Episode 58 - Turn Dreams Into Goals (The 15-Minute Method)
Welcome to Episode 58 of the Time for Living Podcast!
TRANSCRIPT
show notes
You set a goal in January. Three months later, you felt like a failure—even though you showed up and did the work. Sound familiar?
Here's the truth: you're not failing. You're just measuring the wrong thing.
Most goals focus on outcomes you can't control—revenue numbers, follower counts, pounds lost. When those don't happen on your timeline, you feel defeated. But what if there's a different way?
In this episode, you'll discover:
Why outcome-based goals set you up for disappointment (even when you're doing everything right)
The simple shift that puts you back in control of your success—focusing on process instead of results
The 15-Minute Method: two quick sessions that turn your North Star feeling into goals you actually control
How to create a "minimum viable action" that keeps you consistent even during your worst weeks
Why consistency beats intensity every time (and how to build it into your real life)
This is Week 2 of the five-episode goal-setting series for mom entrepreneurs.
FREE RESOURCE
Ready to stop feeling behind? Grab the Dream Big Workbook: timeforliving.co/dreambig2 (includes the complete Dream Big System)
Let’s Connect:
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timeforlivingco/
• Email: hello@timeforliving.co
Final Thought:
You'll walk away with 1-3 process goals that don't depend on perfect circumstances—just your commitment to show up.
TRANSCRIPT - Turn Dreams Into Goals (The 15-Minute Method)
INTRODUCTION
"I want to feel financially secure."
You wrote that down last week. And it's true. It's what you want.
But this morning, sitting at your desk—or maybe in your car after school pickup—you're staring at those words thinking: okay, but what do I actually DO with that?
How do you turn a feeling into a plan? How do you go from "I want to feel secure" to something you can work on tomorrow morning during that 15-minute pocket before the day explodes?
Here's where most of us go wrong. We turn that feeling into a number. "I want to make $50,000 from my business." And then we wait. We wait to hit that number. And when it doesn't happen fast enough, we feel like failures.
But what if the number isn't the point? What if focusing on the outcome is actually what's keeping you stuck?
Today, I'm going to show you something different. How to turn your North Star feeling into goals you actually control. Not outcomes you're hoping for. Actions you can take.
And you're going to do it in two 15-minute sessions. That's it.
By the end of this episode, you'll have 1-3 goals for 2026 that don't depend on other people, market conditions, or perfect circumstances. Goals that are 100% in your control.
SERIES CHECK-IN
Quick reminder of where we are.
Last week, Episode 57, you found your North Star feeling. The thing you want to feel one year from now.
Today? We're turning that feeling into goals. But not the kind of goals you're used to.
This is Week 2 of my five-episode system for ambitious moms who are done waiting for "someday" and ready to build something now.
Next week, we'll break these goals into daily actions. The stuff you do tomorrow.
But today, we're laying the foundation. And it starts with a shift in how you think about goals entirely.
WHY OUTCOME GOALS KEEP YOU STUCK
Let me guess what happened after you set goals last January.
You wrote something like: "Make $5,000 a month from my business." Or "Lose 15 pounds." Or "Grow my email list to 1,000 subscribers."
Specific. Measurable. Sounds good, right?
Here's the problem. Three months later, you weren't hitting those numbers. And you started feeling like a failure. Even though you were showing up. Even though you were doing the work.
Because here's the thing nobody tells you: you don't control whether those things happen.
You can't control whether people buy from you. That depends on the market, the algorithm, whether your ideal client even sees your post that day.
You can't control exactly how your body responds. That depends on your metabolism, your stress levels, how much sleep you got.
You can't control whether people sign up for your email list. That depends on a hundred factors outside your control.
And when you base your success on things you can't control? You set yourself up for constant disappointment.
You could do everything right—reach out to 50 people, post every day, follow the perfect workout plan—and still not hit that exact number on your timeline.
And then what happens? You think you failed. Even though you showed up consistently. Even though you did the work.
So you either give up, or you push harder and burn out, or you decide goal-setting just doesn't work for you.
But the problem isn't you. The problem is you're measuring the wrong thing.
THE SHIFT THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING
I learned this lesson the hard way.
In 2025, I set a goal: grow my podcast to 5,000 downloads a month by the end of the year.
Specific. Measurable. Exciting.
And for six months, I hustled. I posted everywhere. I reached out to people. I did everything "right."
But downloads weren't growing fast enough. And every time I checked my numbers, I felt behind. Stressed. Like I was failing.
Until I asked myself: "But are you showing up consistently?"
Yes. I was creating episodes weekly. I was posting three times a week.
Then I knew “You're not failing. You're just measuring the wrong thing."
