Ciona (an educator at our Nashville store) is a lover of poetry, playfulness, travelling, yoga and the colour yellow. In 10 years you’ll see her producing and hosting a TV show on OWN.

what would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?

want more?

• read more from Ciona: Rouse Rantings
• create a vision and set powerful goals
• more words of wisdom: read our manifesto

Something you should know about Thea, one of our Vancouver educators, is that she loves to dance for fun. For her, a successful party is simply not complete without a sweet, sweet dance floor. She tells us how her passion for dance (and a belief that it can bring communities together) led her to a series of Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals and a future date with Ellen.

I lost touch with dance in any sort of formal way after I finished school. It wasn’t until my sister’s wedding, 3 years later, that my passion was reignited with the brilliant plan of creating a flash mob as a gift! I choreographed a ridiculous routine to Beyonce’s ‘Put a Ring On It’ and made a step-by-step instructional video. The guests learned the steps prior to the wedding and busted it out an hour into the reception. It was awesome! The next winter, during Vancouver's Olympics, 5000 spectators watched as a 3000 strong flash mob danced my choreographed routine up and down Robson St. This second success gave me a new sense of energy, momentum and purpose (and an opportunity to set some goals.).

 

setting big hairy audacious goals

Focusing on my strengths and my passion for dance, I set my first BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal): I create an online instructional dance choreography business by January 2011.

It felt scary, foreign and ridiculous to create a business out of thin air. That, by the way, is how you know a goal is a BHAG. If it scares the crap out of you or seems impossible, it is a BHAG. It's been a year of huge learning, perseverance and patience but I have successfully created my business, Just For Fun Dance Party, and can check that BHAG off the list.

Of course there is always another juicy one waiting around the corner. My current BHAG gets me excited every time I think about it: the Vancouver Bust Out! It's an opportunity for Vancouverites to get together and create a unique and hilarious experience. A Bust Out is like a flash mob but it's NOT a secret. The goal is to engage with our greater community and do something just for the sake of fun!

the bold declaration

• 500+ Vancouverites participate in the Vancouver Bust Out on July 23rd during the Khatsahlano Music Fest.
• Ellen DeGeneres sees the video of the Bust out on youtube and invites me to teach her and her audience the dance. (I've assigned you a special ring tone, Ellen).

join in

Come join in the fun and bring all of your friends and family. We dare you all to try learning the first few moves and NOT giggle. Check out  justforfundanceparty.com or find the Just For Fun Dance Party Facebook page so you can learn the moves at home.

Or come practice in person with Thea. Here is the schedule of rehearsals for the Bust Out! happening on July 23rd:

• Wed July 13 from 8- 9pm @ lululemon West 4th (2113 W 4th Ave)
• Wed July 20 from 8- 9pm @ lululemon West 4th (2113 W 4th Ave)
• Fri July 22 from 7:15- 9:15 @ Semperviva Kits Beach (2201 W 4th Ave).

want more

• learn how to create powerful goals
• dance. sing. floss. travel. it's right there on the manifesto

25 years ago, Rick Hansen set himself the goal of touring the world in his wheelchair. Over two years, he wheeled himself across four continents, through 34 countries; wheeling the gruelling equivalent of two marathons a day. His Man In Motion World Tour inspired people around the world and raised awareness of the potential of people with disabilities (it also inspired the Grammy nominated song St. Elmo's Fire - listen to the lyrics - that's the core of so many uplifting workout playlists).

rick hansen & the rick hansen foundation

When he was 15, a spinal cord injury left Rick Hansen paralysed from the waist down. Coming to terms with his disability, Rick set new goals for his life and went on to win 19 international wheelchair marathons and six medals as a Paralympian.

Rick set off on the Man In Motion Tour to raise awareness of the many obstacles he'd overcome that were ubiquitous for people with disabilities. The Tour raised 26 million dollars and gave birth to the Rick Hansen Foundation which seeks a cure for spinal cord injuries and to improve the lives of those affected by them.

25^th anniversary relay

To celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the world tour, the Rick Hansen Foundation is recreating the Canadian-portion, a 12,000 kilometre westward trek across Canada. Beginning on August 24, 2011 in Cape Spear, St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador (and finishing on May 22, 2012 in Vancouver, British Columbia), the 25th Anniversary Relay will shift the focus from ‘man in motion’ to ‘many in motion’. 7,000 participants from across Canada who have made their own difference in the lives of others (by fostering inclusion, inspiring others to live healthily or improving the community through courage and determination) will walk, wheel or run in the Rick Hansen Relay.

join the 25^th anniversary rick hansen relay

The Rick Hansen Foundation has launched an online public contest, inviting Canadians to enter to win a spot to participate in the 25th Anniversary Relay as a medal-bearer.

