Ownership: Part 3 – Action: Authentic Living Exercises to Turn Small Steps into Big Impact

Respect • Ownership • Connection • Kindness

By Lee Havenga | July 10, 2025

Authentic living exercises are transformational only when they move beyond reflection into action. In the final step of the Ownership technique, you’ll bring it all together and ROCK thru with a clear plan to live true to your values.

You’ve already clarified what matters (Awareness) and recognized what’s getting in the way (Acceptance). Now it’s time to create a SMART goal and a mini action plan that helps you move from knowing to doing.

If you haven’t already done so, you’ll need to download the Values Compass worksheet and complete Steps 1 and 2 before continuing.

APPLY IT IN 15 MINUTES

Technique: Values Compass – Step 3: Action

Pick up where you left off in your Values Compass worksheet. You’ve chosen a life area that deeply matters to you and explored the gap between your values and current actions. Now it’s time to close that gap with focused movement—one meaningful step at a time.

Let’s return to a previous example:

Importance: 8 | Alignment: 3
Value Statement: “I want to be a thoughtful leader who encourages creativity.”
Barriers: “Fear of being judged keeps me from speaking up in meetings. My current workload stretches me too thin to focus on leading creatively.”

Step 1: Write Your Overall SMART Goal

Ask yourself: Based on my values and barriers, what small but meaningful step can I take to move closer to alignment?

Use the SMART format to define your goal clearly:

Specific – What exactly do you want to do?
Measurable – How will you track it?
Achievable – Is it realistic right now?
Relevant – Does it align with your chosen value?
Time-bound – When will you complete it?

Example SMART Goal:

“I’ll schedule and hold a 1:1 creative brainstorming session with each team member by July 30 to build team connection.”

Step 2: Build a Mini-Action Plan

Break your SMART goal into simple, doable weekly or daily actions. These mini-goals help you track your progress and build confidence as you move forward.

Tip: Keep your mini-goals in one place—whether that’s a sticky note, a phone reminder, or a goal tracker. Visible progress = real progress.

Action examples to overcome barriers:

Take 3 deep breaths before meetings to calm fear of judgment
Write down one positive moment after each meeting to reinforce your courage
Block time in your calendar to prevent overwhelm from derailing you

Action examples that make progress:

Schedule the 1:1 sessions by Friday
Prep one creative question or idea before each meeting
Reflect after each session: What sparked creativity? What can I repeat?

DEEPEN THE IMPACT

Reconnect to your values when motivation wanes. Even small goals can feel hard when life gets busy or self-doubt creeps in. If you feel resistance, return to your core values.

Ask yourself: