In this solo episode of the Stuff About Money podcast, host Erik Garcia, CFP®, ChFC®, BFA™ sits down for a candid one-on-one about goals. Not the shiny, New-Year’s-resolution kind, but the messy, honest kind we whisper to ourselves when no one’s listening. Erik shares two personal moments that reshaped how he thinks about goal setting, including the year Dr. Matt Morris bluntly told him, “You just made a bad goal,” and the overly ambitious golf objective that nearly convinced him to quit the game altogether. These stories spark a bigger conversation about why we so often overestimate what we can accomplish in the short term and underestimate what we’re capable of over the long haul.

In the second half of the episode, Erik unpacks a healthier, more realistic framework for pursuing goals — especially financial ones. Instead of obsessing over hitting a number by a certain date, he encourages listeners to think of goals as direction and objectives as the checkpoints that keep them moving forward. Erik explores why grace, awareness, and better-designed goals lead to more progress and less burnout. If this episode resonates with you, share it with someone who needs a fresh perspective on goal setting, and make sure you’re following the show for more conversations that help you move toward a wiser, more intentional financial life.

Episode Highlights:

Erik discusses why traditional goal-setting frameworks and New Year’s resolutions aren’t the focus, emphasizing the frustration goals often create. (01:10)

Erik shares the moment Dr. Matt Morris looked at him and said he had simply made a bad goal, reframing how he viewed falling short. (02:30)

A reminder surfaces about how people consistently overestimate short-term capacity and underestimate long-term potential. (04:00)

Erik explains why he now treats goals as directions rather than destinations, using the New York-to-England swimming analogy. (05:30)

Erik shares how an overly ambitious summer golf goal led to frustration and helped him rethink the difference between goals and objectives. (07:00)

Financial goal setting follows the same pattern, as unrealistic expectations often lead to shame, frustration, or giving up entirely. (09:10)

Two core takeaways: create better directional goals and recognize the bias of misjudging short- and long-term potential. (10:40)

Why having someone walk alongside you, such as a financial planner, helps maintain direction and adjust objectives over time. (11:40)

Erik encourages listeners to share the episode and continue reframing their approach to goal setting. (13:40)

Key Quotes:

“ I've stopped treating goals like a destination, like something I have to reach. Instead, I think of them like a direction.” - Erik Garcia, CFP®, ChFC®, BFA™

“  You're not failing your goals, your goals just might need a reframe. Fix the direction, adjust the objectives, and trust the long-term journey.” - Erik Garcia, CFP®, ChFC®, BFA™

“ Set better goals, not bigger ones, not more detailed ones. Better ones. Goals that orient you long-term, meaningful directional goals, and then backfill that with objectives that guide your ” - Erik Garcia, CFP®, ChFC®, BFA™

Resources Mentioned:

Erik Garcia, CFP®, BFA

Xavier Angel, CFP®, ChFC, CLTC