Why I'm setting bigger goals this year
& continuing to grow my horizons
As the Virgo sun and ENFJ I am, goal setting feels natural
.
I have my routines and rhythms, which make adding new ambitions seamless. I acknowledge that we all have our own methods of holding ourselves accountable. For me, intrinsic motivation radiates—sometimes to a fault. I constantly set high standards for myself, pushing myself to the brink to achieve them. Life moves fast, and often, it feels easier to keep pace than to slow down and risk losing momentum.
Over the past two years—well, really, the last five—I’ve experienced exponential growth. As my horizons have expanded, so has my understanding of my own potential.
Recently, I listened to an episode of The Rich Roll Podcast where Rich interviewed Harley Finkelstein on entrepreneurship as a mindset. Among the many thought-provoking moments, one concept stuck with me: applying a Law of Ecology to growth potential. Finkelstein referenced how the size of their habitat inherently impacts goldfish. In a small tank, their growth is restricted by limited space and poor water quality. But when their environment changes—when they’re moved to a larger, healthier tank—they grow. And this transformation can happen at any stage of the goldfish’s life.
In the interview, Harley compared this phenomenon to the growth of a business: as a business expands, its leadership must grow at the same pace as its evolving environment.
Looking back at the past five years, I’ve seen my own “tank” expand. My horizons have stretched beyond the limiting views I once held about myself and my potential. This growth has paralleled the evolution of Inner Lane, the people I surround myself with, and the intentional environments in which I seek to live and work.
Each year, my goals grow bigger—not in an overinflated way, but in alignment with the environment I’m stepping into. As always, growth comes with discomfort. But there’s also profound joy and hope in living in alignment with the larger life waiting for us when we dare to grow.
This morning, with a silly grin on my face, I’m reflecting on all that I want to achieve this year—personally, financially, in my business, and my running. Most importantly, I want to continue fostering a mindset of indeterminate growth, constantly expanding toward the horizons I set my sights on.
As you set your goals this year, I encourage you to think beyond the limits you’ve imposed on yourself in the past. Let your goals reflect the environment you’re being invited into. Expand your tank, and allow yourself to grow into it.