Recently I had a realization that was a little uncomfortable.

I started noticing just how vague I had been — not just with my goals, but also with my excuses.

On the surface, it felt like I was being clear.

I want to get stronger.
I want to grow my business.
I want to be more consistent.

But when I stopped and asked myself a simple question…

What does that actually mean?

I realized I didn’t have a great answer.

And the same thing showed up with my excuses.

I'm busy.
I didn’t have time.
I’ll do it tomorrow.

But when I slowed down and looked closer, I had to ask myself:

What does busy actually mean?
Where is my time actually going?
What did I choose instead?

That’s when the idea of being annoyingly specific really hit me.

What “Annoyingly Specific” Really Means

I first heard this phrase from Elizabeth Benton, an author and podcaster who talks a lot about consistency in health, business, and life. I’m currently taking one of her courses, and it has been incredibly eye-opening.

Her phrase stuck with me:

Be annoyingly specific.

Because the more I thought about it, the more I realized something important.

Most of us are not lacking motivation.

We are lacking clarity.

And vagueness gives us room to stay stuck.

The Problem With Vague Goals

Think about the goals we usually set.

I want to get in shape.
I want to grow my business.
I want to be more present.
I want to be more consistent.

But what do those things actually look like in real life?

Because if your goal is vague:

• Your plan will be vague

• Your actions will be vague

• Your results will be inconsistent

Vagueness leaves too much room for interpretation.

And when there is room for interpretation, excuses sneak in.

What Being Annoyingly Specific Looks Like

Being annoyingly specific means you don’t just say the goal — you define it.

You break it down into something you can actually do in your everyday life.

Instead of saying:

"I want to work out more."

Try:

"I will work out three times a week for 20 minutes. On the days I can't, I will walk for 10 minutes."

Instead of saying:

"I want to grow my business."

Try:

"I will reach out to three potential clients each week, post twice per week, and follow up within 24 hours."

And then go even deeper.

If you say you will work out three times a week:

Where will you work out?
What days?
What exercises will you do?

If you say you will reach out to clients:

How will you track them?
Where will you write their names?
How will you follow up?

When something is clear and measurable, it becomes something you can actually follow.

Get Specific About Your Excuses Too

This is where things really shifted for me.

You don’t just get specific about your goals.

You also get specific about your excuses.

Because they will come up.

For example, saying “I’m busy” is vague.

But when you define it, something interesting happens.

Instead of:

"I didn’t have time."

It becomes:

"I chose to scroll on my phone for 45 minutes instead of doing a 10-minute task."

That hits a little differently.

Not in a shameful way — but in an honest way.

And honesty creates ownership.

Clarity Creates Consistency

A lot of people believe consistency comes from discipline.

But many times it actually comes from clarity.

When you know:

• exactly what you’re doing

• when you’re doing it

• how you’re doing it

• what it looks like on a hard day

You remove so much decision-making.

You stop guessing.

And it becomes much easier to follow through.

This applies to everything — health, business, routines, and even relationships.

For example, instead of saying:

"I want to be more present with my kids."

Define it.

Maybe it means:

• Ten minutes of undistracted time after school

• Sitting down for dinner without phones

• Reading a book together before bed

When you define it, you can actually do it.

Why We Avoid Being Specific

If I’m being honest, I think many of us avoid specificity for one reason.

Once something is clear…

We can’t hide from it anymore.

We can’t pretend we don’t know what to do.
We can’t blame time or motivation.

Clarity removes the buffer.

But it also creates progress.

A Question To Ask Yourself

If you feel stuck…

If you feel inconsistent…

If you feel like you keep starting over…

Ask yourself this question:

Am I being specific enough?

Or am I leaving room for excuses?

Because most of the time, we don’t need more motivation.

We need more clarity.

Be annoyingly specific about:

• what you want

• what it looks like

• and what might get in the way

Because when you remove vagueness, you remove confusion.

And when you remove confusion, you make space for consistency.

Listen to the Podcast Episode

If you enjoyed this topic, you can listen to the full episode of The Photographer’s Couch here:

https://rss.com/podcasts/the-photographers-couch

About Megan Gioeli 

Megan Gioeli is a family, senior, and business photographer based in Mocksville, North Carolina. Through her photography and podcast, The Photographer’s Couch, Megan shares honest conversations about entrepreneurship, consistency, mindset, and building a business and life you’re proud of. When she’s not photographing families, seniors, or small business owners around the Triad — including Mocksville, Clemmons, and Winston-Salem — she enjoys encouraging other entrepreneurs to pursue meaningful goals with clarity and intention.