There comes a time when S.M.A.R.T. goals become really stupid moves...
I’ve learned this lesson the hard way…
Every year, Dec 26th would roll around…
And I’d settle into 2 juicy days of “let’s list all the things I could possibly squeeze into the next 12 months.”
I’d make S.M.A.R.T plans out the wazoo.
I’d insist THIS YEAR would be different.
I was MOTIVATED, by golly, and what else do you need?
I was also pretty dang good at the whole “hard work” thing too.
(And had the bags under my eyes to prove it.)
So what could fail?
But every year, Feb 1st would roll around…
And I would find myself so damn overwhelmed…
Juggling (and dropping) too many balls…
And having fallen off the Resolution Wagon along with the 92% of other goal setters who don’t see their goals through each year.
Yes, 92% of resolution setters don't reach their goals.
And these aren’t lazy people, mind you.
These are hard-working, motivated people just like I was…
Just like you are…
Who are just coming at it in a way that doesn’t always work.
Because sometimes - like right now - life requires you to work softer, not harder...
I didn’t get this at the time.
I thought all goals required hard work.
Blood, sweat, and lots of tears.
But over and over again, it just didn’t work.
At first I blamed myself.
And then I blamed the whole concept of “resolutions”.
But that didn’t help me either.
Not having ANY goals didn’t take my life forward.
Because there's a big difference in starting a new year...and starting the SAME year over and over.
Which is why I sat there every Dec 26th…
Wanting to use the energy of that magical week between Christmas and New Year’s to sweep out the old, and usher in the new…
But also feeling discouraged…
Like what’s the point of trying…
And that's when I stumbled across a whole new approach...the "Guiding Word" approach.
You’ve maybe heard of it.
Some people also call it a “word of the year”…
And whoa, the concept spoke to me.
It turned the whole “hard work” concept on its head.
It basically told me, “here’s your chance to chill the F out, lady, and just trust the mother-loving process.”
So my very first year, I chose a Guiding Word…
But can I tell you the truth about it? It just wasn't enough.
I mean, I LOVED it but…
It just didn’t do much.
And I didn’t know what to do with it.
I’m much too practical to set ONLY one word as my intention for the year, and then what…do NOTHING with it?!
That’s what most of my friends and mentors at the time were doing.
They chose a word, wrote a blog or FB post to announce it, and then seemed to go back to life as usual.
And it’s not that they didn’t see good things from it…
It’s just that those good things seemed so much slower than necessary…
So BORING even.
At first, I gave it a good old college try.
I plastered my planner with the word, hung it everywhere, and it WAS helpful.
But I wanted MORE.
I wanted to use the Guiding Word in a NEW way... to strike a balance between SMART goals and gentle intentions...
I wanted to find the sweet spot between trusting the Universe but still taking effective action.
And I wanted to discover a Guiding Word that could be activated in such a way as to actually GUIDE me…
Giving me a map and some direction…
I didn’t just want some froo-froo, pretty word written on my mirror.
I wanted to GROW, to change, to evolve, and to CREATE a life and business I loved…
I just didn’t want to burn myself out to get there.
And so I took the Guiding Word concept...and upleveled it.
I knew I couldn’t take the same old approach to goals…
I wasn’t in a place to set SMART goals and then work hard to reach them…
And I wasn’t the kind of person who could do nothing either.
I needed the best of both worlds.
I needed to create a smarter Guiding Word process.
A process that allowed me to learn from the past year…
To bring closure to it and all its ups and downs…
To set intentions that didn’t encourage me to FORCE things…
But DID encourage me to take HEALTHY steps in the right direction.
I needed a Guiding Word process that was ACTIVATED, switched on…and giving me clear direction.
So I created it.
And in my first year using my new Guiding Word process, I accomplished more than the previous 10 years of hard work and forcing...
But this time is was EASY.
Almost magical.
I had a clear map, a clear intention, and even some clear goals…
And I didn’t have the burnout, the bags under my eyes, or the overwhelm.
Instead, things just flowed together.
No matter the challenge I faced, I knew what to do to stay on track.
No matter the distractions, I kept moving in the right direction.
And for the first time EVER, I joined the 8% who actually reached (or SURPASSED) their New Year’s Resolutions…
All because I stopped trying to force it…
Stopped setting S.M.A.R.T. goals…
And I set a smart(er) Guiding Word instead.
Here's the thing...
You’re coming off a rough year…we all are.
And it’s a year I KNOW you don’t want to repeat. #pleaseandthankyou
But we both know your normal Overachiever MO isn’t working…
It’s just burning yourself out.
