Why $5k Months Isn't a Goal, It's a Wishlist

Tis' the season to set goals for the year!

I hear it all the time, clients want to make a certain dollar amount per month and while I did too for awhile, I've since learned differently and it makes a lot of sense as to why I was working harder than I probably needed to be.

When you're setting goals for the year, it's common to treat it like an Amazon wish list. The thing about goals is that they need to be specific, actionable, and measurable based on the effort you can control.

"5K months" is an outcome, not a process—it’s the result of aligned actions and behaviors. The problem with setting it as a goal is this...

1. It’s Outside Your Direct Control: You can’t guarantee income outcomes because they depend on external things (like clients signing up, your launch converting, your social media doing its job).
2. It Lacks Specificity: It doesn’t tell you how to achieve it. There’s no roadmap, only a vague desire.
3. No Connection to Values: Most people chase "$XX months" because they think it's a success marker, but it often isn’t tied to a deeper purpose or core value.

Do this instead:

Focus on what you can control that aligns with your higher values and creates the conditions for that outcome. Here's an example:

Outcome (Wishlist): $5K Months

Better Goal (Actionable Process):

• “Book 5 discovery calls per week with aligned clients.”
• “Post 3 pieces of value-driven content each week that speak directly to my audience’s struggles.”
• “Grow email list by 500 ideal clients.”
• “Deliver an exceptional experience to current clients, resulting in 1-2 referrals monthly.”

These goals:

• Are specific (you know what to do and when).
• Are aligned with values (helping clients, sharing knowledge, building relationships).
• Allow you to measure success based on actions you can control, which fosters confidence and momentum.

The Shift in Perspective:

When you stop focusing on an arbitrary dollar amount and instead start asking, “What specific actions and behaviors align with the next level version of me who is already earning $5k months?” you shift from chasing a rando number and instead embodying the type of person who naturally achieves it. The money becomes a byproduct of aligned effort.

So instead of setting a goal of 10K months, ask yourself:

• Who do I need to become?
• What habits, actions, and systems need to be in place?

The result is consistency, flow, and progress that naturally leads to the income you want without feeling like you're chasing a ghost.

I'm hosting a free goal setting workshop on January 15th. Click this link to join!