Turning Vision Into Direction
Navigate Your Life With Intention: Part 2 of 4
Ten minute read. There is a step-by-step process on turning your vision into goals at the end of this blog. Our discussion supports the process by providing you with key concepts and methods we use when coaching.
—by Ralph Haffenden, President and Samantha Haffenden, Leadership Development Associate
In this four-part blog series, we walk through a simple, but powerful framework for living intentionally - using goals to help you make clearer decisions and follow through on what matters most.
This series is grounded in what we’ve seen work (and not work). We’re sharing the high-level framework we use in our coaching program, Clear Outcomes, Lasting Commitments, which includes five hours of interactive classes, guided worksheets, and individual feedback. That said, these blogs stand on their own and are designed to be applied independently.
At the end of each blog, we cite representative psychology research that supports our methodology. If you’re interested in exploring the science behind these ideas, you can review those sources.
The second step in our approach is using GOALS to turn vision into direction. When used well, goals help translate intention into commitment by clarifying what you will focus on - and what you will choose to set aside. If narrowing your focus feels uncomfortable, you’re not alone.
— Ralph and Sam
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
Ralph:
In the first post in the series, we spent time on setting personal vision. Not a polished statement or a five-year plan - just getting honest about what actually matters to you right now. If someone did that work, even imperfectly, they’ve already done something most people never slow down enough to do. What vision doesn’t do by itself is change behavior.
Sam:
That’s usually where people get frustrated. They’ll say, “I know what I want,” but nothing shifts. It’s not because the vision is wrong. It’s because there’s no bridge between vision and the way they’re actually living.
Ralph:
Vision is directional, but it’s not operational. You can agree with it, feel inspired by it, and still wake up tomorrow and make the same choices you always have. At some point, vision has to turn into commitment.
This blog is actionable. Near the end, we share a five-step process to help you draft your goals. The sections before that offer coaching insight to help you decide what actually belongs in your draft. That focus on “why” before jumping into “how” is purposeful.
From Vision to Commitment
Sam:
This is the point where things get uncomfortable, because commitment requires narrowing. Vision can be expansive. Goals can’t be. Once you start translating vision into goals, you’re implicitly saying, “These things matter more than others right now.” And that can feel like loss.
Ralph:
Especially for people who are capable and curious and used to saying yes. I see this constantly. People aren’t confused about what they care about - they’re conflicted about what they’re willing to prioritize. Vision answers why. Goals answer what you’re actually willing to organize your life around. That’s a different question.
Sam:
And a lot of people stall here by telling themselves they just need more clarity, when really they’re trying to avoid making a decision that feels irreversible.
Ralph:
Here’s the hard truth: you don’t think your way into certainty. You decide, you move, you learn, and then you refine. Direction doesn’t come before commitment. It shows up because of it.
If you’re waiting to feel completely certain before choosing what areas of your life to work on, you’re at risk of getting stuck before you even get moving.
What We Mean by Superordinate Goals
Ralph:
Before we go further, we need to be clear about the level of goals we’re talking about here. This is where people often default to tasks, habits, or to-do lists - and that’s not what this step is.
Sam:
Superordinate goals sit between vision and day-to-day action. They’re not tactical, and they’re not vague aspirations either. They describe the areas of your life where meaningful progress would actually matter.
Ralph:
They’re the way your vision becomes legible. If someone looked at how you spend your time and energy, these goals should explain why those choices make sense.
Sam:
And they’re not permanent. They reflect who you’re becoming, not who you’re locking yourself into being.
Decision Comes Before Precision
Sam:
One of the biggest traps here is thinking you need perfect language before you can move forward. Or that you need to know exactly how something will work before you commit to it.
Ralph:
What I see instead is decision avoidance dressed up as “needing more clarity.” That’s not a character flaw - it’s human. But it does stall progress. At some point, you have to choose direction knowing it won’t be perfect.
Sam:
Early versions of goals aren’t verdicts on your discipline or intelligence. They’re drafts. They’re hypotheses about what might work given what you know right now.
