I used to have a long list of goals that just collected dust.
They were big beautiful goals. Things like losing weight getting healthy building a business and strengthening my faith. But for years they were just words on a page. I felt stuck. I was trapped in a cycle of bad habits—gaming binge eating and pure laziness. Change felt like a mountain I could never climb.
If you feel that way right now I get it. I’ve been there. The gap between where you are and where you want to be can feel impossible to cross. But I learned something crucial. You don’t cross it in one giant leap. You cross it with small consistent steps. It’s about choosing to prioritize what truly matters one day at a time.
I managed to lose over 110 pounds and build a life I am proud of. It wasn't magic. It was a series of choices. Here are 15 ways I learned to prioritize my personal goals and I hope they can help you too.
Get Clear on Your Direction
Before you can move forward you need to know where you're going. It's easy to get lost in vague wishes. Clarity is your compass.
- Define Your "Why." This is the most important step. Why do you want to achieve this goal? "Losing weight" is a weak motivator. But "Losing weight to have more energy for my kids and to honor the body God gave me" is powerful. My own journey wasn’t just about the scale. It was about escaping the spiritual and physical heaviness that held me down. A strong "why" will pull you through the tough days.
- Pick Just One Big Thing. When you try to change everything at once you usually change nothing. I tried to quit all my bad habits and start a dozen new ones at the same time. I failed every time. Instead pick one major goal to focus on for a season. Your other goals won't disappear. They'll just wait their turn.
- Break It Down into Tiny Steps. A goal like "lose 110 pounds" is terrifying. But a goal like "walk for 15 minutes today" is doable. "Read the Bible every day" can feel like a chore but "Read one chapter of a Gospel" is an invitation. Break your big goal into the smallest possible actions. What can you do in the next hour? Do that.
Build a Supportive Routine
Your goals won't happen by accident. They need a home in your daily life. A simple routine is your greatest ally.
- Schedule Your Goals. If it’s not in your calendar it doesn’t exist. Treat your goals like important appointments. Block out time for your workout your prayer rule your side project or whatever you're working toward. Protect that time fiercely.
- Find Your Deep Work Window. I used to believe productivity meant working 8+ hours a day. That’s a lie. I get more done now in 2-4 hours of focused work than I ever did in a full day of distracted effort. Find your most energetic and focused time of day. For me it's the morning. For you it might be late at night. Use that window for your most important task and ignore everything else.
- Start Your Day with Intention. How you start your morning often determines your day. Instead of grabbing your phone first take a few minutes for quiet prayer and gratitude. I thank God for a new day and ask for strength to do His will. This simple act grounds me and sets a purposeful tone before the world’s chaos rushes in.
- Create a "Not-To-Do" List. Sometimes what you don't do is more important than what you do. My early not-to-do list was simple: no video games before my priorities were done. No junk food in the house. This wasn’t about deprivation. It was about removing obstacles to make the right choice the easy choice.
Master Your Mindset
The biggest battles are often fought in our own heads. Winning there makes winning in life much easier.
- Celebrate Every Small Win. When I was losing weight I didn't wait until I lost all 110 pounds to be happy. I celebrated the first five pounds. I celebrated choosing a healthy meal. I celebrated a week of consistent workouts. These small wins build momentum. They prove to you that you can do it.
- Practice Daily Gratitude. It's hard to feel defeated when you're feeling grateful. Every day I make a point to thank God for simple things. My health my family a roof over my head a warm cup of coffee. Gratitude shifts your focus from what you lack to what you have. It's a powerful antidote to despair.
- Forgive Yourself for Setbacks. You will mess up. You'll skip a workout eat the cake or waste an afternoon. In the past a single mistake would send me spiraling back into old habits. I learned that the most important thing is not avoiding mistakes but how quickly you get back on track. Acknowledge it repent if necessary and get right back to your plan with the next choice you make. Grace is real. Accept it for yourself.
- Find Good Accountability. Share your goal with someone you trust—a spouse a close friend or your priest. Knowing someone will ask you about your progress is a powerful motivator. It also gives you someone to turn to for encouragement when you feel like giving up. We aren't meant to do this life alone.
Stay Grounded in Your Purpose
Ultimately our goals need to be connected to something bigger than ourselves to be truly fulfilling.
- Learn to Say No. Every time you say "yes" to something you are saying "no" to something else. To protect time for your priorities you must get comfortable declining things that don't align with them. It’s not selfish. It’s necessary.
- Remove Temptations. Willpower is finite. Don't waste it. When I decided to quit gaming I uninstalled every game from my computer. When I wanted to stop binge eating I stopped buying junk food. Make your environment support your goals not fight against them.
- Stop Waiting for Motivation. If you wait to feel motivated you will be waiting forever. Motivation doesn't lead to action. Action leads to motivation. Just start. Do the thing even if you don’t feel like it. The feeling will follow the action.
- Align Your Goals with Your Faith. This was the final and most powerful piece for me. My goals transformed when I started seeing them through the lens of my Orthodox Christian faith. My health became about stewarding the temple of the Holy Spirit. My work became an offering to God not just a way to make money. My relationships became an opportunity to show Christ’s love. When your goals are aligned with God's purpose for your life they take on a meaning that earthly ambition can never match.
Prioritizing your goals isn't a one-time decision. It's a daily practice of choosing what matters most. It's messy and it's not always easy but it is worth it. You are capable of so much more than you think.
So let me ask you: what is the one small step you can take today to move toward a goal that truly matters to you?
