Podcast Summary: Real Estate Investing School Podcast

Episode 25: G.O.A.L.S. with Brody and Andrea Fausett
Release Date: December 26, 2022

Overview

In this engaging and practical episode, Brody and Andrea Fausett break down the art and science of goal setting––as individuals and as a couple. They share their annual tradition of “goal-setting retreats,” introduce their original G.O.A.L.S. framework, and offer actionable advice for making dreams a reality, with plenty of anecdotes and real-life examples. While the context is rooted in holistic life improvement (health, wealth, relationships, and more), the strategies are equally relevant for real estate investing and personal development.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Goal Setting Matters

• Intentionality Leads to Success: Both speakers emphasize being intentional, not just yearly but monthly and weekly—“that’s the difference” (03:32–03:49).
• Dopamine of Dreaming vs. Power of Doing: Setting goals feels good, but “living your dream life, not just dreaming your dream life” is where real fulfillment comes. (02:33–03:07)
• You Don’t Need Permission: January or “the New Year” is arbitrary—start now.

2. The G.O.A.L.S. Framework

G – Get in the Zone

• Escape familiar environments to think big (they escape to hotels, nature, or even a tent).
• “Environment’s so huge…if you’re around people that think big and do big things, your goals are probably going to be big.” – Brody [09:42]
• Use prompts and introspection; they plug their Couples Goal Setting Workshop (free online).
• “The quality of your life is determined by the questions you ask yourself.” – Andrea [10:58]

O – Order of Operations

• Like math class, there’s a right order to goal setting.
• Use “roles” or categories (physical, social, spiritual, financial, etc.) and rate yourself 1–10—e.g., the “Wheel of Life” tool [16:09].
• Set 3 goals per category, then pick your top three overall (personal & couple).
• “You can come back and you’re like, I have hundreds of goals…I’m ready to take over the world, but it’s so powerful just coming away with, ‘these are my top three.’” – Brody [20:13]

A – Attach Meaning

• Know why you want a goal, and connect it emotionally.
• “The more it means, the higher the chances are of accomplishing that goal.” – Andrea [25:07]
• Example: Moving to Maui had deep personal/family meaning for them.
• “You don’t have to have all the answers. When your why becomes big enough, the how becomes easy.” – Brody [26:05]

L – Let Everyone Know

• Accountability and openness drive success.
• “Be loud about it. Be obsessed about it.” – Brody [29:21]
• Telling others your goals creates positive pressure and support (“my friends know my top three goals; they’re my passwords for the whole year” – Brody [20:31]).
• “Set up the process so you don’t fail. Successful people aren’t even that much more disciplined…they just set up a process.” – Andrea [33:56]
• Memorable: Brody’s “500-cup chocolate milk challenge” accountability story [32:09–33:13].

S – Schedule the Process

• The real key: break big goals into actionable, scheduled steps.
• “A goal is just a goal unless there’s a process to get there.” – Andrea [37:37]
• Make it harder to skip your action than to do it (e.g., auto-schedule babysitters for date nights).
• Quantify goals; define what “success” looks like (e.g., “being fit” means a measurable standard).
• Weekly planning is their secret sauce: “Weekly planning is the link between annual goals and actually accomplishing them.” – Brody [43:29]

3. Real-Life Examples & Reflections

• Setting and Achieving Big Goals

  • Dreamed of “owning a beach house in Maui”—now a reality through consistent action [20:58–22:36].
  • Experience leads to more intentional goal selection.

• Processes Over Willpower:

  • Remove temptation and engineer your environment.
  • Example: Andrea schedules workouts with friends for accountability, manipulates her phone so she can’t see cancellations and will still show up [35:12–35:23].
  • “Nobody has just this bowl of willpower that never runs out. It runs out for everyone. It’s just the process.” – Andrea [34:37]

• Avoiding Complacency, Embracing Growth:

  • “If you’re not changing, you’re not growing. Change. Look back over the last year and be like, wow, what an awesome year…I want to be even better next year.” – Andrea [42:21]
  • Brody: “We see too many people that are complacent and stagnant. Any time we’re stagnant in life, it’s…a recipe for depression.” [42:43]

4. Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Being Fired Up By Goals:

  • “If you’re bored with life…you don’t have enough goals.” (Brody’s favorite quote) [06:19]

• On Collaboration:

  • “The quality of your life is determined by the questions you ask yourself.” – Andrea [10:58]
  • “When we communicate that with each other, that’s where the power comes in.” – Brody [12:13]

• On Accountability:

  • “Tell some people…you want accountability because at the end of the year, they’re going to be like, that was sick. I just watched you hit those goals.” – Andrea [31:36]

• On Permission for Change:

  • “You have permission to be a better version of yourself. There’s nothing wrong with that.” – Brody [43:14]

Important Timestamps

• [03:32] The power of intentionality across all areas of life.
• [08:28] Introduction to the G.O.A.L.S. acronym and why environment matters.
• [09:42] Annual couple’s retreat and the importance of “getting in the zone.”
• [16:09] Order of operations and the Wheel of Life breakdown.
• [25:07] The importance of attaching deep meaning to your goals.
• [29:21] The necessity of being open and public with your goals for accountability.
• [37:37] Scheduling the process; turning intention into daily/weekly action.
• [43:29] Weekly planning as the bridge between setting big goals and accomplishment.

Tone & Language

Conversational, occasionally playful and self-deprecating, but always practical and encouraging. Brody and Andrea tease each other lightly and use relatable real-world (and family) stories, maintaining a warm and empowering vibe.

Final Takeaways

• Setting goals without an actionable process is a recipe for stagnation.
• Use the G.O.A.L.S. framework: Get in the Zone, Order of Operations, Attach Meaning, Let Everyone Know, Schedule the Process.
• Make goal-setting a tradition; revisit and revise weekly.
• Build accountability, engineering your environment and routines for success.
• Start wherever you are—whether you’re a student, a stay-at-home parent, or an investor—with whatever resources you have.
• “The time will pass regardless, so…pursue your goals.” – Andrea [45:35]

Resources Mentioned:

• couplesgoalsettingworkshop.com (Free guide)
• weeklyplanning.com (Weekly planning resource)