Because even as an Overachiever, you can’t account for everything.
So no, setting rigid S.M.A.R.T. goals WILL NOT work right now.
You need to be working SOFTER, not harder…
But also…not so soft that you make no progress at all.
Because I know you love setting goals as much as I do…
I just also know you need more right now…
Things like “ease” or “rest” or maybe even “weekends off” that tend to come with trusting the process of Life…
You just don’t want to sacrifice results, progress, and getting sh*t done to have it.
Because we both know that true success requires your full engagement.
There’s nothing helpful about having a pretty word to tuck into your back pocket.
You and I both know we need to do SOMETHING.
And we need something to DO.
We just don’t want it to feel like overwhelm and disappointment anymore.
Which means finding that sweet-spot-of-a-middle-ground between S.M.A.R.T. goals and letting it all go, so you can finally trust the mother-loving process and find that sense of FLOW.
So can I share my process with you?
It’s the same process I use EVERY year.
Here’s what my unique Guiding Word process helps me do…
- It’s what allows me to learn from and find closure with the past year, so I NEVER repeat it.
- It helps me figure out what’s next for me, so that I have clarity and direction and am never left floundering and unsure of what I want, or what to do.
- This process also helps me set intentions that are realistic and a good fit for ME, not my ego.
- And it shows me my Guiding Word – one that’s intentional and powerful, so I’m not just picking a sexy word out of a hat that does nothing for me.
- Then the process helps me ACTIVATE it, so that I don’t have to work so hard and can let it just flow.
It's like equal parts Law of Attraction + Law of Action.
And here’s what my special Guiding Word process helped me create over the past 12 years of using it…
4 years of full time travel with my family…
A 20+ year relationship with my hubby that is more passionate now than our newlywed days…
A multi-6 figure business that is run in as little as 5 hours a week…
And countless “small” goals that have made up a really beautiful life.
It’s even what helped Kim crush it in 2020…despite what 2020 was.
Cuz that's what you get when you set better goals: better results.
And that’s what I’d love to help you start getting too…
But first…
You get to change your approach.
And that’s what Your Guiding Word will show you how to do.
YOUR GUIDING WORD:
How to Stop Living the Same Year Over and Over, and Make 2023 Your Best Year Yet
Let's be real...
No one wants a repeat of the year, even if it was a good one and especially if it wasn’t.
But while we can’t control what happens around us…
We can learn to still make progress despite it.
Your Guiding Word will show you how to start fresh.
It’ll show you how to learn from what Life wanted to teach YOU this year…
So you can stop getting the lesson slammed against your head.
And it'll teach you how to take back your trajectory with just 5 steps and a few hours...
STEP 1: Setting The Stage
No more getting overwhelmed or side-tracked throughout the goal-setting process, and therefore quitting before you even begin. I’ll show you how to set the stage for the work you’re about to do, so you can settle in without distractions and get the most from the Guiding Word process (and your year ahead).
STEP 2: It's All About Effective Reflection
No navel-gazing for days. No spiraling into a funk of looking at what “shoulda been”. No beating yourself up and getting nowhere for it. Whether you’re closing the book on your last 8 months of rollercoaster ups and downs, the last calendar year, or the last 3 years, 7 months, 13 days, and 5 hours of your life, I’ll walk you through how to approach it in ways that help you learn from it, actually feel grateful for it, and allow you to move into Step 3 confidently…
STEP 3: Closure, Baby!
No one wants their last year to be dragging its dirty little butt across the carpet of their next one. I’ll coach you through the most effective ways to bring closure to this season of life, whether it was good, bad, indifferent, or still going. You’ll feel 100% complete, and able to start a new chapter (yes, even when the external things can’t all change).
STEP 4: Discovering Your Guiding Word
Most people think this is the only step, so they pull a sparkly word off a list because it sounds sexy…and not necessarily because it’s the right fit for them right now. Then when it doesn’t “work”, they blame themselves – instead of the approach they took.
But not you. Once you’ve completed Steps 1-3, this step is will give you that lightning-bolt-of-clarity and make the perfect Guiding Word for you practically jump into your lap! It’ll be exactly what YOU need, THIS year, to set you on the right path and allow you to make more progress in the next 12 months than you have in the last 3 years.
STEP 5: Activate the Snot Out of It!
Just because you’ve found it doesn’t mean you’re done! This is the step that matters most! This is the part that changed my life. It took me off the hamster wheel of overachieving and burnout, but still allowed me to DO something with my Guiding Word (vs just hope it all came together magically).
