Welcome to The Principal’s Handbook, where we explore the realities of school leadership and share practical strategies to help you thrive—without burning out. I’m Barb Flowers, a certified life coach and former elementary principal with over a decade of experience in education leadership.

In today’s bonus episode, I’m sharing a workshop I hosted called Mastering Your Goals: The Single Most Effective Strategy to Achieve Anything You Want. Whether your goals are personal or professional—this is a strategy that works. If you’ve been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure how to make real progress, this workshop is for you.

There’s also a free worksheet that goes along with this episode. It includes affirmations and journal prompts you can use to reflect and take action. You’ll find that linked in the show notes.

Let’s dive in and talk about how your mindset is the key to reaching any goal you set for yourself.

Workshop: Mastering Your Goals

Let’s talk about the single most effective strategy for achieving any goal: your mindset.

Mindset is the foundation of everything. It’s how you see yourself—and the beliefs you hold about what’s possible for you. If you constantly tell yourself, “I’m a procrastinator,” or “I’m terrible at delegating,” or “I’m not good at managing behavior,” then your actions will always reflect that.

To achieve your goals—whether it’s leading more confidently, creating boundaries, or leaving by 4:00 PM—you have to change the way you think about yourself.

Why Mindset Matters for School Leaders

You cannot make meaningful progress from a negative place.

Let’s say you’re trying to improve student behavior in your building. If your dominant thoughts are, “My staff doesn’t follow through,” or “Nothing works at this school,” you’re operating from frustration—and that makes it hard to lead effectively.

Instead, progress happens when we come from a place of self-belief, problem-solving, and possibility.

Just like you’d encourage a teacher or student, you need to encourage yourself. Mindset shifts turn setbacks into opportunities—and in school leadership, setbacks happen all the time. The question is: how will you think about them?

Fixed vs. Growth Mindset in Leadership

We talk a lot about growth mindset with students—but do you apply it to yourself?

A fixed mindset says, “This is just the way I am.”
A growth mindset says, “I can learn new strategies and become the kind of leader I want to be.”

I used to tell myself I was a people-pleaser. But as a principal, I had to shift that identity. I couldn’t be effective if I was always trying to keep everyone happy. That’s when I realized: I could change. I could choose a new mindset.

I’ve also heard principals say, “I’m not good at time management,” or “I’ve always been bad at delegation.” Those are fixed mindset thoughts—and they’ll keep you stuck. But you’re not stuck. You get to choose how you think about yourself.

How to Shift Your Mindset and Reach Your Goals

1. See Challenges as Growth Opportunities

Progress will never be a straight line. There will be difficult conversations, unexpected fires, and days where nothing goes to plan. That’s leadership. But when you see those challenges as part of the process, you stay grounded and keep moving forward.

2. Set Micro-Goals and Celebrate Wins

Big goals are overwhelming. Break them into smaller steps.

• Want to leave work by 4:00? Start by leaving on time two days a week.

• Want to improve how you lead PD? Focus on planning just the opening 10 minutes with intention.

• Want to improve teacher morale? Start by checking in with three teachers each week.

Small wins create momentum—and momentum keeps you going.

3. Reframe Negative Thoughts

The thoughts you think shape your reality. If you’re telling yourself, “I’m just not good at managing discipline,” you’ll lead from that belief.

Instead, reframe it:

• “I’m learning to lead discipline with clarity.”

• “Each day I become more confident with tough conversations.”

• “I’m building systems that make behavior more manageable.”

Those thoughts build confidence—and confidence changes everything.

Use Affirmations to Stay Grounded

Affirmations help you rewire your thinking. Try these:

• “I can accomplish anything I commit to.”

• “I’m a principal who handles challenges with clarity.”

• “I don’t have to do everything—I lead with systems, not stress.”

• “Setbacks are learning moments—not stop signs.”

• “I am becoming the leader I want to be—one small step at a time.”

Now, write five affirmations of your own. Use these sentence starters:

• “I am a person who…”

• “I will…”

Example:

• “I am a person who leads with confidence, even when things feel hard.”

• “I will prioritize my time and leave by 4:00 three times this week.”

Journal Prompts for Deeper Reflection

Here are five questions to reflect on:

1. What thoughts are holding me back from reaching my goals?

2. What new thoughts could I practice instead?

3. How can I be more intentional with the way I think each day?

4. What small step can I take today to move closer to my goal?

5. In what ways have I grown over the past month that I can build on?

Want Support Reaching Your Goals?

If you’re ready to go deeper, I’d love to coach you.

When you work with me one-on-one, we meet weekly for 30–45 minutes. Between sessions, I check in to help you stay accountable—to your goals and the version of yourself you’re trying to become.

If you say, “I want to be a principal who leads with confidence and boundaries,” I’ll help you follow through on that. If you say, “I want to reduce burnout and get my evenings back,” I’ll help you build the habits to make that happen.

You’ll get coaching, accountability, and tools you can use immediately. If you’re curious, I offer a free consultation to see if we’re a good fit.

Just reach out—I’d love to support you.

Thank you for joining me for this bonus workshop!
Don’t forget to grab the free worksheet in the show notes with affirmations and journal prompts to help you take action. And if this episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow principal who’s working toward their goals too.

This is The Principal’s Handbook, and I’m Barb Flowers. See you next time!