people who set goals actually achieve them. That’s incredibly low. No wonder people get discouraged and start thinking there’s no point in setting New Year’s resolutions. With numbers like that, I understand why.
That realization made me see that I was teaching the wrong thing. Everyone teaches how to set goals, but very few teach how to achieve them. So I shifted my focus to teaching goal achievement—and that’s what this episode is all about.
I’m going to teach you how to create a goal achievement plan so you have a much higher chance of being in that small percentage of people who actually follow through.
After I made this shift—from goal setting to goal achievement and alignment within organizations—I saw so many wins. One participant in my goal achievement workshop had an online florist business. It was successful, but she wanted to open a brick-and-mortar storefront.
After working through the Goal Achievement Blueprint, she opened her storefront in just five months. She originally thought it would take a year. But because she had a plan, clear milestones, and knew what to do next, she reached her goal much faster.
That’s just one story, but I have many like it. When people focus on achieving goals—not just setting them—they see significantly more success.
Before diving into the steps, I want to clarify the difference between a strategy and a goal. Many people confuse the two, and that confusion often blocks progress.
A strategy is the how and the why—the overall approach. A goal is the what and the when. It’s a specific target with a deadline and measurable outcomes. Understanding that distinction is critical when you’re filling out a goal achievement plan.
Writing goals down matters. Research shows you’re three times more likely to achieve a goal if it’s written down. That’s why I created a structured format—the Goal Achievement Blueprint. It’s a one-page, double-sided plan with ten steps. One side checks whether your goal is SMART, and the other focuses on how to achieve it.
Step one is identifying an impactful and important goal. We often dilute our focus by trying to do too many things at once—eat healthier, exercise more, wake up earlier, send handwritten notes. The goal needs to matter enough that you care.
Goals can be physical, emotional, intellectual, relational, career-focused, or business-related. The category doesn’t matter. What matters is choosing something impactful and specific.
Another key part of step one is choosing a goal no one else can block. If achieving your goal depends on someone else’s behavior, it’s risky. Goals need to be within your control.
It’s also important to limit how many goals you work on at once. One to three goals is ideal for individuals. Business owners may manage more, but the more goals you have, the harder it is to achieve any of them.
Step two is running your goal through the SMART test—specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. If a goal isn’t achievable, there’s no point pursuing it.
Once you know the goal is achievable, step three is breaking it into smaller steps—weekly, monthly, or quarterly. Annual goals are especially hard to manage without breaking them down.
Step four is building habits that support your goal. Goals without habits rarely succeed. Small, consistent behaviors create momentum and make progress inevitable over time.
Step five is taking action quickly. Research shows that if you take action within 72 hours of setting a goal, your chances of success increase dramatically. Waiting for the “right time” is often why goals fail.
Step six is making sure your calendar reflects your priorities. If your calendar doesn’t show time dedicated to your goals, they won’t happen. Busy schedules fill quickly with low-impact tasks unless you plan intentionally.
Step seven is surrounding yourself with support. Share your goals with people who can encourage and support you. Achievement is much harder in isolation.
Step eight is anticipating obstacles. Motivation dips, time constraints, lack of resources, fear, and resistance are all normal. Writing these obstacles down ahead of time helps you prepare for them instead of being derailed.
Step nine is reviewing and revising as needed. Goals aren’t static. Circumstances change, priorities shift, and sometimes goals need adjustment. Revising a goal is not failure—it’s strategy.
Step ten is celebrating milestones. Waiting until the final result to celebrate can drain momentum. Celebrating progress keeps motivation high and reinforces success.
Those are the ten steps of goal achievement. This framework works whether you’re pursuing a business goal, career growth, a new role, or something personal.
The Goal Achievement Blueprint is linked in the show notes. I encourage you to not only set goals—but to create a plan that helps you achieve the ones that matter most.
And with that, I’ll see you next time.