All Canadian citizens and permanent residents over 13 years of age are eligible to enter.
If you want to keep up to date on the 25th Anniversary Relay goings-on, join the Rick Hansen Foundation on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

Head to RickHansenRelay.com and show what a difference we can make when the whole community comes together.

As an educator at our Houston Highland Village store, Laura loves to inspire others and to be inspired by those around her. Recently, she became so inspired by the flow of inspiration around her that she had to share her experience. Read on and join her circle of inspiration.

The life I love is challenging, uncertain, and sometimes outright tiring. After experiencing lululemon’s entrepreneurial-focused culture as a part-time educator at the San Antonio store, I went on to a career and a job where I felt unhappy and stuck. To maintain balance in my life, I surrounded myself with healthy, inspiring, like-minded people who all seemed to have two desires in common: to make a difference in the world; and to live a happy life.

My goal became to create my life around those two intentions. The inspiration to achieve those goals took many forms:

• an inspiring and empowering yoga teacher training at a local studio
• my friend, Jenny, having the strength to change career and find happiness
• the passion for life and love of lululemon Key Leader, Emily Jacobs
• support from friends and family
• my yoga practice

The journey towards my goal led to me leaving a well-paying, status quo job for a risky, less-mainstream one. The result? I am financially stable. I love the work I do. I am inspired by the people I work with on a daily basis. I am simply a happy human being. I am also fortunate enough to have the opportunity to inspire others around me as a friend, yoga teacher and lululemon educator. The flow of inspiration starts with just one brave act.

top 10 ways to inspire others in your community

• share ideas generously with anyone who will listen; without fear
• follow your passion
• face the unknown with curiosity and excitement
• drop your labels and open yourself up to constant change and growth (labeling yourself limits your potential)
• allow others to share in your greatness and allow others to (gasp!) copy you; without judgment.
• don’t base your wants on society’s wants, or the status quo
• let others’ ideas be different from yours, and let that difference inspire you
• forget your ego and take responsibility for your circumstances
• set goals and accomplish them
• enlist the help and support of others

Inspiration can be a lot like the butterfly effect; a tiny action from you can set off a chain reaction. Hopefully all our little butterflies are sending out positive ripples through the universe.

want more?

• Share your goals to actively seek and give inspiration.
• Find an inspirational ambassador in your area.

When Richard Roberts and Phillip Sharp won a Nobel Prize in 1993 for their work with split genes, Laura Appleton thought she was on to a winning formula. Her jean-splitting lunge is definitely prize worthy (although she still hasn't received her Nobel Prize for it) and her BHAGs  keep her achieving awesome things every day.

meet laura

want more?

• Harness the power of BHAGs.
• Draw inspiration from those around you.

You’ve probably heard that we are doing some behind-the-scenes renovations to our online store. (What? You didn’t hear? Read more about it.) We have big goals. We’ve been assessing where we’re at and the first step in making our goal a reality is re-platforming our site. (Sounds glamourous, right? It's not.) We need to change a few things - hence, the renovation.

goals need renovations too

Our online store isn’t the only thing needing a facelift these days. Not sure about you, but our goals need constant attention. It’s been almost three months since we talked about setting goals instead of resolutions. We re-ignited things later in January when some of us (and likely some of you) lost some momentum. For those of you who were still stuck, we talked to Soho ambassador Holly to learn more about how dialing in on your values can help set things in motion.

Now it's nearly April. In the spirit of spring cleaning, why not take a look and see if your goals could also use a little love while we renovate online? After all, the goal setting resources on the site is in fine working order during the reno.

Visualize your next ten years before you set out renovating

how to renovate your goals

Have goals in the first place. You can’t renovate if you don’t own the place. You need a 10-year vision. If you have no idea what a BHAG is or you haven’t formally set out to capture your SMART goals on paper, we highly recommend you start. (We mean it. Start now.) Spend some time doing so and then set a reminder to check back on this blog in a few months’ time. Already got some goals? You may proceed.

Assess the situation. What stirred you when you first wrote your goals? Do they still motivate and inspire you? Are you happy with the attention you’ve been giving them or have you let the dust bunnies set up shop in the corners of your world?

Get insight from professionals. Ok, maybe this is more applicable if you’re attempting to redo the kitchen plumbing. Still, it never hurts to talk to those close to you. They may challenge you to dream bigger and take more risks. They may give you that dose of reality you need. There’s one thing to remember though: your goals need to motivate you and you alone. No justification is required.

