Cowboy Boots & Crazy Goals: How to Actually Get What You Want

On November 30th, 2022, I was working late in the evening but knew that I needed to call it a night and get some rest. Tomorrow would be a big day. My husband and I were selling our business that we had spent the past six years building. It was bittersweet, for sure.

As I was about to wrap up, I remembered one last thing I needed to check. I logged into QuickBooks to review the profit and loss for the year to date. And there it was, our gross revenue was at a record high. I couldn’t believe it. It was like a dream come true.

Why was this number significant? Earlier in the year, I set the ambitious goal of hitting 5 million in revenue. In fact, I’d even promised myself a new pair of cowboy boots when we did.

So, how did we hit that ambitious $5 million mark? It wasn’t magic, it was meticulous planning. We dissected that nearly $500,000 revenue increase into tangible monthly and then weekly targets. From there, we drilled down to the daily estimate output required. We supercharged our marketing to fuel that demand, kept everyone on the same page with regular team goal discussions, and I tracked every single metric like a hawk.

The truth is, whether you’re chasing personal bests or business breakthroughs, the core strategy remains the same.

So, let me ask you a question—as we near the end of the first quarter of 2025, are you where you want to be?

If so, congratulations! Your hard work and dedication have paid off. Keep up the good work and continue to strive for even greater heights!

If not, don’t be discouraged. It’s never too late to set new goals and make significant progress. Take some time to reflect on what you want to achieve this year and then set some serious, inspiring goals.

Remember, success doesn’t just happen by chance. It’s the result of careful planning and relentless effort. So, set your goals, make a plan, and then work tirelessly to make them a reality.

Even though most people know that setting a goal is essential, here are some surprising stats:

Goal Setting Prevalence: Approximately 80% of people do not set goals for themselves. Of the 20% who set goals, only about 30% achieved them. This means just 6% of the total population both sets and accomplishes their goals, while 94% either don’t set goals or fail to achieve them. (Source: Reliable Plant)
Success Rate: Research from the University of Scranton suggests that 92% of people who set New Year’s resolutions fail to achieve them, leaving only 8% who succeed. This highlights a significant gap between intention and execution.
Writing Goals Down: A study by Dr. Gail Matthews at Dominican University found that individuals who write down their goals are 42% more likely to achieve them compared to those who don’t. In her study, 61% of participants who wrote down their goals succeeded, versus 43% of those who only thought about them.
Specificity and Challenge: Edwin Locke and Gary Latham’s research on goal-setting theory shows that setting specific and challenging goals leads to higher performance 90% of the time. Vague or easy goals, however, are far less likely to be achieved, with success rates dropping significantly.
Accountability Impact: Matthews’ study also revealed that people who wrote down their goals, created action plans, and shared weekly progress with a friend had a 76% success rate—33% higher than those with unwritten goals (43%). This suggests that accountability boosts achievement.
General Failure Rate: Among those who set goals (20%), roughly 70% fail to achieve them, often due to lack of clarity, unrealistic expectations, procrastination, or insufficient commitment. (Source: Reliable Plant)

In summary, people who achieve their goals (a small minority, often around 6-8%) tend to set specific, challenging targets, write them down, and incorporate accountability, while the vast majority either don’t set goals or struggle to follow through, resulting in a 70-92% failure rate depending on the context.

Okay, that’s not great….so what’s a guy or gal to do?

So, here’s the deal. Stop setting goals you’re destined to abandon. The brutal truth is that most goals fail because they’re boring. They lack the spark to truly motivate change. My advice? Set a goal that genuinely excites you and makes you want to leap out of bed and work towards it. When your goal resonates with your deepest desires, behavioral shifts will naturally follow.

In the book 10X is Easier Than 2x, author Dan Sullivan states, “Almost nothing works for 10x growth, which means if you take it seriously, you’ll have to be much more honest about everything you’re doing. You’ll also have to be far more choosey about the paths you take because only an extremely limited set of approaches or conditions have any connection or efficacy for such a transformation.”

Once you have your goal in mind, here are my eight tips for achieving it:

Go Big, Not Broad: Want to achieve something significant? Then, laser-focus on one big goal. Spreading yourself thin across too many aspirations is a recipe for achieving none. Prioritize that one thing that truly matters.
Unearth Your “Why”: Your Fuel for Success: Don’t just set a goal; connect with why it’s essential to you. Your “why” provides unwavering clarity and direction, making those SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) practically write themselves. It keeps you anchored to the big picture and ruthless about cutting out distractions.
Ink It, See It, Live It: Write your goal down. Then write it down again. Make it visible. Create a vision board that screams your ambition. Immerse yourself in it. Having your goals physically present is a relentless reminder, keeping them top of mind and fueling your commitment, especially when the going gets tough.
Get Granular: Specificity Wins: Vague aspirations vanish. Get laser-specific about your goal. This clarity transforms a wish into a series of actionable steps and a concrete, achievable plan.
Conquer in Chunks: Break It Down: That big goal can feel overwhelming. Break it down into smaller, achievable milestones. This makes the journey less daunting, allows you to celebrate frequent wins (fueling momentum!), and provides a clear roadmap to your ultimate success.
Numbers Don’t Lie: Track Your Progress: Ditch the guesswork. Metrics provide cold, hard data on how close you are to victory. This feedback tells you precisely what’s working and, even more crucially, what needs to change.
Your Secret Weapon: An Accountability Partner: Want to increase your success odds dramatically? Get an accountability partner. Studies show you’re 65% more likely to hit your goal with one. And if you schedule regular check-ins? That number skyrockets to 95%. Don’t go it alone.
Celebrate the Climb: Fuel Your Journey: Achieving any significant goal is a marathon, demanding serious grit and determination. That’s why celebrating your wins, no matter how small, is non-negotiable. It’s the fuel that keeps you going, boosting your confidence and fostering a positive mindset that propels you towards tremendous success and personal growth. Celebrate those victories – you earned them!