This is the step where you learn what to DO with your Guiding Word, how to ACTIVATE it in a way that gives you practical, actionable steps to take…WITHOUT driving you into the wall this time. It helps you to dream up juicy things, set some softer goals, and yes…still trust the mother-loving process. 😉
There are two kinds of people this process is best for:
“I NEED TO SLOW DOWN …LIKE, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.” It’s time to slow your roll when it comes to hard work and invite a little more trust and flow into your life. You’ve gotten good at setting and achieving all the things, but at the expense of your sanity, your health, your family, and your time freedom. You don’t want to do “nothing” when it comes to goals (this is your only life, after all), but your need to find a better way of doing the RIGHT things.
“I’M GOOD AT SETTING INTENTIONS…NOT SO MUCH ON THE FOLLOW THROUGH.” You’re used to dreaming and scheming, but never really seeing them go anywhere. You tend to get overwhelmed before you even make progress. And you DO want to learn how to step it up a notch and get inspired to make some real moves, but “overachiever” is not your cup of tea either. You just need a step up from the “let’s-see-what-happens” approach you’ve been taking so far, take the reins, and move this pony forward.
Basically, if you've been on either end of the goal setting spectrum for too long, Your Guiding Word will help you find the healthy middle ground.
HERE'S WHAT’S INCLUDED:
5 Easy Video Lessons (plus transcripts): I’ll quickly show you what you need to know and/or avoid to get the most from each step, so you can jump into the Action Guides with confidence and clarity. And I’ve got your learning styles covered here with video, audio, and written versions.
5 Spelled-Out-For-You Action Guides: This is where that magic happens. Through a tested and proven process, you’ll be guided through a series of engaging prompts and steps that have a funny little way of leading you to the Aha moments you didn’t know you had in you, and ultimately one thing: better results this next year.
Lifetime access to any updates I make: Yup, as I continue to coach thousands of women and see ways to make this Guiding Word process even better, those updates will happen to YOUR copy of the course as well.
But here's what you'll really get...
✅ A simplified but FUN way to achieve goals that doesn’t burn you out in 3 weeks
✅ More progress in your biz + life in the next 12 months than the past 3+ years
✅ Finally being able to tap into that feeling of FLOW, so things come together easily
✅ A way of staying on track that is effortless but organized, so you’re not overwhelmed
✅ And PROGRESS. Real, bonafide, honest-to-goodness progress that comes easier than you currently think possible
Oh, And I'll Even Guarantee It
If you show me you’ve done the work, and you’re not satisfied with the results you’re seeing within 30 days of purchasing this course, I’ll refund you 100%. Why? Because I know that if you do the work, you WILL get results.
So What's Your Investment?
So Now The Ball Is In Your Court...
You could keep doing what you’ve always done…
Set S.M.A.R.T. goals that you have little confidence you’ll complete…
Or pick a Guiding Word off Pinterest…
And hope that THIS time, something is different.
Just hoping that you won’t wind up on Feb 3, or May 7…
Cursing your “pointless, idealistic New Year’s Resolutions” that got left in the dust…
And beating yourself up…
As though that means there’s something wrong with you…
When in fact, it was your approach that failed YOU.
(And we all know what it’s called when we do the same thing over and over, expecting different results: the definition of insanity. Or just flat out soul-crushing.)
Or you could skip a couple Starbucks trips…
And invest your energy in something that actually works…
You could learn how to set a Guiding Word that’s more than just a word.
You could learn to set goals that are TRULY smart…for you.
Not for your ego.
Not for your made-up deadlines.
Not for good impressions.
But for you. Your life. Your growth.
And hey...I know it's a teensy bit scary.
What we’re really talking about here is putting aside the old rules of “you must work your *ss off to get ahead”.
It’s intimidating to imagine working softer, not harder for a change.
I remember thinking, “This couldn’t possibly work. How will I ever get ahead if I let go?“
But here’s the thing:
a) I’m not gonna ask you to let go completely.
I’m gonna show you how to let go of the wrong things so you can embrace the right ones.
and b) everything you want is on the other side of this right here.
All the success, the joy, the love, the happiness, the ease, the flow, the progress, the growth, the breakthroughs, and the fun?
Those things don’t come to us by force. They RUN from us by force.
They also don’t come to us when we neglect our role.
You’re here because you KNOW that isn’t working for you.
I’m here offering something that WILL.
But you’re gonna have to make a leap…
A leap that your ego or your fear might try to convince you you’re not ready for, not capable of, or not gonna see results from because although it works for others, you’re somehow not good enough to get the same results.