Draw up some new plans. If you’re uninspired, get clarity on where you want to go, tear up the old blueprints and start fresh. Motivation (unlike that plumber you may actually need for your kitchen) runs cheap. Just spy on some of the big things others are up to. (Carolyn’s enthusiasm is just the ticket. Try not being motivated after reading her blog on goal setting.)

Get going. Renovating goals may not be as fun as swinging a sledgehammer into drywall but the clean-up is easier. Don’t expect it to all be easy though. (Just ask our IT team.) Every renovation comes with its surprises, so be prepared for some bumps along the way.

want more?

• Get your goals on paper. Everyone has to start somewhere.
• Make a stop-doing list while you’re at it. They’re just as amazing as their counterparts.
• Get inspired. Read about what Linda, Meghan and Jenn are up to.
• Follow our progress. Get all the latest news on the online store reno.

 Next to breaking a sweat, goal setting is the best way to up the resale value on one of your greatest assets: yourself. Remember to have some fun while you’re at it. (If you’ve been pining to wear a tool belt on a day that wasn’t Halloween, now’s your chance.) What are you busy renovating?

Friends are more important than money.

Even before I started working for lululemon I was inspired by this quote. To me, it serves as a gentle reminder of one of my goals.

My personal BHAG (big hairy audacious goal): I will book a trip with my best friends once a year.

In May, nine of my friends strategically coordinated our vacation days so we could spend a long weekend in California together. I can now check off my big, hairy, audacious goal for 2010.

We flew from Chicago, Chapel Hill, New York City, Denver and Indianapolis to gather in San Francisco and explore the beautiful city.

We experienced the most amazing food, culture and scenery followed by a sensory-overloaded visit to Napa Valley.

The weekend was capped off with a visit to lululemon athletica Union Square, where my friend Madeline recently transferred from the lululemon Boulder store in Colorado.

Reuniting with Madeline!

I had such a blast helping my friends find their favourite items.

My friends wanted to see what a day in the life of a lululemon athletica assistant store manager is like (that’s my job! But in Denver, Colorado at the Park Meadows store).

Two of my runner/marathoner friends Mia and Katie, were so inspired by Union Square’s Run Club that they plan to visit the Bucktown and Halsted lululemon athletica stores back in Chicago to form connections there!

No matter the cost, no matter the constraint, it is my goal to visit with these lovely ladies each year.

I tackled my goal and we had a blast in San Francisco. Where should we travel to next year?

Setting big, hairy, audacious goals (BHAGs) are exciting. They make us dream of what is possible and then push us to achieve it. In June 2010, we asked some rockstar lululemon athletica employees to set (and write down) some BHAGs. As with any other goal, it’s a good idea to review your BHAGs on a regular basis. Sheena sat down with Matt, a member of our Leadership & Development team, to review her BHAG – let’s listen in:

Matt: Your BHAG of speaking fluent Italian, Spanish, and French by Oct 2014 is awesome! Tell me about your vision that this supports.

Sheena: Well, in 10 years, by Jan 2020, I will be the Director of International Business at lululemon athletica. I also want to set the intention of being able to connect and speak with our guests, ambassadors, and store neighbours directly to really build those authentic relationships – rather than having a translator.

Matt: Sounds like this BHAG is really aligned to your other goals. Was this your first time looking at your BHAG after you wrote it down?

Sheena: Actually no. I reviewed it earlier and wanted to take being fluent in Italian out because I knew it would be really hard. But BHAGs are intended to be hard and push you, so I just had to prioritize how I was going to tackle it.

Matt: So what’s your plan? How are you going to tackle this bad boy?

Sheena: I am going to master Spanish first, then take on French, and then Italian.

Matt: It’s good to start with something that helps build confidence in your ability to accomplish your BHAG. And by the time you hit Italian, you’ll be only one language away! Your goal will be so close to being accomplished! But, before we get too ahead of ourselves, how to plan on mastering Spanish?

Sheena: Believe it or not, I just registered for Spanish lessons at Point Grey Community Centre. I am doing the classes with a friend as well, so we can hold each other accountable.

Matt: Having someone to hold you accountable to your goals is key. To help you really understand the language, you may also consider teaching it to someone else. That could look like quizzing your friend before and after class, or teaching your colleagues a new word each week. Either of those can really help solidify your learning and help enroll others in supporting your goal.

Sheena: Does that mean you are ready to learn some Spanish then?

Matt: Si!

*high five*

Do you have a question around goal-setting that you'd like some guidance on? Visit the lululemon Facebook wall on Sept. 8th at 4 pm PST and ask Matt! Event details are here: http://www.facebook.com/askagoalcoacher.. Hope to see you on the wall!