Ralph:
I can usually tell within a few minutes of coaching whether someone’s well-intended path is going to collapse—because there are common causes and patterns. We go into great detail on how to create a successful goal plan in Clear Outcomes, Lasting Commitments. Those detailed processes and mindsets could take up four blogs by themselves. Even with a list of reasons, every person’s needs
Common Reasons Goals Go Off Track
Inauthentic: goals shaped more by external expectations than by alignment with a well-thought-out vision
Overreaching: too many goals competing for the same mental energy; trying to do too much too quickly
Overcapacity: ignoring conflicts between work, family, wellness, relationships, and available capacity
Inflexibility: treating goals as fixed contracts rather than flexible working drafts
Hypercritical: framing goals with a mindset that undermines progress instead of supporting succes
Creating Your Initial List
Ralph:
A practical place to start is simple, and people often overcomplicate it. Write down what you want. Not what you should want. Not what sounds impressive. Just what actually matters enough to name.
Sam:
That list isn’t the answer. It’s raw input. And it can surface things people haven’t wanted to look at. It’s like realizing they’ve been investing heavily in areas that don’t align anymore, or that something they’ve been postponing still matters more than they’ve admitted.
Ralph:
Once the list exists, the next move is narrowing. Not by asking what’s practical yet—but by asking what’s important. If you could only make meaningful progress in one or two areas for a period of time, which ones would genuinely change your life?
Sam:
Everything else doesn’t disappear. It gets deferred. That distinction matters.
Superordinate Goals as Working Commitments
Sam:
From there, you can draft your superordinate goals. They should feel personal, but not fragile. You should be able to explain them to someone you trust without them sounding like a slogan.
Ralph:
And they should resonate. If the goal doesn’t feel like yours, it won’t hold when things get hard. What you’re creating here isn’t a promise carved in stone. It’s a working commitment, kind of like a direction you’re willing to organize effort around and learn from.
A goal that isn’t authentically yours won’t survive pressure. Because it isn’t truly meaningful, it’s easy to de-prioritize.
Getting Beneath the Surface: The “Why” Behind the Goal
Ralph:
There’s another layer here that becomes critical when motivation starts to flag. I’ve learned this both in coaching and personally. If a goal only lives at the surface level, it tends to collapse the moment things get inconvenient. What I often encourage people to do is keep asking themselves why a goal matters - then ask again - and again. Not as an intellectual exercise, but until they hit something that actually feels true.
Sam:
That’s important psychologically. Surface-level goals are often tied to outcomes or external markers. Sustained motivation comes from connecting a goal to an internal driver - how someone wants to feel, who they want to become, what kind of life they’re trying to build. When that connection is clear, people have something to return to when motivation dips.
Pressure Testing a Goal - Coaching Example
Initial client goal: “I want to run a 10K this year.”
Potential questions we’d explore together:
Running is a solution. Let’s take a step back. What are you actually trying to improve?
Why running specifically, and why now? Is this coming from personal desire, comparison, or circumstance?
What does “success” look like to you? Finishing the race, pace, enjoyment, health, or something else?
Why a 10K? What does that distance represent, and does 10K need to be the starting point?
Given your current responsibilities, what level of time commitment is realistic and sustainable?
We would work to a focused, more defined approach that supports success:
“I want to improve my cardiovascular fitness because my family has a history of heart disease. Some friends are training for a 10K, which sparked my interest in running. Since I don’t have experience with distance running and my priority is health, I am going to focus on building consistency safely. For now, that means running three times a week at a gradually increasing pace and distance that supports endurance without injury or burnout. Once I’ve built a foundation, I can decide whether more strenuous training for a 10K with my friends makes sense for me.”
Key insight:
Running a 10K may become a goal later. Right now, the real work is building health, consistency, and confidence. Coaching helps separate the symbolic goal from the supportive direction, allowing progress without forcing outcomes or setting the client up with an increased risk of attempting to run and then abandoning the goal. Because the underlying priority is health, starting with the goal of “just running” in a sustainable way makes more sense than pushing too hard and risking injury or involuntary goal abandonment.
Ralph:
When someone can picture that deeper driver, if we really picture it, then the goal stops being abstract. It becomes personal. If you can’t get to that level yet, that’s not a failure. It’s information. We learn and adjust; we don’t give up. Failure only occurs when you stop moving.
Over time, if we discover that a goal matters less than something else, we set a new goal and keep moving forward. Goals give life additional meaning and support mental well-being. Stopping altogether - without refining or replacing a goal - often leaves us with an empty feeling and a misplaced sense of failure.
When your motivation disappears, it’s often because the goal wasn’t well defined or clearly connected to something that gives your life meaning, satisfaction, and a sense of self-worth.
