Crafting a Life You Love Through Focused Goal Setting

What if achieving your biggest goals was as simple as focusing on what truly matters?

In this milestone 200th episode, we’re diving into the transformative power of focused goal setting and intentional action. I’ll share how I used the POWER in Motion framework to leave my part-time job and create a business aligned with my values—and how you can do the same.

We’ll explore:

• Why clarity is the key to crafting a life and business you love.
• How focused goal setting helps entrepreneurs streamline their efforts.
• The importance of systems, consistency, and celebrating small wins.

Plus, I’ll answer listener questions about productivity, delegation, and staying consistent when life gets busy.

This episode is packed with actionable strategies to help entrepreneurs like you prioritize what matters, simplify your workload, and build a business that works for you—not the other way around.

Tune in now and DM me on Instagram to share which part of my journey resonated with you most. Let’s celebrate this milestone together!

2:59 - Setting the ambitious goal of leaving my part-time job while juggling family, work, and ministry responsibilities

5:35 - Understanding the power of focused effort and creating systems that align with my long-term vision

7:03 - I highlight the importance of consistent execution with support, task batching, and the "non-negotiable three" rule

8:42 - How my part-time job became a crutch that held me back from fully stepping into my business

10:28 - I answer key listener questions that reflect common entrepreneurial challenges

Resources Mentioned:

🤝 Join The MY-T Society for tools, templates, workbooks and expert support to simplify your business systems and take control of your time!

Leave a Rating and Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/mindyourtime

Additional Resources Available:

Tired of feeling overwhelmed by the back end of your business? It’s time to take control. Grab my free audio masterclass, The ABC Guide to Streamline Your Back Office, and start freeing up your time today.

Let’s connect online:

Follow Me On Instagram: @the_shannonbaker

Chapters

• 2:59 Setting the ambitious goal of leaving my part-time job while juggling family, work, and ministry responsibilities
• 5:35 Understanding the power of focused effort and creating systems that align with my long-term vision
• 7:03 Highlighting the importance of consistent execution with support, task batching, and the "non-negotiable three" rule
• 8:42 How my part-time job became a crutch that held me back from fully stepping into my business
• 10:28 I answer key listener questions that reflect common entrepreneurial challenges

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

I cannot believe this is episode 200.

Speaker 1: 0:03

This is an incredible milestone we've reached together and in this special episode, I'm reflecting on the journey that got me here, sharing lessons, wins and strategies to help me build a business aligned with my values. So, whether you have been my ride or die from the beginning or you just started tuning in, this episode is about celebrating progress, embracing the power of small wins and taking intentional steps towards your goals. Welcome to the Mind your Time podcast. I'm Shannon Baker, your coffee-loving host and business operations strategist. Each week, I'll share practical insights and bold strategies rooted in my power and motion framework to help you streamline your operations, reclaim your time and build a business that supports your life. Whether you're just starting out or scaling to six figures and beyond, these episodes will help you take control and create success on your own terms. So grab a cup of coffee or your favorite beverage and let's dive into today's topic. Wow 200 episodes.

Speaker 1: 1:03

I cannot believe that we've reached this milestone together. You know, when I started this podcast in 2020, my goal was very simple was to share what I had learned as I built my business, which is aligned with my values. I wanted to help other women avoid the mistakes that I made and find clarity and purpose in their entrepreneurial journey. And over time, this podcast has grown into so much more. It has become a resource for purpose driven women like you who want to streamline your businesses, reclaim your time and focus on what truly matters to you while enjoying the legacy you're building. So this milestone is really it's a celebration not just of this podcast, but of all of us, of all the hard work that we put in. So, whether you've been here since episode one or you're tuning in today for the first time, I want to thank you for being a part of this journey. Every download, every question want to thank you for being a part of this journey. Every download, every question, every comment, review, every DM, every story you share with me over the past four years has helped shape this podcast and contribute to the intentional growth of my business. So reaching 200 episodes has put me in a reflection space. I have looked back over all that has happened for me, how much I've grown while hosting this show, and one of the most monumental achievements in my life was setting and achieving the goal of leaving my part-time job. That goal was the catalyst for refining the Power in Motion framework that I've been sharing with you for years. But today that framework is not just the foundation of my business. It's a roadmap to help you create sustainable success, and I'm excited for what the future holds for both of us.

Speaker 1: 2:59

When I first set the goal of leaving my part-time job I'm not going to lie, it was a big goal. I had a few clients, I had family responsibilities, which have continued to grow, and I had a part-time job that was pulling me in different directions and I often felt stuck because at the time I was also volunteering in my ministry and I still do that. So I had a lot on my plate and doing all these things and trying to grow a business. There were frustrating moments when, honestly, I wanted to give up, but I knew deep down that my goal was possible. But I also realized I had to stay focused on what truly mattered. So the first step in my framework, it is pick one goal, and that was transformational for me Leaving my part-time job. It wasn't just about giving myself more time, it was about creating the freedom I wanted to grow my business very intentionally while being present for my family. That clarity it helped me ditch the hustle mentality and stay laser focused on building a business that served my spirituality, while creating wealth for myself and for others. And I'm not talking about financial wealth. I'm talking about wealth enjoying life, being truly fulfilled. But to do that, I had to put on blinders and ignore the noise of what everyone else was doing, and that wasn't easy. If you've ever felt like you're being pulled in a million directions, know this. Clarity is not just powerful, it's achievable, and it's the first step to creating a business and a life that you actually love.