Setting big, hairy, audacious goals (BHAGs) are exciting. They make us dream of what is possible and then push us to achieve it. In June 2010, we asked some rockstar lululemon athletica employees to set (and write down) some BHAGs. As with any other goal, it’s a good idea to review your BHAGs on a regular basis. Ali sat down with Matt, a member of our Leadership & Development team, to review her BHAG – let’s listen in:

Matt: Tell me about your BHAG.

Ali: Well, it’s changed. I originally set it as owning an online eco-friendly urban gift basket store by January 2015. But when I knew we were meeting, I reviewed and changed it.

Matt: That’s perfect. Goals should always be reviewed and modified. So what is it now?

Ali: I will be a professional wrapper and own a wrapping business by January 2015. I will be the one to go to that is able to wrap anything. You want me to wrap up a car for you? I can do that!

Matt: So why the change? Is it more in line with your vision of where you’d like to be in 10 years?

Ali: I changed it because, when I was reviewing the goal, I realized what I really love to do is the wrapping of the gift baskets – not creating the mix of the consumable products in the basket itself. And it would still have an eco-friendly, philanthropic twist to it, obviously. This is also still in line with my vision. In five years I will start the business, and in 10 years I want to be a stay at home mom with the business on the side.

Matt: That’s great to hear the goal is still aligned to your 10 year vision and your true passion. When you revisit your goal and it doesn’t inspire you – you know it’s time to change it. So – what are you going to do next to help you achieve this goal?

Ali: I want to start small to test out the demand and my own capacity. I’m going to offer my great wrapping services to my colleagues during Christmas through our company newsletter – helping them to wrap Christmas and Secret Santa presents.

Matt: Nice! Let’s follow-up after Christmas to see if that experience helped reaffirm your BHAG or if it highlighted what may need to be altered.

*high five*

Do you have a question around goal-setting that you'd like some guidance on? Visit the lululemon Facebook wall on Sept. 8th at 4 pm PST and ask Matt! Event details are here: http://www.facebook.com/askagoalcoacher.. Hope to see you on the wall!

One month ago, I wrote a Big Hairy Audacious Goal on a piece of cardboard that said, “I have been featured on lululemon.com in a sports bra by July 1st!”. I had a lot of friends asking me why this was a BHAG. While some people have no problem heading into a hot yoga class sans shirt, I have always been a little shy of my body. So what better way to overcome my fear than to declare to the world that I will show my stomach off! This scary goal fit into my health, personal and career goals!

• Health: it motivated me to push my body a little harder when I worked out because I knew I was going to be wearing a sports bra in public and online.
• Personal: it helped me overcome my ego, as I was committed to doing it whether I was in my ‘ideal’ physique or not.
• Career: it pushed me to create and accomplish a BHAG and be featured on my company’s website for all to see!

In order to hold myself accountable, not only did I write my goal down, I shared it with the entire company through our internal communication channel and online for all of our guests to see. The response was a little overwhelming, but it was also empowering to see the support I got! For me, this wasn’t just about taking my shirt off and snapping a picture, it was about being comfortable in my own skin, literally.

following through

Flash forward to July 1st. I woke up, packed my yoga gear, picked the hottest class on YYoga’s schedule and was on my way. I even specifically wore a long sleeve shirt as extra motivation to take off my top in class. As I walked up the stairs of the studio, I secretly had my fingers crossed that the class would be full and I would be turned away. I quickly pushed these thoughts aside and told myself, “Shawna, this is not a big deal".

I was the last one to join the class and ended up right in the middle of the room. I placed my yoga mat down and pondered the idea of wearing my long sleeve shirt for the whole class (it was moisture wicking after all).

Shawna letting go to achieve her BHAG.

I'm not going to lie, I kept my shirt on for the first 15 minutes of the hot yoga class and as a result I began to feel quite nauseous. Not because of the heat, but because of the internal conflict in my head and the increasing butterflies in my stomach. At that very moment, Will Blunderfield, an inspiring YYoga instructor, told the class to “just let go”. While it was a general statement to the class, in that moment I felt like he was speaking specifically to me. I took my shirt off and dedicated the rest of my practice to myself.

Forty-five minutes later, the class ended. While I admittedly had the urge to reach for my shirt a few times throughout the class, I didn’t. No one looked at me funny, no one judged my body and no one cared. So if no one else cared, why should I? In that class, I let go of more than just my shirt. I let go of my ego, my baggage and the barrier I put in front of myself.

Will I be able to let go and rock another class in just a sports bra? Yes.

