Is It Time to Change Your Goals?

Are you satisfied with how things are chugging along in your life? Are your life goals still as shiny and appealing as they once seemed, or is it time to change your goals?

Much like a martial artist tweaking their form, sometimes life demands a pivot. Let’s explore the importance of using feedback to adjust your goals, with a little help from our friends—Olympians and martial artists.

When Life Strikes a Pose—Or a Punch

Imagine, if you will, a martial artist practicing their kata routine, a series of choreographed movements meant to simulate combat. Now, imagine that during a particularly ambitious spinning move, they realize they’re spinning right out of control.

What does our martial artist do?

Simple, they adjust.

They incorporate feedback—in this case, the feedback being “Whoa, you’re about to fly into the wall!”—and refine their movements.

Similarly, in life, we all have our own katas to practice. Sometimes they need tweaking. Sometimes they need a total overhaul—think “swan dive” into “graceful ballet leap.”

But how do you know when it’s time for a change your goals?

Let’s jump into it with some insights from Olympic-style thinking.

Dust Off Your Goals with a Little Spring Cleaning

1. Review Your Current Life List

Call out your ancient scroll of life goals, or perhaps just that crumpled napkin you’ve been carting around since college. Are those dreams of being a corporate superstar still what you want to do, or have you realized you’re more aligned to becoming a rockstar at sales?

Maybe ambitions have shifted, just as an Olympic hopeful might switch disciplines if they realize they have the prowess of a judoka rather than a synchronized swimmer.

Here’s an idea. Give yourself permission to adjust your list.

The Olympics are filled with athletes who’ve pivoted careers—some even multiple times—each time chasing goals that align more closely with newfound strengths or changing circumstances.

Maybe it’s time to change your goals as well.

2. What Do You Really Want Out of Life?

Ever had an idea for an achievement that you really wanted to accomplish? Have those written down.

Use the approach a martial artists would use. Keep meticulous records, like successful athletes track their progress, bouts, and training.

Just as a fencer might jot down notes on an opponent’s weak spots, you too should note down experiences you want to have.

Maybe you aren’t sure yet if your goal involves learning ancient languages or becoming a master sushi chef. Just jot down anything that makes your brain go “Yeah!” and sort it out later.

3. Verbalize Changes to Your Goals

It’s one thing to think about a change but saying what you want to change out loud takes it to the next level. Much like an Olympic team discussing strategies before a big tournament, sharing your thoughts with friends or family can help conceptualize your goals.

These discussions offer feedback, which can illuminate what truly resonates with you and what might just be passing whims. If it’s more than a passing whim, maybe it’s time to change your goals.

4. Integrate Elements of Your Goals into Your Daily Routine

Incorporate your goals into your everyday life. Much like an elite athlete who incorporates training into their daily schedule, this keeps your objectives tangible. It also gives you a constant reminder of what you’re working towards.

For example, if your goal is to travel to Europe, start filing away links and information about your dream destinations, just as a judoka might collect insights on competitors.

This keeps the passion alive and makes the goal feel more attainable each day.

5. If It’s Time to Change Goals You Need to Break Them into Bite Sized Pieces.

While you have grand goals, you need to turn them into mini goals. This concept not entirely unlike sparring practice in martial arts. It’s less about complete failure and more about nailing that one new dynamic move.

Mini goals can let you explore a new path without committing completely to it.

This is similar to testing out a new technique during practice. It lets you check out the potential of new direction and gauge if it’s something you want to pursue further.

Think of it as taking on a different level of gymnastic classes before deciding to put in the work needed to become a world-class gymnast.

The Power of Feedback: Learning from the Olympians

Olympic athletes harness feedback like it’s their superpower. They understand that to improve, feedback is essential. Whether it’s a coach’s commentary or a review of their performance metrics, this information is crucial in the quest for gold—or even just personal bests.

In martial arts, actual feedback comes not just from your coach but from sparring partners, competition results, and self-reflection after each tournament.

It’s about recognizing areas of strength and identifying where improvement is needed. It’s about tweaking that kick, refining that punch, and ensuring you don’t look too silly during your triumphant victory pose.

Applying Olympic Feedback Techniques to Everyday Life

Here’s how you can channel that Olympic feedback into your own life’s dojo:

Be Open to Critique: Just as athletes receive input from coaches and judges, be willing to seek and accept feedback from those around you. Remember, even the greats like Bruce Lee cherished feedback. He learned from everyone and from all styles. This was his steppingstone to creating Jeet Kune Do.

Reassess Regularly: Olympians constantly evaluate their progress. Develop a habit of routinely assessing your goals. Are you moving too fast, too slow, or maybe in the wrong direction altogether?

Adjust your course just like a sailor would adjust their sail.

Celebrate Small Wins: Olympic athletes see small victories as steppingstones to larger successes. As they achieve each one, they celebrate them.

Acknowledge your breakthroughs, even the tiniest ones. For every micro-goal hit, give yourself a mental gold medal. 

But there’s no need to make a podium in your living room, although your cats might enjoy it.

Incorporate Visual Feedback: Many athletes use video analysis to observe their form and technique. While you can use this technique as well, you can also visualize your objectives, your trajectory, and use this as a feedback tool to adjust and improve.

Is It Time to Change Your Goals? Bringing It All Together

Don’t think of adjusting your goals as admitting defeat. It’s rather an exercise in strategic realignment. You’re kicking and punching your way through life, Olympian style.

So, is it time to change your goals?

If they’re outdated or no longer represent your ambitions, don’t worry. Shake things up, do a mental kata, and embrace new challenges with the same grace as an Olympic gymnast flipping across the mat.

As Team USA gymnast Simone Biles once noted, sometimes you need to take a step back before you can leap forward. Goals are not written in stone tablets delivered from on high (trust me, they’d break a toe if dropped).

They’re more like that whiteboard you keep erasing and re-scribbling on, over and over again. Each time you get a better reflection of who you are and who you aspire to become.

Remember, in the grand Olympic match of life, it’s about constant evolution, drawing strength and insights from feedback, and crafting a life that feels like an awe-inspiring martial art performance where you’re the champion.

Go on, put on that imaginary gold medal because you’ve just scored a perfect 10 in reevaluating and adjusting your life goals!