Having big dreams and personal goals can feel overwhelming after a brain injury. Tasks that once seemed simple may require more time, energy, and concentration. So how can you continue working toward your goals when your abilities and daily routines have changed?
In this conversation, Adeline Arjad and Alex Lombardi discuss a practical goal-setting approach based on the concept of The ONE Thing by Gary Keller. They explore how breaking big goals into smaller steps can make progress feel more manageable, especially for people living with brain injuries.
🎯 Start With Your Biggest Goal
Alex explains the concept of The ONE Thing, which encourages people to look at their biggest goal and work backward to identify the smaller steps needed to reach it.
Instead of focusing only on the final outcome, consider where you want to be in five years. Then ask yourself:
🏆 What is the one thing I need to accomplish in the next three years to make that five-year goal possible?
🎯 What is the one thing I need to focus on this year?
📅 What can I work toward this quarter, this month, this week, and today?
This approach can be applied to many areas of life. It doesn’t have to involve building a million-dollar business. It could be related to motherhood, personal development, work, relationships, health, or any goal that matters to you.
🪜 Break Big Goals Into Smaller Steps
One of the most practical parts of Alex’s approach is breaking a large goal into smaller, more manageable actions.
She shares that throughout her decade as an entrepreneur, as well as her work in business coaching and mentorship, she has used this concept to help clients work toward their goals.
Her recommendation is to identify one task you can complete every day in 30 minutes or less.
For someone living with a brain injury, she suggests making that task even smaller: five minutes or less.
The idea is to choose one manageable action that helps you move forward without making the goal feel overwhelming.
A small step may not seem like much on its own, but doing something consistently can help you maintain a connection with what you want to accomplish.
🧠 Understand Decision Fatigue
Alex also explains why focusing on one priority can be particularly helpful after a brain injury.
She discusses decision fatigue and how making numerous decisions throughout the day can become exhausting.
Think about all the small choices you make after waking up:
👕 What should I wear?
🥣 What should I eat for breakfast?
📋 What do I need to do today?
🚀 Which task should I start with?
Even everyday decisions can add up.
Alex suggests that people with brain injuries may have less capacity for decision-making and encourages them to be intentional about where they direct their energy.
Her recommendation is to identify the task that will help move your goals forward and prioritize it early in the day, rather than waiting until your energy and concentration have been used up.
💗 Adeline’s Goal: Working Out Every Day
When Alex asks Adeline to identify her own ONE Thing, Adeline shares a personal goal: she wants to become someone who works out every day.
She explains that even before her brain injury, she was not someone who exercised every day in a traditional sense. However, she used to play tennis for two to three hours daily in a competitive social environment.
That experience was different from what she can manage now.
Her example shows that returning to a familiar activity or building a new routine after a brain injury may require a different approach.
The goal may remain meaningful, but the way of working toward it may need to change.
🌱 Progress Can Begin With Five Minutes
One important takeaway from Alex’s advice is that you don’t have to accomplish everything at once.
If a goal feels too big, break it down. If a daily task feels too demanding, make it smaller. And if you’re recovering from a brain injury, give yourself room to adjust your expectations according to your current energy and abilities.
Five minutes may be a more realistic starting point than 30 minutes. The purpose is to create a manageable opportunity to take one step forward.
Remember, your progress does not have to look like anyone else’s.
💗 Love Love Brain Thoughts
A brain injury can change the way we approach goals, routines, and even our dreams for the future. Something that once felt easy may now require careful planning and more recovery time.
This conversation reminds us that having limitations does not mean we have to stop dreaming. We can adjust the way we pursue our goals and begin with smaller actions.
You don’t need to figure out every step today. Start by identifying one thing that matters to you and ask yourself what small action you can take next.
Sometimes, five minutes is enough to begin.
💬 We’d Love to Hear From You
What is one goal you would like to work toward right now?
Have you tried breaking a big goal into smaller daily tasks? What helps you stay focused without becoming overwhelmed?
Share your thoughts in the comments. Your experience may inspire someone else to take their next small step. 💗
🎥 Watch the interview
Watch Adeline Arjad and Alex Lombardi discuss The ONE Thing, decision fatigue, and how to break big goals into smaller, manageable steps after a brain injury.
📚 Learn More About Alex Lombardi
Alex’s Book Title:
What You Build From Here
Alex’s Website:
Alex Lombardi Official
Alex’s Instagram:
@alexlombardiofficial
Alex’s Facebook:
Alex Marie Lombardi
Alex’s Podcast:
Explore Enriched with Alex Lombardi on Apple Podcasts.
Book Review:
What You Build From Here
Get the Book on Amazon:
What You Build From Here
Visit Alex’s website to learn more about her work, speaking opportunities, and The Brain Edit™.
If you enjoyed this interview, consider exploring Alex’s book and following her work for more ideas on intentional living, personal development, building sustainable habits, and creating a life aligned with your goals.
Affiliate disclosure: Love Love Brain may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through the Amazon affiliate link, at no additional cost to you.
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Note: Every brain injury is different. This content is for education and support, not medical advice. The experiences shared in this interview are personal, and strategies that help one person may not be appropriate for everyone.
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