Are you choosing to live a happy, fulfilled life?
That’s right, studies have proven that ninety percent of the factors that make the difference between a happy life and an unhappy life are factors within your control. One life hack proven to help unlock your best life is setting, pursuing, and achieving goals.
Yes, you can choose a happy life, but don’t take my word for it! Here’s an example of how other people – people just like you – are choosing to achieve happiness through their goals.
Amuse-Bouche Before we jump into today's post, I offer you this "dad joke" as a light "amuse-bouche" to entertain your mind before we get serious. Like any other amuse-bouche, you may hate it, but it is worth every penny you paid for it, right? I am writing a book about tornados and hurricanes... right now, it's just a draft.
How Did Lindsay Unlock 3 Years Of Beyonce-level Goal Crushing? (Interview)
Welcome to this week’s Interview with a Goal-Crusher. In these interviews, I sit down with someone accomplishing big things by setting and achieving their goals to learn their secrets. Then I share those secrets with you. It’s like free mentoring from someone already on the road to success. Who doesn’t want that?!
In 2021, I wrote a blog called What Would Beyonce Do? where I explained that we each have the same hours in a day as Beyonce (or Einstein, Michelangelo, etc.). My hope with that blog was to remind you not to underestimate what you can accomplish because, as Henry Ford said, “whether you think you can, or you think you can’t–you’re right.”
But this is a Don’t Take My Word For It post, so I want to share Lindsay’s story of living her own Beyonce life of crushing her goals. In a very short three years, Lindsay, a mom of two young boys, achieved more personal goals than most people dare attempt in a decade. And she did it during the heart of the COVID pandemic, a formidable headwind.
Here is a sampling of the many things that Lindsay accomplished in just three years without jeopardizing her status as a super mom and wife:
- She was furloughed, recalled, pursued a role at a different company, returned to a management role at her previous company and was then promoted to her first official project management job, a multi-year goal.
- She and her husband sold their home, moved their family into temporary housing and then into a new home – that’s two home moves in just five months!
- She remained active in a nonprofit young professionals board before expanding into a role on their board of directors.
- Oh yeah, she also started and completed her MBA as one of many investments into personal growth.
Accomplishing all that in just three years is impressive enough that even Beyonce would be proud of Lindsay’s dedication. Read the rest of her Interview with a Goal-Crusher to learn more about how she did it.
Please introduce yourself and tell Operation Melt readers what you do.
My name is Lindsay Lee. I am a wife and a mom to two lovely boys.
By profession, I am a Transformation Project Manager at a corporate retailer and have operated in a variety of other functions (procurement, buying, allocation). I also serve on the Board of Directors at St. Stephen’s Community House.
I have lived in the greater Columbus area for seven years, preceded by Austin, Brooklyn, and Indianapolis.
What motivated you to pursue your MBA on top of everything else in your life? What was your vision? Can you share some/all of your story?
The pandemic was the catalyst to make a change. In 2020, I was furloughed from my job, along with many others. Despite understanding the macro environment, it was a personal blow.
While I can’t control external factors, I can control how I show up and what I offer. I wanted to pursue an MBA to establish a stronger business acumen and be more marketable in a challenging job market. I was also in the midst of pursuing a career shift to project management.
I wanted credibility and knowledge to support my path.
What were your biggest challenges in achieving your goal? How did you overcome them?
First and foremost, I was constrained by money. I have existing student loans (almost paid off!) and refused to shoulder any more debt. I researched vigorously to find schools that were within my budget and standards. Upon returning to work, I also realized that my employer had a tuition reimbursement program covering some of the expenses.
Secondly, I knew that time was going to be a challenge. At that point, my sons were just beginning school. My role as a mom is a top priority, and I did not want to miss major moments in their lives. I interviewed alums at my school to ask for guidance on time management. I received a general idea of their experience and process. I found that waking up an hour or so early each day to read the weekly assignments and carving out 3-4 hours on Saturday and Sunday was the key to finishing my schoolwork while still being present at home. I would adjust my schedule as needed to accommodate priorities but generally found that my early bird tendencies were conducive to productivity.
