130. Why I Don’t Set Time-Bound Goals (and What I Do Instead)

Plenty with Kate Northrup

Have you ever noticed how setting a goal with a deadline can sometimes make you feel more anxious than inspired?

In this episode, I share a personal story about how I realized that my attachment to time-bound goals was actually creating stress, scarcity, and disconnection from the very abundance I teach and strive to live by.

During one of our biggest program enrollments, I experienced a powerful shift: instead of tracking numbers and pushing for results, I decided to remove the “T” from my SMART goals—the “time-bound” part. The moment I released the false urgency and pressure of having to meet a goal by a specific date, something extraordinary happened. I felt lighter, more creative, and deeply connected to Source again.

I talk about:
✨ How time-bound goals can trigger scarcity and stress rather than motivation.
✨ The difference between “relevant” goals and what I now call resonant goals—those that feel aligned with your heart and purpose.
✨ The practice that helped me detach from outcomes and stay rooted in service, joy, and flow.
✨ Why focusing on the journey, rather than the destination, is where true fulfillment—and sustainable success—lives.

By removing the timeline, I opened myself to infinite possibilities—and ironically, it turned out to be our most successful launch ever. But the real win wasn’t in the numbers—it was in how it felt: spacious, peaceful, and abundant.

So if your goals have been feeling heavy or pressured, this episode will invite you to loosen your grip, release the clock, and reconnect to what truly matters. When you stop forcing outcomes on a schedule, you make space for magic.

Listen in, and let’s explore what happens when you take off the “T.”

“When I have an idea that a goal has to be achieved in a certain amount of time, it creates stress and scarcity in my body. When I remove the timeline, I return to abundance.”–Kate Northrup

🎤 Let’s Dive into the Good Stuff on Plenty 🎤

00:00 Introduction to Abundance
00:35 The Concept of Goal Setting
03:37 Challenges with Time-Bound Goals
09:11 Removing False Urgency
11:16 The Journey vs. the Destination
13:10 Conclusion and Invitation to Change

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Related Episode:

How I Structure My Days, Weeks & Months to Stay Aligned with My Goals (126)