Speaker 1: 4:49

Now the next step in the process is I had to organize my operations, so I had to look at my systems and made sure that they would support my goal. I realized I couldn't spread myself too thin if I wanted to leave my part-time job and grow my business without burning out. So I had to focus my energy on one thing, and that was this podcast. I decided I wouldn't post all the time on social media or really work at getting new clients, because I didn't have the capacity and, honestly, I was really refining my services at the time. So getting more clients and adding more to my plate really would have just delayed my progress and making that decision. That was a huge shift for me, narrowing my focus to the podcast allowed me to be consistent, refine my messaging and lay a strong foundation for what was coming next. It wasn't just about creating systems. It was about giving myself permission to let go of the things that I should be doing and focus on what aligned with my capacity and my long-term vision. Once I had those systems in place and I had that clarity and that focus, I got to work on the plan in place. And I had that clarity and that focus, I got to work on the plan.

Speaker 1: 6:09

This third step was about breaking my goal into small, actionable steps that were manageable and wouldn't leave me feeling overwhelmed. So I set clear income milestones, I planned how I was going to transition my clients either out of my business or to my new services, and I had honest conversations with my husband so that I could create a financial plan. And I made some big financial investments in the business because I knew I could not do it alone. Those investments helped me make sure the podcast became a powerful sales tool which it has and that launching a membership was a viable and marketable idea. And it was. And these were not easy decisions, my friend, but they were so essential to the success that I experienced.

Speaker 1: 7:01

But then the hard part came. I had to execute consistently and let me tell you, there were moments when I felt like giving up because it really seemed like I wasn't getting any results, but I kept reminding myself that consistency was the key to success. So I leaned on a few women in my community that I trust they cheered me on, and I used strategies like batching tasks together in my non-negotiable three rule, which is focusing on just three tasks that will have an impact every day, so that I could keep moving forward, no matter how small the things were. What kept me going on the toughest days was my wall of wins. Every time I achieved something, no matter how small, I wrote it down and stuck it on the wall where I could see it. Seeing those wins reminded me that I was actually making progress, even when it didn't feel like it was coming fast enough or was big enough. Those small reminders was the boost that I needed to keep going. And then I finally got to the last step in my process Remember, refine and review. And this step was about checking on my progress regularly, each week, each month, each quarter, each year, celebrating milestones along the way and making adjustments as they were needed. Those small celebrations again reminded me of why I even started this process and it kept me motivated, so I would stay the course.

Speaker 1: 8:42

And here's something I've never shared on this podcast. Before my part-time job actually became a crutch. It was a blanket of security, but it was false security, and it held me back from fully stepping into my business and what I really wanted Eye-opener. When the company started changing its policies and demanding more of me than I was willing to give, that lit a fire in me and I was determined. Now I'm going to reach my goal. That push accelerated my efforts and gave me the clarity that I needed to leave that job for good.

Speaker 1: 9:24

So when I finally reached my goal, it wasn't just a win for my business. It was a win for my family and for my future being able to have control of my time and focus on what truly mattered to me. That was, building a business that was aligned with my values, supporting my family, being there when they needed me, being able to truly focus on my ministry and creating something sustainable for the long term. So, looking back, I realized that achieving my goal it wasn't just about reaching the destination. It was really about the journey, the habits I created, the mindset shifts that I had to go through, and building systems along the way, and those systems became the foundation of the Power in Motion framework, and that's why I'm so passionate about sharing this with you. I've seen, I've experienced firsthand how it can help you go from feeling stuck and overwhelmed to building a business that truly works for you, because it's not about doing more, it's about doing what matters most.

Speaker 1: 10:28

Now, as we celebrate this milestone together, I want to answer a few of your questions that I asked for, because they highlight the challenges that all of us face as entrepreneurs. The first question is how do you stay productive when you don't have a set amount of time to work without being interrupted? And this was submitted by a new mom, so this is something that I've struggled with too, especially when my daughter was younger. So my advice whether you have littles at home or not, if you have a tight schedule, limit what you're trying to do, pick one non-negotiable task every day and then use small pockets of time, like 10 to 15 minute sprints, to work on that one thing and you will make progress. Trust me, it works. And if you're part of the Mighty Society membership. The goal setting worksheets will help you prioritize what matters most to you. If you have questions about that, feel free to DM me and we can talk about it some more Now.

Speaker 1: 11:34

The next question is how do I know what to delegate, delay or delete and I love this question because it's one of the most powerful shifts that you can make in your business. Fun fact, this question actually inspired me to create a new resource inside of the Mighty Society membership, because this question was posed by one of the members and, as I thought about how to answer, I realized so many of us need a clear process for simplifying our workload. So I created the Task Audit Workbook. It walks you through evaluating your to-do list and categorizing tasks into three buckets delegate, delay or delete. It's simple, but it's effective. So here's an example.

