Framework to Understand: Mastering the Sacrifices That Make Your Goals Possible

Last year, one of my mentors looked me straight in the eye and asked a question that stopped me cold—a question I’ve revisited countless times since.

At the time, I was spinning my wheels, chasing big goals but making minimal progress. Too many things were pulling me in different directions, and while I attempted to chase all of them, it was clear I was stuck. My mentor saw it before I could and asked me, simply:

“What are you willing to sacrifice, Erinn?”

We often think of sacrifice as something heroic or grand, but most of the time, it’s not. Sacrifice is quiet. It’s in the everyday decisions—what you say no to, what you let go of, and what you make room for.

Mark Manson, author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, poses a similar question in his book:

These questions hit hard because they reveal a core truth: every goal brings its own set of struggles and sacrifices.

The real question isn’t just What do I want? It’s What am I willing to work for and give up-even when it’s uncomfortable or hard?

The Quiet Trade-Offs

Sacrifice doesn’t have to be extreme—it’s in the small, daily decisions where we trade ease for progress.

For me, it looked like this:

• Avoiding energy-draining distractions like endless news notifications.
• Saying no to foods that made me feel sluggish.
• Cutting out mindless social media scrolling.
• Skipping career opportunities that didn’t align with my passions.
• Declining events that didn’t support my goals or relationships.

These choices weren’t easy or glamorous. Each one exchanged something short-term for something long-term—comfort for meaning. That’s where the momentum began. The lightbulb moment? It wasn’t until I made those tough choices and sacrifices that I started making real headway—not just toward my goals, but in terms of how I felt about my time and energy.

How to Decide What to Sacrifice

Sacrifice is deeply personal, and it’s not a decision to take lightly. Here’s a framework that’s helped me navigate it:

1. Get Clear on What You Truly Want: Not just the “nice-to-haves,” but the goals that genuinely matter to you. What’s worth your time, energy, and focus?
2. Be Honest About the Cost: Every goal has a cost. What will you need to give up to make room for it? Time? Energy? Money? Certain habits or expectations? Write it down. Clarity is everything.
3. Decide If It’s Worth It: Are you willing to make those trade-offs? Sacrifice isn’t always easy, but when you’re clear about what you’re working toward, it feels less like giving something up and more like choosing something better.

Often we admire what others achieve, but we often overlook the sacrifices and struggles they endured to get there. Success requires trade-offs.

Keep in mind that your sacrifices might not look like mine, and they don’t need to. The important thing is making choices that align with your values and goals.

Keeping Sacrifice Sustainable

Sacrifice isn’t a one-time decision; it’s an ongoing process. To keep it sustainable:

Communicate: Share your priorities with family, friends, or colleagues so they understand why certain things might take a back seat. Don't be afraid to repeat yourself from time to time.

Reframe the Narrative: Sacrifice isn’t about loss—it’s about alignment. Every decision to say no to what doesn’t serve you is a step toward what does.

Bringing It Home

The truth is, every goal comes with struggle. But when that struggle aligns with your purpose, it becomes something more—it shifts from pain to progress.

Sacrifice isn’t about endless willpower or punishment. It’s about love—love for the person you’re becoming and the life you’re building. It’s choosing what matters most over what’s easy in the moment. If your goals demand sacrifice, let it be for something truly worth it.

Let your choices reflect what truly matters. Every deliberate step moves you closer to the outcome you desire.