It was 2:00 AM, and I was still awake, staring at my never-ending to-do list. Dishes in the sink. Emails unanswered. Laundry overflowing. Business ideas swirled in my head but never made it past the scribbles in my notebook. I was exhausted, overwhelmed, and frustrated.
Then it hit me—something had to change. I couldn’t keep running in circles, waiting for the ‘perfect time’ to chase my dreams. If I wanted different results, I had to do something different. That night, I had my ‘come to Jesus’ moment: I needed to set real, actionable goals and commit to them, no matter how crazy life got.
What is a Goal?
A goal is a ‘dream with a deadline.’ It’s the difference between wishing for something and making it happen. As Catherine Pulsifer once said, “For me, goals are my road map to the life I want. They have helped me accomplish things I once thought were impossible.”
Why Should We Set Goals?
Joanne Bonomi put it perfectly: goal setting is the core of existence that defines life. Without clear targets, we’re just shooting in the dark. It’s difficult to hit what you can’t see and impossible to hit what you don’t know.
Zig Ziglar put it bluntly: If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.
The Harvard Business School Study on Goals
A study from Harvard Business School examined the financial status of graduates ten years after leaving school. The results were eye-opening:
27% needed financial assistance
60% were living paycheck to paycheck
10% were living comfortably
Only 3% were financially independent
The biggest differentiator? Goal setting.
The 27% needing financial help had no goals.
The 60% struggling financially had basic survival goals (just making it to the next paycheck).
The 10% who lived comfortably had general goals but lacked structure.
The 3% who were financially independent had written goals and a clear plan to achieve them.
I realized I had been living in survival mode for too long. If I wanted to build the business I dreamed of and create financial freedom for my family, I had to start setting real, measurable goals.
How to Set Goals as a Busy Mom
Step 1: Get Honest with Yourself
I looked in the mirror and asked myself the tough question: What’s been holding me back?
For me, it was:
Fear of failure – What if I put in all this effort and still didn’t succeed?
Procrastination – Always waiting for ‘more time’ that never came.
Self-doubt – Could I really balance motherhood and entrepreneurship?
If I wanted to change my life, I had to face my excuses head-on.
Step 2: Write Down Your Goals
I started small, setting clear, specific goals in different areas of my life:
Career: “I will launch my online store by June.”
Finances: “I will save $500 in the next three months.”
Personal Growth: “I will read one book per month.”
Writing them down made them real. Successful people don’t just dream—they document their plans and track their progress.
Step 3: Share Your Goals for Accountability
I told my best friend about my goals. I even put them on a sticky note above my desk. Why? Because accountability matters. The more I talked about my goals, the more committed I became.
Step 4: Take Action—Even in Small Steps
Instead of waiting for large chunks of free time (which never came), I started working in 15-minute power sessions:
While the kids napped, I outlined my business plan.
During soccer practice, I responded to emails.
At night, I worked on my website instead of scrolling through social media.
Little by little, I was making progress.
Step 5: Track Progress & Adjust
Every Sunday night, I reviewed what I had accomplished that week. I adjusted my plan as needed but kept moving forward. Even when I missed a goal, I didn’t quit—I recalibrated.
Final Thoughts: Breaking Free from Survival Mode
That late-night realization changed everything for me. I stopped just ‘getting through the days’ and started living with intention. I’m still a busy, tired mom, but now I’m a busy, tired mom who’s actively building the life I want.
If you’re feeling stuck, I challenge you to set your first goal today. Write it down. Say it out loud. Take one step—no matter how small—toward making it happen.
Because here’s the truth: The time will pass anyway. You might as well use it to build the future you deserve.
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