If you're working on a new goal right now, you've probably asked yourself:
How am I going to do this?
What are the steps?
How will I finish it?
"How" is a great question, but it often overlooks an equally important factor: when.
The Power of "When" in Achieving Your Goals
Yesterday, I was leading an in-person meditation session when a question arose:
When should I meditate?
Many people assume they should meditate when they're stressed or that they need to be calm when it matters. But meditation, like any skill, is a practice. It's way easier to do before you’re overwhelmed. If you build it into your routine when you’re already feeling good, it becomes a reliable tool for the moments you truly need it.
This pattern applies beyond meditation. Think about child development:
We time potty training based on readiness, not just convenience.
If a toddler regresses after a new sibling arrives, we don’t panic—we understand the when matters.
"When" and Personal Growth
I’ve learned this lesson firsthand as a long-distance runner. I trained for my first half marathon in 2016 in the dead of winter, when it was dark and cold—not my favorite time to run. Sure, I finished, but it was a slog. Over time, I learned that I love to make running goals when it’s daylight and warm. Winter running is just about having fun.
If I force myself into a schedule that ignores this, I make things unnecessarily difficult. The same applies to your goals. Instead of defaulting to an arbitrary timeline (like the pressure to start something on a Sunday or the first of the month), ask yourself:
When does this work best for my body?
When does this fit into my schedule?
When will this be easiest given my family or life circumstances?
Aligning "When" With Your Reality
We often think willpower is the key to success, but aligning with your natural rhythms makes it easier to show up and do what you set out to do.
So, what goal are you working on?
And more importantly—when is the best time for you to tackle it?
Comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
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