How Goal Setting Keeps You Motivated for Lifelong Health, Happiness & Fulfillment
“How Goal Setting Keeps You Motivated for Lifelong Health, Happiness, and Fulfillment" - Misty Creaghe
"Set a goal so big that you can't achieve it until you become the person who can."
– Anonymous
For the career-driven mom juggling meetings, carpools, dinners, and dreams—it’s easy to forget your own name, let alone your goals. But here’s the truth: goal setting isn’t a luxury. It’s a lifeline. It’s the engine that fuels your physical health, mental clarity, meaningful relationships, and everything you crave in your lifestyle.
When you stop setting goals, you stop growing. And when you stop growing, life starts to feel like a loop you can’t escape from. I can tell you mine did for 10 years. Working, grinding everything I could do. cool vacations- "when I get a raise" Dating, getting married, having kids- " When things settle down". Yet, all I was doing was grinding my life away at work.
Then, I was 35 with no husband, no kids, no dreams, no goals. New Year's Eve, I had a goal to have a kid. By March I had an appointment with my doctor for fertility options, being a single woman with no prospects, it felt like the best option for me. The following New Year's Eve Morning a was getting an IUI procedure with a Dominic born 9 months later. That goal changed my life, I became the mom I wanted to be.
I did the same with this business. I had no clue how to open and run a fitness business. I knew how to create exercise programs and help people get stronger and get definition. Then my journey had to change because my body changed, and I found my metabolism healing journey.
This blog isn’t just about goal setting—it’s about transformation. It’s about how knowing what you want, and having a clear plan to get there, elevates you to your highest self. Especially in the health and fitness journey, setting goals is your North Star. And when you align it with all areas of your life—career, wellness, joy, and connection—you don’t just survive... you flourish.
Let’s dig into why goal setting is the spark, the structure, and the soul of staying motivated through your entire life.
Why Goals Matter in Every Area of Your Life
You’re not one-dimensional. You’re not just a mom. Just a boss. Just a woman trying to lose 10 pounds. You’re all of it.
That’s why goal setting should include all dimensions of your life:
Mental health goals like journaling each morning or seeing a therapist
Physical health goals like eating for energy or rebuilding your strength
Career goals like asking for that raise or launching your dream business
Relationship goals like planning a weekly date night or nurturing your friendships
Lifestyle goals like decluttering your home or creating a morning routine
Adventure & experience goals like finally taking that trip or learning something new
When you start living with intention in all these areas, it’s not about perfection—it’s about momentum. And momentum is the antidote to stagnation.
Stagnation is the Real Threat—Not Failure
We don’t stay stuck because we’re lazy. We stay stuck because we’ve lost sight of where we’re going. Just like I talked about in my story I was stuck doing the same loop day after day and then years had gone by, and I wasn't anywhere I wanted to be.
You’ve been there maybe you are still there: stuck in that loop where every Monday feels like a reset, and every Friday feels like defeat. You make promises to yourself—"I'll eat better, work out, go to bed earlier"—but then life gets in the way, and you fall off the wagon.
This cycle is not a motivation problem. It’s a goal clarity problem.
Without goals, the inner critic gets louder. It tells you:
“You always fall off.”
“You’ll never change.”
“Why bother?”
But when you set intentional, aligned goals and pair them with achievable habits? That critic quiets down. Because you’re moving forward—and forward is freedom.
How Goals Keep You Motivated
Motivation is fleeting. If you wait to feel “motivated” to start eating better or moving your body, you’ll be waiting forever. Motivation is a result—not a starting point.
What really keeps you going are goals with emotional weight, and the habits you build around them.
Here’s how goal setting creates motivation:
Goals give you direction.
Instead of spinning your wheels, you know what matters. You know your "why." You're not just "trying to lose weight"—you're reclaiming energy so you can run with your kids without pain. That’s powerful.Goals help you measure progress.
You’re not guessing anymore. Did you do 3 workouts this week? Yes? That’s a win. Celebrating these small wins builds confidence—and confidence builds momentum.Goals give you purpose.
They remind you that your health journey isn’t just about jeans fitting better—it’s about showing up with vitality in every role you play.Goals create a feedback loop.