Introducing Intermediate Goals (Evolving Drafts, Not “Do or Die” Statements)
Ralph:
Once superordinate goals are on the page, the next mistake I see is thinking you need to map out the entire journey in detail. That’s not what this step is about.
Sam:
Intermediate goals are really just a way of asking, “If this superordinate goal were actually moving forward, what would be changing?” Not how fast. Not how you’ll measure it yet. Just what meaningful progress would look like. At this point, we want milestones - moments in time - not metrics. We’ll refine them as the process continues.
From Vision to Goals: A Goal Drafting Process For You to Follow
This isn’t a checklist to perfect. It’s a guide for you to get version one of your goals completed.
Name what you are striving for and why.
Be brief, include the phrase: “This matters because…”
Choose 1–2 superordinate goals.
Ask: “If I could make progress in only one area first, which matters most?”
Pressure test with “Why?” (at least 2–3 iterations).
Keep asking: “Why does this matter to me?” until the answer feels real, purposeful and something you will consistently prioritize.
Draft intermediate goals as milestones.
Ask: “If this goal were advancing, what would be different?”
Write 3–5 milestones (changes you’d notice), not metrics. Make the first milestone very achievable.Check fit with your life.
Ask: “What has to be true in my schedule, energy, and support for this to be sustainable?”You may benefit from sharing your goals with others if your shift in priorities will be noticeable to them or to seek support.
Commit to a “for now” version.
Treat what you write down as working drafts. Set the expectation that you absolutely will revise your milestones and goal statements as you gain experience.
After the First Draft
Ralph:
If someone reaches this point and feels a bit uneasy, that’s usually a sign they’re making progress instead of staying abstract. They should have a very short list of superordinate goals that they are focused on right now, and for each goal, a rough set of intermediate goals that describe a plausible path forward. Superordinate goals that “don’t make the cut” don’t have to go away permanently. They are just deferred to ensure success on the most critical goals. Success breeds success. Don’t overreach.
Sam:
I’ll emphasize that. They should be extremely clear about what they’re not prioritizing right now - and why. That clarity is part of what creates focus and ensures continuous effort.
Incorporate Revisions Into the Process
Ralph:
One of the most important mindset shifts here is understanding that revision isn’t failure. You may discover you have less capacity than you thought - sometimes people find they have more capacity. We can’t predict the future. Progress isn’t linear. A path might be slower or faster than expected.
Sam:
Where people get stuck is when they confuse learning with indecision or insufficiency.
Structure exists to prevent endless second-guessing, not to prevent adaptation.
Ralph:
You commit, you act, you observe, and you adjust. Progress comes from staying in motion, not from getting it right the first time.
Looking Ahead
Sam:
In the next post, we’ll get even more precise
how to word goals so they support momentum
how to think about measuring progress without getting trapped by it
how to reduce the risk of involuntary goal abandonment
Ralph:
Before we leave this step, there’s one last idea I want to offer as a bridge. I often recommend the book The Tao of Pooh to clients, especially those who are new to this kind of work. It’s an easy read, but it introduces a powerful idea from Taoism that’s often misunderstood in the West: wu-wei. The author uses excerpts from the Winnie-the-Pooh stories to illustrate the concept in a surprisingly effective way. Because it uses excerpts from children’s books, it might sound silly or lightweight, but that’s the beauty of it. It’s simple, relatable, and effective.
Wu-wei is often mistaken for doing nothing and hoping for the best. That’s not what it means. It means acting without forcing - moving in the right direction with less internal resistance.
That idea is embedded throughout this entire process: choosing goals that are actually yours, asking why until you reach something true, and committing to action without trying to control every outcome in advance. Set intentions. Reduce resistance. Act. Experience. Notice what happens without judgment. Adjust.
Over time, that repeated cycle shifts people into a posture that is both more peaceful and more effective.
“You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
Representative Academic Sources
Austin, J. T., & Vancouver, J. B. (1996). Goal constructs in psychology: Structure, process, and content. Psychological Bulletin, 120(3), 338–375.
Louro, M. J., Pieters, R., & Zeelenberg, M. (2007). Dynamics of multiple-goal pursuit. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 93(2), 174–193.
Schmidt, A. M., & Dolis, C. M. (2009). Something’s got to give: The effects of dual-goal difficulty, goal progress, and expectancies on resource allocation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(3), 678–691.
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