What is it that you want to be, do, or have? Have you thought about this? I mean really, really thought about it. One June a few years ago, I wrote a list of things to do before my 30th birthday. Now I just had my birthday yesterday (thank you for all of the birthday wishes!) and for some reason kept thinking about the list.

Looking it over today, I saw that I have done two thirds of the things on my list. How cool! And many of them I totally forgot about.

You know I’ve heard people say the same thing about vision writing. My own coach, Alicia Forest, she shares with us that at the start of each summer she writes out a vision for her business.  And then the year continues on and the following year she pulls out the vision work and is pleasantly thrilled to have reached her goals.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about ‘goal setting’. As a nurse coach, I’ve been trained to help clients set and reach goals. You set a goal and then during future calls, together we track your progress. 

On one hand, there’s proactive goal-setting where you take actions to reach goals. On the other there’s conscious creation, using universal laws to be, do, and have what you want in your life.

I’ve been studying, applying, and practicing these laws of manifestation since summertime. But it’s been challenging. My whole life I’ve been into setting and reaching goals. I’m a planner, a strategizer and organized person.

But here’s the glitch: you set goals and then you try to reach them. In that space, it can get to an over-controlling, highly attached experience that really leads to total non-success.

By doing a practice like I shared above (making a list of 30 things to do before I’m 30), I see that writing down the desires, letting them go, and being unattached to the outcome actually DOES work.

I wrote on Saturday about how things that are ‘simple’ aren’t always easy- well, here’s another example of that.

It makes perfect logical sense to me that stating what I want, knowing that when I let go of control, and allow my dreams to come to me is the way to success. And that by trying to force the outcome, control the how/when, or remain attached to the outcome actually is counter-productive.

So how can a nurse entrepreneur who uses coaching practices and goal-setting with her clients rectify this? Well, maybe… for once… instead of forcing the answer, I will just go with the flow and see what happens.

How about you? Which strategy works for you: goal-setting and achievement or letting go and going with the flow? Can you see the pros and cons of both? Share an example, question, or comment below. I’d love to hear how you’re able to balance your experiences for what works for you.