Lastly, the rigor of the program was an anticipated challenge. While it was easy to carve out the time, there was a real mental drain. I was thankful to have Coach Tony and other mentors who provided support and motivation to keep me going. I also joined working study groups to further my knowledge and expand my network globally. Additionally, I can’t leave out my husband. From the time I conceived the idea to the point of graduation, he has provided encouragement and pitched in when I needed a break. He has been an active contributor in my achievements.
What goal success tips and techniques have worked well for you that you would like to share with my readers?
- Keep your goal visible! I had a vision board on my vanity, so I was reminded of my goals daily.
- Maintain a committed support group. I did not share my school news with everyone, only those who had shown dedication to my personal and professional growth. I knew I could count on this group of mentors, friends, and family to keep me focused and accountable until I got to the finish line.
- Do your research. There is a heavy resource pull to pursue an MBA, but that can also be true of other goals. I was grateful that I took the time to research schools, interview alums, and understand expectations before jumping in. I am easily excitable and love to keep my life full of new experiences. However, I often remind myself, “You can do anything, but not everything.”
- Celebrate the wins! It can become easy to get deterred or overwhelmed. Remind yourself of your progress. For me, that meant doing something I enjoyed after I finished each 8-week term. I also kept PostITs of compliments or nice messages from friends on my work monitor as a reminder to keep pushing.
What else would you like my Operation Melt readers to know about you or goal success in general?
While I have mentioned my role as a mom, it has mainly been focused on being present. However, part of my role as a mom is to be seen doing hard things. The amount of change I have experienced in the past three years cannot be overstated. Being an example of hard work, determination and resilience keeps me motivated. I want my boys to recognize the value of pursuing their goals. I want them to recognize that there will be human moments along the way.
While it is possible to craft the life you want, it’s up to you to make the choices that will support your vision.
How can people learn more about you?
Feel free to connect on LinkedIn. I love making new connections and sharing stories. I am a natural cheerleader for others, so send me a note if you need a pep talk!
Lindsay clearly accomplished a significant number of life events, milestones and achievements in a very compressed time. In just three years, she moved into two new homes, switched jobs and roles multiple times, got an MBA, was active in community service and was still a super mom and wife.
She didn’t magically add more than twenty-four hours to her days; instead, she worked hard and employed several key goal success strategies.
- Have a goal: Lindsay set multiple goals with strong whys that helped carry her through.
- Reinforcement: she embraced an effective life hack to reinforce her commitment by keeping her goals in a visible location.
- Build a plan that works for you: after lots of homework, Lindsay built a plan for each of the goals that worked for her. This included choosing a school that met her financial requirements, adjusting her sleep schedule and taking advantage of the resources available to her. Her story is an excellent reminder that no two people need to approach the same goal in the same way.
- Don’t go it alone: Lindsay relied on a team of experts (e.g., talking to others who went to the same school), accountability partners and supporters to help her reach her finish lines. I was honored that she also worked with me as a coach along the way!
- Enjoy the journey: by celebrating her wins along the way, Lindsay was able to enjoy her journey, which, in turn, kept her motivated.
- Courage to try: above all else, Lindsay dared to try. She let her personal goals have a fighting shot at life instead of allowing them to die a slow death of loneliness inside her… and she’s not done yet!
Given Lindsay’s achievements, I may need to rename the blog post I referenced above. I think I need to ask, “What would Beyonce and Lindsay do?”
Need a little help finding the best strategy to turn your dream into a reality? As a certified Master Life Coach, I would be honored to work with you to help you create attainable goals, build plans to accomplish them and gain the momentum to carry you to the finish line. Please consider checking out my Operation Melt coaching services.
I believe in you; let me help YOU believe in you! Let’s work together.
Meet Coach Tony
My name is Coach Tony, and I am a coach, author and project manager on a mission. I am working to build a world where no goal ever dies of loneliness.
I almost allowed one of my biggest life goals to die without ever being attempted for forty years. My goal almost died, not of failure but of loneliness. But, I took a risk and leveraged a simple, logical process that helped me wildly exceed my goal.
I transformed my life, and you can do the same with the help of Operation Melt.
Operation Melt provides engaging, practical content and hands-on coaching to inspire, motivate and equip project managers and other left-brained high-achievers to pursue and accomplish their biggest goals.
Breathe new life into your goals
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