When you hit one goal, you prove to yourself you can do hard things. That proof inspires you to set a new one. You become unstoppable.
But What About When Life Gets in the Way?
You will mess up. You will skip workouts. You will eat the cookie. That’s not failure—it’s feedback.
The question isn’t “Did I slip up?” It’s “Did I keep showing up?”
You have to give yourself some grace. "Yes, I ate the cookie, but you know what I was still within my calories today because I didn't let that one cookie derail my whole day's nutrition". I went back to eating with intention after that. (In my program it's a win when you make your nutrition goals I set, that cookie wouldn't matter.) If you expect to never eat something you like because it "BAD" you are setting yourself up for failure.
Which is a whole other rabbit hole, moderation is key. I had a coach tell me once "Does it help you get to your goals?" eating this or eating that, skipping a program. Then when you have that answer you ask yourself " Are you okay with that?". That is where your change is going to happen. Will you be okay with delaying your progress, or not?
That’s why you must not only celebrate the results—like losing 10 pounds—but celebrate the habits that got you there. Because the habits are where the magic happens.
From Vision to Victory: How to Set Aligned Goals
If your goal is to lose 10 pounds, great. But that’s a result.
The real question is:
What habits will make that inevitable?
Maybe it looks like this:
Working out 3-4 times a week
Following your nutrition plan 80% of the time
Drinking 80 oz of water daily
Sleeping 7-8 hours a night
Tracking progress every other Sunday
These are actionable. Doable. Measurable. These keep your brain focused on what you can control.
And when you check off these habits each week? You deserve a reward.
Not a cheat meal that undoes your progress—but a celebration that reminds your brain: “This is worth it.”
That could be:
A relaxing massage
Getting your hair or nails done
Buying a cute new workout outfit
A solo coffee date with a book
My favorite is extra me time with my book!
Treat yourself in a way that fills your cup, not your guilt. You’re not just changing your body—you’re changing your identity.
The Real Goal? Becoming Your Best Self
Let’s be honest—this is bigger than weight loss.
This is about becoming the woman who says yes to herself without guilt. It’s about proving to your kids that you can chase your dreams at any age. It’s about showing up fully alive, not barely surviving.
My Son is now 4 going on 5 and since I became a business owner, He has told me he loves how happy I am. He loves that he gets to play with me more and we do things together.
My 9 to 5 life sent me to burnout, exhaustion, and going through the motions. With my business I work harder and longer hours, but I stop when I need to be the mom I need to be. I would never have done this without setting goals and learning how to work with intention.
That’s what goal setting does.
It gives you permission to evolve.
“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”
– Tony Robbins
As a career mom, your life is full. Your plate is packed. But you deserve more than survival mode.
You deserve to feel empowered by your choices. You deserve to feel proud of your consistency. You deserve to become the version of yourself that your younger self hoped for.
And it all starts with setting goals—and building the habits to reach them.
Ready to Make It Happen? Here’s a Special Thank You
You’ve made it this far in the blog—and that tells me you’re ready to change something. To set meaningful goals and actually stick with them.
So, as a thank you for investing in yourself and reading to the end, I’m offering a special appreciation gift just for you:
Get 50% off my signature 12-week Ultimate Work-Life Rebalance Solution program.
This isn’t a generic plan. This is a full transformation designed specifically for career-driven women who are tired of the hustle-without-healing cycle.
What’s included?
12 weeks of customized fitness & nutrition support to fit your real life
Weekly habit coaching to make your goals sustainable, not overwhelming
My 6-week "Aligned & Unbreakable Mindset" framework to stop the self-sabotage and inner critic
Flexible scheduling, family-inclusive planning, and stress-reducing tools that help you feel like you again
This offer is for a limited time, and only available through this blog. Because you took the time to invest in your growth—I’m honoring that with this gift.
You don’t have to do this alone. You don’t have to stay stuck.
You can set goals that feel like you, create habits that change your life, and become the most energized, confident version of yourself.
This is your moment. Let’s do this together.
Click here to join the Ultimate Work-Life Rebalance Solution at 50% off.
I Appreciate You!
Because you’re not here just to survive—you’re here to flourish.
Let’s set goals that elevate you, habits that ground you, and a mindset that makes you unstoppable.
