This time of year you hear a lot about goals – how to set them, meet them, and measure them. But what if there were a better way to grow and reach your goals doing less, not by adding more and more goals? What would it look like to do remove what’s hindering you so you can move the needle in life and work?
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In this episode, I talk with Barbara Carneiro about how to set goals from a mindset of doing less not more. Barbara is a wife, mom of three children, and entrepreneur.
If you’re running a company while loving your family well or if you’re frustrated by goal-setting , this interview is for you.
Barbara’s Leadership Journey
Barbara started to feel like a leader when people started following her. When in meetings, people would look to her for guidance so she thought that everyone was leading, that leadership was just what you did.
In her 20s, Barbara was responsible for 40 employees at a dance academy. She also worked in a marketing agency in Argentina and was hired to start a new department. Later she was told that she needed a man above her even though she was successfully fulfilling the job description.
That moment led her to a journey of leading from her weaknesses.
Barbara’s Current Leadership Role:
Barbara currently runs her own business Word Revolution helping churches communicate more effectively to those both inside and outside church walls. Because God is a God of both order and Spirit, she helps churches establish communication best practices while also giving room for the Holy Spirit to work.
She didn’t start out looking to launch her business, but began as a volunteer as a start-up church doing graphics and web design. Barbara turned her passion for all to serve joyful with the discipline to plan ahead.
Women’s Contribution to the Church:
Barbara believes that a key challenge women face is not being heard, not because of any intentional reason, but more out of habit. She believes that male pastors may not see that women are the “deciders” about where their family goes to church and what women need and want.
Barbara is able to bring a woman’s perspective to how the church can effectively reach women and families, so she sees this as an advantage.
How to Grow and Reach Your Goals by Doing Less
Barbara shares that we tend to be very ambitious with our goals. But it be can be very demotivating to set huge goals and fail to meet them.
Two Ways You Can Reach Your Goals
1. Set a goal and then cut it in half. Barbara learned this through reading Jon Acuff’s book Finish. By setting a goal then cutting it in half, you can build momentum and keep pushing.
If I keep giving myself these really big goals that I have to achieve on my own and there’s disappointment because I didn’t get there, chances are I’m going to be demotivated. - Barbara CarneiroClick To Tweet2. Ask yourself who’s keeping you accountable? Spouses don’t count. Ask your accountability partner to check in at least once a month.
If we didn’t meet our goal, what was the challenge? What came between me and this goal? - Barbara CarneiroClick To TweetCreate a Manageable Routine and Do Less, Not More
Barbara has chased balance for so long that she’s started to resent the word. She realized that live is never going to be balanced, but it can be manageable.
Life is not going to be balanced. It is going to be manageable. - Barbara CarneiroClick To TweetHere are some of Barbara’s tips on how to create a manageable routine:
Be present and create a time snowball
If there are areas stressing her out, she corrects that area, which may require sacrifice in another area. She asks herself if she’s being present in all areas and where she can “cut the fat.” She thinks through what is keeping her busy, but not moving the needle. Barbara also shares the idea of a “time snowball” based on Dave Ramsey’s debt snowball.
Find mentors
Barbara recommends finding a mentor – someone who is doing what you want to do, but they are a little further along in the journey.
Get outside help
Barbara loves hosting people and implement ideas on Pinterest. However, she has a difficult time practicing self-care.
As a mom and business owner, she knows that everything must still keep moving, even in stressful and busy times. The first things we put aside are meal prep, sleep, and exercise.
She relies on outside help to remind her that she needs to practice self-care. Barbara shares that she has a nanny and this really helps her to keep her home running.
Realizing what you need to keep everything running and not to have guilt about it one way or another is important. - Esther LittlefieldClick To TweetBe creative
Barbara shares a fun idea about how she managed the time while her husband was away on a missions trip. She let friends and family know that she would love to connect with them over a meal at their homes, and she ended up having a place to go for dinner every night for the rest of her husband’s trip.
Leaders are Learners:
Barbara recently finished the book “Finish” by Jon Acuff. She especially enjoyed audiobook version.
She is learning to ask herself what does her idea of growth look like. One way to grow and reach our goals is to remove what isn’t working. We must always work with a kingdom view of growth – that it may look like subtraction and not addition.
Episode Sponsor: Audible
Today’s show is brought to you by Audible. Audible is offering our listeners a free audiobook with a 30-day trial membership. Just go to estherlittlefield.com/audible and browse the unmatched selection of audio programs – download a title free and start listening.
Other Episodes Mentioned:
Episode 19: The Value of Mentoring with Elisa Pulliam
Connect with Guest:
Barbara is the founder of Word Revolution (a communication and design agency for Christian ministries) and the brain behind 4:12 Lab (a training program for Church Communication). She is Christ follower, forever curious strategist, minimalist designer, storyteller and geek. You will make her happy with a white chocolate mocha.
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