Are you choosing to live a happy, fulfilling life?
Studies show that 90% of what separates a happy life from an unhappy one is within your control. One of the most powerful ways to unlock your best life is by setting, pursuing, and achieving meaningful goals.
You have the power to choose happiness—but don’t just take my word for it! Here’s how real people, just like you, are creating happiness by chasing their biggest goals.
Ready for a dad joke?
Consider this a lighthearted amuse-bouche for your brain before we get serious. Sure, it might be groan-worthy—but hey, at least you’re getting your money’s worth, right? ????
I got hurt in a pillow fight and went to the hospital… turns out I have a concushion.
Call Of The WHYld: Mallory’s Expert Level Goal-Crushing Secret
This week is the final installment of my 2025 Operation Melt goal-crusher takeover. I sincerely hope these goal-crusher’s stories have inspired you in your 2025 goal-setting. As a reminder, here are the key lessons from the interviews I have shared so far:
- Hannah reiterated the importance of thinking big with our goals.
- Lindsay showed us that we aren’t too busy to chase our dreams.
- Katie reminded us to shake off the shoulds… our goals (and lives) don’t have to look like anybody else’s.
- Sarah demonstrated the power of investing in our personal growth, especially during times of uncertainty.
Today’s Interview with a Goal-Crusher will highlight an essential tool to help you reach the finish line of your goal.
I met today’s goal-crusher, Mallory, at The Fitness Loft, where I have been a member since early in my weight loss journey. Over the years, I have watched her pursue her fitness goals and help others do the same as a personal trainer. She was clearly impressive, and her no-BS personality was a breath of fresh air.
My perception that Mallory was an impressive goal-crusher was confirmed as I learned more about her journey to complete her master’s degree. In this interview, I am sharing Mallory’s story of selecting and completing her degree and the one-word secret that helped her reach the finish line.
Please introduce yourself and tell my readers about you and what you do.
Hello! My name is Mallory. I am currently the Wellness Director at The Fitness Loft, where I manage the training team and oversee in-house events.
In December, I completed my MS in Environmental Science and Policy at Johns Hopkins University.
What motivated you to get a master’s degree in environmental science and policy? What was your vision? Can you share some/all of your story?
I always knew I wanted a master’s degree. As a first-generation college student, it was important to me to take the opportunity many do not get and pursue higher education.
During undergrad I studied exercise science but changed my major a few times before landing there. I always had an interest in sustainability and environmental science, but at the time, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do for a career or really even what my options were. I think that was a bit scary for me at 19, and exercise science had a clearer path. So, I graduated with a BS in exercise science with coursework kind of all over the place.
Still, I always had this feeling that I wanted to do something bigger and fight for something I believed in.
Since I was a child, I’ve had a passion (and probably too much concern as a 7-year-old) about conservation and protecting the environment. In 2021, I took a trip to Big Sur and spent a week driving along Highway 1. While there, I read about the California Condors and their remarkable comeback story from having only around 30 in the wild. It’s really an inspiring story and shows what we can do when we come together for a common goal. It also speaks to the resilience of nature. That, combined with the stunning beauty of Big Sur, was the push I needed to get back into the environmental science field.
It took some time for me to decide what program I wanted to pursue – wildlife biology vs environmental science, etc. I found an amazing program at Johns Hopkins that allowed me to complete most of the coursework online with incredible instructors. I applied and, thankfully, was accepted into the program.
I will say what took me by surprise was how much I liked the policy portion of the major. I expected to be more interested in the biological sciences and earth sciences concentration because that is what I have always been drawn to, but I ended up loving learning about environmental policy and its applications.
What was the first step you took to get started with your goal?
The first and most important step was allowing myself time to figure out the exact program I wanted. I didn’t want to pick a major just because it was related to my undergrad degree or because I was eager to make a change. I also considered going to vet school, so I took a few courses at OSU to see if it was really what I wanted – turns out it wasn’t!
I’m fortunate that this time around, I could take my time deciding what I wanted.
What were your biggest challenges in achieving your goals? How did you overcome them?