That stopped me. Because I WAS showing up. The downloads? Those depended on algorithms, on whether people found me, on timing, on a hundred things outside my control.
But my actions? Those were 100% in my control.
So I changed my goal.
New goal: "I am creating one valuable podcast episode every week and promoting it on three platforms."
Not downloads. Actions.
And you know what happened? The downloads grew. Slowly at first, then faster. Because I was focusing on what I could control—showing up consistently—instead of obsessing over what I couldn't.
Here's the shift: from outcome goals to process goals.
Outcome goal: "I want to make $5,000 a month." Process goal: "I am reaching out to five potential clients every week."
Outcome goal: "I want to lose 15 pounds." Process goal: "I am moving my body for 20 minutes every day and eating protein at every meal."
See the difference?
Process goals are actions you have complete control over.
You control whether you reach out to five people. You control whether you move your body. You control what you eat.
And here's the beautiful part: when you focus on what you can control and stay consistent, the outcomes happen naturally.
You can't force someone to buy from you. But if you consistently show up where your ideal clients are and reach out regularly? Sales will happen.
You can't control your exact body transformation timeline. But if you consistently move and nourish yourself well? Your body will change.
Process over outcome. Actions over results. That's the shift.
THE 15-MINUTE METHOD - SESSION 1
Alright, let's get practical. I talked about 2 15 minute sessions. This is Session 1.
Grab what you wrote last week—your North Star feeling. Something like "I want to feel financially secure" or "I want to feel proud of what I'm building."
In this first 15-minute session, you're turning that feeling into actions you can control.
Set a timer. Fifteen minutes. I'm serious—set it now.
Question 1: What actions would create this feeling?
Not "what outcome do I need?" What would I need to DO?
Let's say your North Star is "I want to feel financially secure."
What actions would create that? Maybe:
Consistently reaching out to potential clients
Showing up regularly on one platform
Working on my business a set number of hours each week
Those are actions. Things you control.
Question 2: Can I actually commit to this consistently?
This is where most people mess up. They choose actions they can't sustain.
"I'll reach out to 20 people every day!" But you're working full-time and have two kids. That's not realistic.
Be honest. What can you commit to during your worst, most chaotic week?
Maybe it's "I'll reach out to five people every week, no matter what."
That's doable.
Question 3: How will I measure my consistency?
Not "when will I hit my outcome?" How will I track whether I DID the action?
Your goal isn't "Make $5K by June." Your goal is "Reach out to five potential clients every week."
You're measuring: did I do it? Not: did I get the result?
Now write your process goal in present tense:
"I am reaching out to five potential clients every week."
"I am moving my body for 20 minutes every day."
"I am posting valuable content three times per week."
That's your goal. The action you'll take consistently.
Pause right here. Don't keep listening. Set that timer. Answer those three questions. I'll wait.
Really. Do it now while it's fresh. Fifteen minutes.
WHY CONSISTENCY BEATS INTENSITY
Okay, you've got your process goal. Before we move to Session 2, I need to tell you something you probably don't want to hear.
Consistency beats intensity. Every single time.
I know. You want to go all in. Work on your business 40 hours this week. Reach out to 50 people. Post twice a day.
That's intensity. And it doesn't last.
Here's what actually works: showing up small, but consistently.
The person who reaches out to five clients every single week for a year will build a more successful business than the person who reaches out to 100 people one month and then disappears for three.
The person who moves their body for 20 minutes every day will be healthier than the person who does two-hour workouts twice a week and then feels guilty the other five days.
Small actions, repeated consistently, compound into massive results.
And here's the other thing: consistency is actually easier than intensity.
When you commit to something small every day, it becomes part of your identity. You don't have to psych yourself up. You just do it.
But when you try to go big, you're constantly fighting resistance. You're constantly looking for huge blocks of time. You're exhausting yourself.
That's why it doesn't stick.
So when you're looking at your process goal, ask yourself: What's the minimum I can do that still counts as progress?
Maybe you want to work on your business 10 hours a week. Great. But what's your minimum? Three hours?
That's your baseline. That's what you commit to, no matter what.
On good weeks, you'll do more. But even on your hardest weeks, you hit that minimum.
And that's what creates momentum. That's what changes your life.
THE 15-MINUTE METHOD - SESSION 2
You've done Session 1. You have your process goal.
Now we're doing Session 2. This is where we make sure your goal is actually worth pursuing.
Set another 15-minute timer.
Pull out your process goal. And ask yourself: Why do I want this?
Don't skip this. This is the part that keeps you going when it gets hard.
Keep asking "why" until you hit bedrock.
Let's use an example. Your process goal: "I'm reaching out to five potential clients every week."
Why?
