We’ve all got goals we want to achieve – but a lot of us really struggle to take consistent action towards them! I definitely used to beat myself up about this, but not anymore.  I am now taking that consistent action, and I feel so proud of myself – and excited for the direction my life is going!

The concept I’ll be sharing – lag and lead goals – is something my business coach has taught me, but I think it applies to anything in life! I definitely use this in all areas of my life, and I’m seeing dramatic results.

In business, you could have a goal of “I want 10 million Instagram followers”. Nice goal, but what are you going to do to get them? We can change this to become more strategic (and attainable!) by creating lag and lead goals. The lag goal is the outcome, but the lead goals are what we need to consistently do to get to the lag goal.

In the case of Instagram followers, your lead goals could be to post relevant content at the same time every day for 30 days, work through a social media marketing course this week, or to get in front of new audiences by collaborating with 5 other big-name brands.

Lead goals are measurable. They’re the action steps required to achieve the lofty lag goals. Without lead goals, lag goals are just a pipedream.

Let’s use a real-life example.  Most of my own inner transformation is understanding and embracing my inner power and potential; seeing myself as strong inside and out. For me, handstands are a huge representation of these qualities.

So, I’m currently working on handstands. Full disclosure: I’ve actually been working on handstands for years, but in a very half-hearted and stop-start way. Up until a few months ago, my sole goal was to do handstands. So I’d kick up, celebrate my few moments of hangtime away from the wall and then come down. Tick. Handstand of the day done.

Until later – when I would get really frustrated about my lack of progression! Why weren’t my handstands advancing? Why couldn’t I hold a handstand away from the wall (despite the fact I was never even trying to balance away from the wall…)? Why couldn’t I achieve goals in the way that I wanted?

So, I changed things up.

I created a strategy that meant I was spending tons of time doing all the prep work. I shifted my attention away from the outcome – doing a handstand – and focused instead on what I would to do get there. My lead goals – my actions – are things like this:

• Spend 30 mins practicing press walks, 3 days a week.
• Practice mini kick-ups every day while keeping a hollowbody, ie keeping my core engaged and not letting my pelvis move into an anterior tilt
• Holding elevated pikes and L-shaped handstands for 2 mins each, 3 days a week to build up that strength through my upper body
• Doing my daily <wrist mobilisation exercises> to keep my hands, wrists and forearms healthy

I couldn’t do handstands before because doing a handstand was my only goal. Now I see them as the eventual outcome – the lag goal. I focus solidly on my lead goals. And the lag goal is the result of the lead goals I am nailing every single week.

The best part is that I love seeing my progression! Rather than getting frustrated about how I still can’t do a handstand, I love ticking off these weekly lead goals. I see how much stronger I am becoming, and how natural these drills are getting.

If I could summarise all of this into one sentence it would be this.  Transformation is the result of what we do. Focusing on the actual process, or practice, can get us to where we want to be – or become the person we want to become.