Speaker 1: 12:17

When I was working toward my goal, I realized I was spending a lot of time editing my podcast episodes myself, and let me tell you, I love playing with tech and being creative, but I knew that I needed to delegate some things and get them off my plate. So I delegated editing my episodes to my daughter, which freed up time each week that I could use to focus on podcasts content and refining my messaging. Delegating that task really was a game changer because it gave me, while it was a small pocket of time, it was still more time and mental space so that I could prioritize the big picture goal that moved me forward in my business. Now, if you've been feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list, the Task Audit Workbook is a resource that will help you simplify and take control of your time and, again, it's available inside of the Mighty Society.

Speaker 1: 13:16

Now the final question is how do you stay consistent when life gets busy? Well, this is something I've had to learn through trial and error. But here's the truth Consistency is not about perfection. It's about having a plan and sticking to it as best you can. Take it from me, because I am a perfectionist in recovery and I had to do a lot of work with getting comfortable with something being good enough and not perfect.

Speaker 1: 13:46

But I've also found that batching tasks is one of the best ways to stay consistent. For example, I dedicate specific blocks of time to individual tasks that I have to complete for this podcast, and they're small batch time periods. So what I do in advance is brainstorm the ideas and topics for the quarter. Then, once I have all of those together. I then work on my batches. So one day I'll batch script writing, another day I'll batch record multiple episodes at one time Right now that's two at a time. That's my capacity. Then I'll batch create images for the blog posts as well, and honestly, I don't always get to publish every week. Sometimes I'm a little behind, so I will actually batch publish when I get behind. So I will actually batch publish when I get behind.

Speaker 1: 14:41

This process minimizes me having to switch my brain from task to task, because then you lose momentum and your brain has to reset for the new thing. So this helps keep me on track. Another strategy again that I use is my non-negotiable rule of three. On even the busiest days, I just choose three small but impactful things that I can focus on in my personal life first, and then I see what time is left for business, like right now, one of my top three is getting in my workout so that I can be healthier and, most importantly, so that I can be healthier and, most importantly, give yourself some grace, girl, because things are not going to always go as planned. Adjust your timelines when you need to, and remember flexibility isn't failure. It's a part of the process. The key is to keep showing up, even in small ways, because those small, consistent actions add up to big results.

Speaker 1: 15:42

Now, before we wrap up, I'm going to do a quick recap of what we've talked about today. First, I shared my journey behind my big goal of leaving my part-time job and how the Power in Motion framework was the key to making it happen. That framework helped me stay focused, be intentional and be consistent as I work toward my goal. I also talked about actionable strategies, like using 10 to 15 minute sprints in the non-negotiable rule of three, so you stay productive even when your work time is limited and you can't work the same schedule every day. I also talked about the importance of systems and how you need to prioritize what matters most to you instead of trying to do it all Now, during the Q&A, I talked about some common challenges, like figuring out what to delegate, delay or delete, and I introduced that fabulous new resource that's inside of the Mighty Society membership the Task Audit Workbook, which was created to help you simplify your workload and focus on what truly moves your business forward.

Speaker 1: 16:49

Now you know I wasn't going to let this episode end without giving you a challenge. I want to hear from you. Dm me on Instagram and tell me which part of my journey resonated with you the most. Was it the clarity I gained by focusing on one goal for an extended period of time? Was it the shift that I made by letting go of what didn't align with my capacity? Or maybe it was the power of celebrating small wins along the way? Whatever it is, I want to know how it connects to your journey and if you're ready to take the next step and simplify your business and reclaim your time, join us inside the Mighty Society membership. We would love to have you.

Speaker 1: 17:34

There are tons of resources in there that task audit workbook, the 90-day goal setting worksheets, templates so many different resources. You'll have everything that you need to streamline your workload and focus on what truly matters to you. So go to theshannonbakercom forward, slash membership today and join us, or click the link in the show notes. And, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you again for being part of this incredible milestone in my journey as a podcaster. It's been amazing and I'm looking forward to the next 200 plus episodes and the amazing journey we have ahead. So that's it for today. So until next time, keep calm and streamline.

Speaker 1: 18:21

Thanks for hanging out with me this week. If you've made it this far, it's clear you're ready to shake things up and take control of your business, and I'm here for it. But remember, just listening to this episode won't get you better results. I challenge you to break the mold and take action today. Your next move let's connect Head to the show notes and book a call with me to learn how the Mighty Society membership can help you streamline your back office and reclaim your time. If you're not ready for that step yet, no worries. Connect with me on Instagram, at the underscore Shannon Baker, and tell me what resonated most from today's episode. And if you're loving the podcast, leaving a review is a quick way to show your support and help more entrepreneurs like you break free from the chaos. Listening is great, but action creates transformation. Go, make it happen. And until next time, keep calm and streamline.