"So I can build my business."
Why do you want to build your business?
"So I can make more money."
Why does that matter?
"So I have more freedom with my time."
Why does that matter?
"Because I want to be there for my kids. I want to be the kind of mom who's present for the school plays and the bedtime stories, not stuck finishing work."
There it is. That's your real why.
You're not reaching out to clients for the money. You're doing it for your kids. For your freedom. For the life you actually want.
When you know your real "why," everything changes.
On hard days—and there will be hard days—you'll remember. You're not doing this for $5K. You're doing this for your family. For yourself.
That's what keeps you consistent when motivation fades.
Now, create your minimum viable action.
Your process goal is reaching out to five clients a week. But what if you have a terrible week?
What's your floor? Your bare minimum?
Maybe it's "Reach out to two people, no matter what."
That's your safety net. Even on your worst week, you do this.
And here's what's powerful: when you hit your minimum during chaos, you maintain momentum. You don't break the chain. You don't have to start over.
You keep going.
Write both down:
Ideal: "Reach out to five potential clients every week." Minimum: "Reach out to two potential clients, no matter what."
This is what makes process goals sustainable. You're not expecting perfection. You're building consistency.
And consistency is what changes everything.
TRACKING PROCESS, NOT OUTCOME
Let's talk about tracking, because this is where people get confused.
With outcome goals, you're constantly checking: "Did I hit my number? Did I make $5K? Did I lose 15 pounds?"
And when the answer is "not yet," you feel discouraged.
With process goals, you track something different: Did I do what I said I would do?
That's it.
Did you reach out to five people this week? Yes or no.
Did you move your body for 20 minutes today? Yes or no.
You're not tracking revenue. You're not tracking pounds. You're tracking your actions.
And you can feel successful every single day.
Because success isn't "did I hit my outcome?" It's "did I show up?"
Keep it simple. Use a calendar or I have a habit tracker in the Dream Big Workbook that goes with this series. Check off each day you do your action. You could use a habit tracker app or keep a one-line journal. Whatever is the easiest for your life.
The point is to see your consistency. To watch that chain of checkmarks grow.
Because when you see yourself showing up day after day, it motivates you to keep going. You don't want to break the chain.
That's how you build lasting change.
WHEN THE OUTCOMES WILL COME
I know what you're thinking. "Okay Lucy, but when do I actually see RESULTS?"
Here's the truth, and I need you to really hear this: the outcomes will come when you stay consistent with the process.
If you consistently reach out to potential clients, you will make sales.
If you consistently create valuable content, your audience will grow.
If you consistently move your body and nourish it well, your body will change.
It might not happen on your timeline. It might not look exactly like you imagined.
But it will happen.
Because results are the natural byproduct of consistent action.
Think about planting a garden. You can't control when the tomatoes ripen. But if you water, pull weeds, give them sun—you will get tomatoes.
Same thing here. You can't control when sales happen. But if you consistently show up and reach out, sales will come.
And here's the other beautiful part: when you focus on process instead of outcome, you become the kind of person who achieves their goals.
You become someone who follows through. Who shows up. Who keeps commitments to themselves.
And that identity is more valuable than any specific outcome.
Because once you prove to yourself that you're consistent? You can achieve anything.
SUmmary
Let's bring this home.
Here's what we covered:
Outcome goals set you up to feel like a failure because you're measuring things you can't control.
Process goals put you back in the driver's seat. You focus on actions you control. And when you stay consistent, outcomes follow naturally.
The 15-Minute Method has two sessions:
Session 1: Turn your North Star into a process goal. Three questions. Fifteen minutes.
Session 2: Find your "why" and create your minimum viable action. Fifteen minutes.
Consistency beats intensity. Small actions done daily create bigger results than big actions done sporadically.
Track your process, not your outcome. Measure whether you showed up, not whether you hit a number.
Your homework this week:
Session 1 today: Fifteen minutes. Answer the three questions. Write your process goal.
Session 2 tomorrow: Fifteen minutes. Find your why. Define your minimum.
That's it. Thirty minutes total over two days. You can do this while your coffee brews or tea if you’re me. You can do this in your car. You can do this during nap time.
Next week, Episode 59: We're breaking those process goals into quarterly systems and daily actions. What you actually do to start building.
And if you want the guided worksheets that walk you through every step of this? Grab the Dream Big Workbook at timeforliving.co/dreambig2. It's got the questions, the prompts, the tracking sheets—everything you need to turn this into a system that actually works.
One more thing. If you're listening to this while folding laundry or driving or doing literally anything else—I see you. You just invested 20 minutes in yourself. That matters. That's a choice. And that choice is what changes everything.
Until next week, keep making time for living.