Dont Ditch Your Goals, Switch to FLOW

Goal-setting is crucial for driving progress, particularly when balancing personal growth, career changes, and life transitions. Many of us rely on the SMART goals formula— Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. These goals are clear, focused, and actionable.

I’ve learned that SMART goals only work when life is going according to plan. And as we’ve all learned in recent years, life doesn’t care about your carefully crafted goals. For example, my 2024. I started the year with solid goals :

• Grad school

• Career advancement

• Travel

• Hit my fitness milestones

• Do “the work” to enable personal growth

I had a plan, resources (the how), and a clear timeline. But early in the year, life threw curveballs I couldn’t predict — personal loss, emotional exhaustion, and things I still don’t have the words to process. When people ask specific questions regarding what I did in 2024, I immediately draw a blank. I’ve come to call it “The Gap of 2024” It wasn’t that I stopped caring about my goals — I just didn’t have the power to keep most of them going.

SMART Goals Aren’t Designed for Life Changes

While SMART goals provide structure, that structure alone can’t support you during seasons of grief, unexpected career shifts, or the complex reality of being human. I believe this is where many goal-setting systems begin to fall short.

So, what should you do when real-life challenges take over and your SMART goals no longer align with your current capacity? You need a backup system—a strategy that activates when your main plan goes offline.

Meet FLOW: The Backup Generator for Your Goals

FLOW is a goal-setting method that activates when your “SMART” goals fail. It’s a flexible framework that allows you to adapt when your motivation dips or circumstances change. Think of it as the support system that keeps your goals alive, especially during challenging moments in life.

FLOW stands for:

- Flexible: Adjust the "how can I do this?" without abandoning the reason you set the goal in the first place.

- Layered: Break goals into smaller, more manageable phases, creating simpler and clearer options when the big picture feels overwhelming.

- Open: Stay open to different outcomes and new opportunities.

- Withstand: Design your backup plan to withstand setbacks and absorb “life shocks.”

For example, if you had a goal to lose 15 pounds by June 15 with a strict workout regimen and improved eating habits, but then a stressful life event occurs, you may find it hard to focus on this goal according to your original timeline. If you realize you are about to miss your deadline, traditional SMART goals would say, “You failed,” but FLOW says, “Alert, adjustment needed” —we’re remaining on the path, just not in the way we expected.”

You could extend your timeline and concentrate more on nutrition while momentarily easing up on your workout routine, with plans of returning to your original plan after a month or two.

Why Does FLOW Matter?

Setting goals is easy when you're motivated and everything is going smoothly. The challenge lies in staying committed when things go awry. That’s what makes FLOW powerful—it provides a path forward, even when you need to reroute. If SMART goals are your primary power source, FLOW serves as your emergency backup plan.

So, as you plan your year, don’t just create a rigid roadmap. Build in flexibility, plan for change, and understand that goals can and may pivot. Real success doesn’t come from doing everything perfectly; it comes from maintaining some momentum, even when the path changes.

This year, elevate your goal-setting! Go beyond the usual SMART planning and embrace the magic of FLOW.