After high school, Angela moved from Ontario to Alberta for university and volleyball. While at school, she started practicing yoga to compliment her intensive volleyball training. She soon fell in love with hot yoga and made it one of her goals to open the first Moksha studio in Edmonton.

Once she graduated, Angela worked at lululemon athletica on the team that opened our Kingsway store in Edmonton. Her time in the store provided her with the opportunity to develop her leadership skills and discover another one of her passions: developing people. At the same time, her position allowed her the freedom to continue pursuing her yoga studio goals as she took a month off to get her Moksha teacher certification in Thailand.

Angela teaching an outdoor complimentary yoga class

BHAG accomplished

Soon enough, Angela was able to realize her dream and open the first Moksha Yoga studio in Edmonton. At the time, this was the only Moksha studio and she was the only Moksha instructor in the entire province. Her amazing ability to attract and develop people has clearly worked in her favour; two and a half years later, she has opened her second studio location and she now shares the teaching workload with 20 other Moksha certified yoga teachers!

Our Strategic Sales partner, Moksha Yoga Edmonton

Angela still works closely with the Edmonton stores and this past year she signed on for her second term as an ambassador with lululemon West Edmonton Mall. To check out her new studio and to learn more about Moksha Yoga visit Moksha Yoga Edmonton; to find a lululemon Strategic Sales partner in your community check out our partner listings under the Community tab.

Name: Cassandra
BHAG: I will become certified in yoga on an ashram in India by December 2011.

Name: Nettie
BHAG: To walk this slackline with no fear by this summer.

Name: Holly
BHAG: I am the community guru in Italy by 01/01/2014.

Name: Laura
BHAG: Break 3:10 in a marathon by 2011.

Name:Lisa
BHAG: I started running in January and have completed a 10K race. My BHAG is to run a half marathon by the end of 2010.

Name: Monica
BHAG: Get my PT ACE Certification and complete a triathlon by 2012!

Name: Lindsay
BHAG: I am at peace as a working mom.

Name: Terri (before)
BHAG: Shave my head for a friend with cancer.

Name: Terri (after)

Name: Amanda
BHAG: After a 136 pound weight loss in 2009, my BHAG for 2011 is to finish my first Ultra Marathon of at least 50km. If I can go from a size 24 to a size 6, I can do anything!

Name: Hanna
BHAG: Pass the real estate exam by October 2010.

Name: Michelle
BHAG: I go to dinner and a movie with someone like [see above!] by July 31st.

Name: Kate
BHAG: I complete a 1/2 Ironman by July 31st!

Name: Kala
BHAG: To be dancing en pointe by 2013.

Names: Megan & Julie
BHAG: To race in a half marathon (inline/running) by Summer 2011.

Name: Jennifer
BHAG: I want to break 2 hours in my next 1/2 marathon!

more BHAGs!

Check out the BHAG Facebook photo albums from some of our stores:

lululemon Eaton Centre
lululemon Whyte Ave
lululemon Sherway Gardens
lululemon Denver

Thank you everyone for contributing during the Daily BHAG month. Stay tuned for a blog follow up, when we check in on the status of some of your goals!

Name: Shirley
BHAG: I take photos from space by 2020!

what is a bhag?

A BHAG (pronounced "bee-hag") is a big, hairy, audacious goal!

why share your bhag?

The more you share your goals, the more likely it is you will achieve them. For the month of June we will be sharing a BHAG every day on lululemon.com. Want to share your BHAG with the world? Send your high-res photo to blogs@lululemon.com and we'll publish a few of our favourites here on the lululemon blog.

Name: Andrea
BHAG: I start a new business by Jan. 2013.

what is a bhag?

A BHAG (pronounced "bee-hag") is a big, hairy, audacious goal!

why share your bhag?

The more you share your goals, the more likely it is you will achieve them. For the month of June we will be sharing a BHAG every day on lululemon.com. Want to share your BHAG with the world? Send your high-res photo to blogs@lululemon.com and we'll publish a few of our favourites here on the lululemon blog.

Name: Ashleigh
BHAG: I will travel to Tanzania by August 2011.

what is a bhag?

A BHAG (pronounced "bee-hag") is a big, hairy, audacious goal!

why share your bhag?

The more you share your goals, the more likely it is you will achieve them. For the month of June we will be sharing a BHAG every day on lululemon.com. Want to share your BHAG with the world? Send your high-res photo to blogs@lululemon.com and we'll publish a few of our favourites here on the lululemon blog.

Not sure where to start with your goal setting? Take a look at some of the info we have created for you on goal setting and get ready to kick more butt than you already do!