Goal Setting

How some goals move you forward — and others hold you back

Setting goals sounds simple enough.

So why do some goals create energy, momentum and meaningful change — while others leave us feeling overwhelmed, frustrated or quietly losing confidence?

When we keep setting goals we never quite achieve, it’s easy to assume we lack discipline, motivation or willpower. But sometimes the issue isn’t laziness or lack of effort at all.

Sometimes the goal itself is the problem.

Over the years, I noticed many people had never really been taught how to set goals in a way their brain could genuinely engage with.

Goals such as:

• “Exercise more”
• “Get organised”
• “Spend more time with family”
• “Start my business”

sound reasonable on the surface, but they’re often too vague, emotionally disconnected or open-ended to create clear direction or momentum.

And when a goal feels fuzzy, conflicting or overwhelming, it becomes very hard to stay focused, motivated and consistent.

That’s where this book is different.

In Goal Setting, I explore what really helps people stay engaged with the goals that matter most. Through practical insights, humour, relatable examples and a refreshingly down-to-earth approach, it helps you understand not only *how* to set goals, but why humans so often struggle to follow through with them.

Inside, you’ll discover:

• how beliefs and self-image influence success
• practical ways to stay focused and adaptable
• why some goals quietly clash with your values or lifestyle
• how overwhelm shuts down momentum
• why the first few steps matter more than most people realise
• and how to create goals that support the person you’re becoming

Along the way, I introduce my P.E.R.F.E.C.T. Goal Setting framework — a practical model designed to help you create goals that are meaningful, achievable and genuinely aligned with your life.

There are also quirky cartoons, practical exercises, real-life examples and enough common sense to stop the whole thing disappearing into motivational fluff.

Free Goal Setting Workbook

You can also download the full Goal Setting Workbook from the back of the book — free.

A lot of people prefer not to write directly in books, so I turned the workbook into a downloadable PDF you can print and reuse whenever you want.

Use it to:

• clarify your goals
• work through the P.E.R.F.E.C.T. framework
• track progress
• revisit goals over time
• and stop losing your place by constantly flipping to the back pages

Even if you haven’t bought the book yet, you’re welcome to download the workbook with my compliments.

What readers Have Said

“It provides the tools and techniques not only to set goals but to actually achieve them. I found myself immediately reaching for a pen and some paper, wanting to put what I’d learnt into immediate action. Highly recommended."
— Tony Yuile

“This book not only explains why we do or do not achieve our goals but gives us a new way of thinking, which is at the core of setting and achieving goals. If you decide to read just one book on goal setting, this book must be the one.”

 — Pisey Leng, International Best Selling Author of *The Wisdom Seeker*

“Easy to understand and easy to do. A wonderfully practical and funny guide to achieve your dreams.”

— Tracey Brake, Facilitator, Trainer and Coach

“It peels back the layers of goal achieving. The setting part is easy.”

— Virginia Archer

“Brilliant, clever, smart, thoughtful, concise — and obvious once you read it!”

— Deb King, Company Director – Quikes

Buy Goal Setting

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If you’re in New Zealand, it’s often cheaper to buy directly from me than order a single copy from overseas.

Email me your address details and I’ll sort out postage and send you the total.

About Stephanie Philp

Stephanie Philp is a New Zealand author, coach and Human Change Specialist who helps people untangle their thinking so they can change their minds — and keep the change.

Known for her warm, quirky and down-to-earth style, Stephanie combines insight, storytelling and humour to tackle everything from procrastination and overwhelm to authenticity, communication and personal change.

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