Going back to school while working full-time required a lot of sacrifices.
It felt like I never had time for anything other than work and school. I still had some time for fun, but I had to decline a lot of social events. Thankfully, the people in my life understood, and I had a great support system, including my friends and family.
I think what helped me mentally was reminding myself that my crazy schedule wouldn’t be forever and remembering why I was doing what I was doing.
Taking breaks was essential, too. Sometimes, I had to actually schedule them, but it was necessary to prevent burnout. Finding a hobby I enjoyed helped prevent burnout as well. For me, I started birding. I needed a relaxing hobby that I could do almost anywhere. As a bonus, it is related to my degree and long-term career goals.
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Now… back to this post…
What goal success tips and techniques have worked well for you that you would like to share with my readers?
Keep reminding yourself why you chose to pursue your goal in the first place. I think it’s easy to forget along the way, especially as challenges arise.
Also, I think it’s ok to take a break from working on your goal. Whether it be a day or an entire semester, sometimes pausing will allow you to keep going in the long run.
What is one big goal you are pursuing now?
Since I graduated only about a month ago, my biggest and most exciting goal is to land a job in my new field. Job hunting is both exciting and scary, but I’m really looking forward to finding a company that aligns with my goals and interests.
How can people learn more about you?
You can find me on LinkedIn to keep up with me professionally! I am also on Instagram.
I find it very inspiring that Mallory followed a long-held passion, listened to her calling and is working to make the planet a better place. It’s exceedingly rare when someone follows their passion.
Most importantly, Mallory knew the why behind her goal and stayed focused on it throughout her journey. She used her why to stay focused and motivated, especially when making sacrifices to achieve success.
Beyond an unrelenting focus on her why, let’s review some other examples of how Mallory’s journey demonstrated the Project Manage Your Life principles.
- Set SMART Goals: Mallory knew what she wanted and why she wanted it. She committed and went for it. It would have been easy NOT to invest the time and energy required to complete a master’s degree, but that’s not how Mallory rolls.
- Build a plan that works for you: Mallory took her time, did the research and chose the best path for her. She balanced her commitments and sacrificed when needed to make her plan work.
- Expect and plan ahead for problems: Throughout Mallory’s journey, she proactively embraced several techniques to prevent problems from sidetracking her. She mentioned focusing on her why, taking breaks when needed and balancing working on her goal with other hobbies and interests. She knew herself and how to avoid the obstacles that stop so many people cold in their tracks.
- Don’t go it alone: Mallory had a strong support system of friends and family to help keep her motivated and to be there when times were tough.
- Enjoy the journey: Mallory achieved a goal that meant a great deal to her and followed her passion. During her journey, she took breaks, traveled and spent time with friends and family until she achieved her goal… and she saw Taylor Swift! It sounds a lot like she enjoyed her journey.
As someone who loves the planet, I am excited to have an expert-level goal-crusher like Mallory helping take good care of it.
Do you have a passion or goal inside you like Mallory did?
Do you need some help bringing your goal to life?
I am a certified master life coach with a proven project management-based process. I can help you achieve your goals and build the life of your dreams. As your partner, I will help you figure out what’s important to you, commit to an attainable goal, create the right plan for you, and stay the course until you reach the finish line.
I would be honored to help you take that first step…. Let’s chat!
I believe in you; let me help YOU believe in you!
Calling All Goal-Crushers…
Know a goal-crusher with a story worth sharing? Or maybe it’s you? Let’s connect … I’m always looking for inspiring new interviews! I am always looking for new Interview with a Goal-Crusher candidates. Hit me up and let me know who I should be talking to.
Meet Coach Tony
Tony Weaver is a master life coach, technologist, consultant, writer, and founder of Operation Melt.
He helps project managers and other left-brained high-achievers pursue their biggest goals.
Through free resources, personalized coaching, and his proven Project Manage Your Life system, Tony empowers clients to move their dreams from “someday” to success — one step at a time.
Learn more about Project Manage Your Life, the system my clients and I use to crush our goals, at OperationMelt.com/PMYL/
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Meet Coach Tony