You’re gonna have to make a leap AWAY from that voice of self-doubt…
Because the only way past where you’re at now is by moving forward…
By learning something new…
Going backward (or around in circles) with old strategies won’t help.
Throwing noodles at the wall isn’t a solid plan either.
If you’re ready to live a NEW year…
Not the SAME year over again…
That requires a NEW approach.
And despite what your self-doubt is telling you, you CAN do this.
It’s a simple as clicking the big orange button below and saying “YES” to learning a better approach to life, business, and your goals.
FAQs
It varies based mostly on how how your last year has been (and therefore just how much reflection and closure you’ll want to do), but most people can finish the whole thing in a long afternoon or two if you really want to take your time (roughly 2-4 hours).
YGW will help you reflect and bring closure on the last season/year of your life, and use that to help you make sure the Guiding Word you’ve chosen is juuuuust right for what’s next. That way you’re not picking a word because it sounds or feels good, and you’re picking one that will actually DO good for you. From there, it’ll help you ACTIVATE your chosen word and get it put into place in your life right away (the most important part!).
Yes, absolutely. The process is so seamless and smooth that you’ll likely even stumble across your Guiding Word before you even get to Step 4!
Yes, but differently. First, you’ll go through the first 4 steps to bring awareness and closure to the past year/season of your life and through that process find the Guiding Word you need for the next. In Step 5, where you activate it, you’ll look at HOW to put it into place in your life to get it working for you, which requires some action on your part and some healthy goal setting. You’ll even outline some sustainable steps you can take. But as much as it encourages you to have fun and dream things up, it’ll show you how to not go overboard with controlling the outcome, or overdoing it on the effort.
Yes, it def can. It’ll show you a more sustainable way to approach your life, using your Guiding Word in a way that lasts. It won’t dump you into the deep end of Doing All The Things or massive achievement. It’ll show you how to wade in casually like you own the place.
Yes, as long as you ARE into the law of trusting the process, and know that a certain amount of serendipity happens as long as we’re still doing our due diligence. This course doesn’t teach LOA, though, if that’s what you’re wondering.
Yes, as long as you’re also into the Law of Action. (If you’re just looking for a sexy afternoon of reflecting and dreaming things up without doing ANYTHING tangible to move yourself forward, you can do that too, but the best results come from really engaging with your Guiding Word.)
Both, because I’m not a fan of separating out the two. It’s all part of a good life, and you can’t set sustainable goals without taking it all into account.
Always. You have a no-questions-asked money-back guarantee for up to 90 day after purchase. If it’s just not your jam, shoot me an email and let me know.
I use Kajabi to host this course, which allows access from most devices through an internet browser, as well as offers a handy-dandy iPhone app to make life that much easier. That said, be sure to read the next FAQ.
I recommend you either print them out, or grab a journal to write the prompts in and give yourself more space to spill your soul. I explain more of the reasoning behind writing vs typing in the course, but if that’s not possible for you, a blank document is your best bet.
I currently accept payments through Paypal or Stripe, which allows you to pay with your Paypal balance, Paypal credit card, or any debit or credit card with the main 4 credit logos.
You’ll be able to tag me in our Facebook group to get feedback and support.
Click the big orange button below!
Click the big orange button below and saying “YES” to learning a better approach to life, business, and your goals with Your Guiding Word.
ABOUT Tara Wagner
I’m Tara Wagner, creator of the Breakthrough Boss®. I help small biz owners overcome burnout and create part-time schedules with full-time profits. Not with some new marketing strategy, but with a holistic approach to how you operate.
As an entrepreneur since 2000, a mindset coach since 2010, a person with 30+ health conditions who can’t work more than 20 hours a week, AND a multi 6 figure earner anyway…
You could say I’ve learned what it takes to crush your goals (not your soul)…
I’m excited to share a piece of that work with Your Guiding Word.
With this process you’ll finally start making progress on all those goals…
Without it, you could just live the same year over.
Don’t let that be the case. You deserve better.=
Click the big orange button below and saying “YES” to learning a better approach to life, business, and your goals with Your Guiding Word.
Results & Earnings Disclaimer: Although all effort has been made to accurately portray potential results of our classes and programs, including Your Guiding Word, we can offer no guarantees that you, your mindset, or your business will be successful or that your results will match those of others. That’s 100% up to you, and as with all opportunities, your results will vary based on individual capacity, experience, expertise, and desire. Be sure you read the full disclaimer below.
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