How to Set Goals for the Year Ahead
Without Repeating the Same Patterns
In my last blog, How to Review and Reframe a Year That Didn’t Go to Plan, I talked about the importance of looking back before rushing forward. Reviewing the year you’ve had helps you understand what actually happened, spot patterns, and separate effort from outcome. Once that work is done, the next question naturally becomes: what do I do with this now? That’s where thoughtful goal setting comes in.
Goal setting gets talked about a lot at this time of year. New notebooks, fresh plans, big intentions. And while setting goals is important, it’s also where many women quietly go wrong. Not because they don’t want change badly enough, but because they set goals that ignore what the previous year actually showed them.
This is why reviewing your year properly matters. Without that step, it’s very easy to set goals that look sensible on paper but feel heavy, unrealistic, or strangely familiar once you start trying to live them.
Why goal setting works, when it’s done properly
There’s a strong body of evidence showing that people who set clear, intentional goals are more likely to make progress and sustain change. Goals give direction, help prioritise decisions, and reduce the mental load of constantly working out what to do next.
This is why goal setting sits at the heart of my work, and why my goal setting sessions tend to sell out quickly each year. When goals are done well, they create focus and momentum. When they’re done badly, they create pressure and self-criticism.
The difference usually isn’t motivation. It’s alignment.
Start by narrowing, not expanding
Most people approach goal setting by asking, “What do I want next year?”
A more useful starting point is, “What actually needs to change?”
Before writing a single goal, take a moment to answer:
What felt unsustainable last year?
Where did I consistently overestimate my capacity?
What do I already know doesn’t work for me?
Good goal setting often involves removing things, not adding more. Less pressure. Fewer competing priorities. Clearer boundaries. Without this step, goals tend to stack on top of an already full life.
Set goals that reflect your real capacity
One of the biggest mistakes I see women make is setting goals based on who they think they should be, rather than who they actually are right now.
Capacity changes. Energy changes. Life changes.
When setting goals, it helps to ask:
How much time and energy do I realistically have each week?
What will this goal require from me on a practical level?
What will I need to say no to in order to make this possible?
A good goal should stretch you, but it shouldn’t rely on you running at full capacity all year just to keep up.
Be specific, but not rigid
Clear goals work better than vague ones. “Grow my business” or “feel better” sound nice, but they don’t give you anything solid to work with.
Instead, aim for clarity:
What does this goal look like in practice?
How will I know if it’s working?
What’s the smallest version of this goal I could start with?
At the same time, avoid locking yourself into a version of the future that doesn’t allow for change.
Life rarely unfolds in straight lines. Goals work best when they’re clear but flexible, giving you direction without boxing you in.
Watch for goals driven by guilt or comparison
Not all goals come from a healthy place. Some are reactions.
“I should be further ahead.”
“I need to catch up.”
“Everyone else seems to be doing more.”
Goals driven by guilt or comparison tend to drain energy rather than build it. If a goal feels heavy before you’ve even started, it’s worth pausing to ask why.
A simple check-in can help:
Am I choosing this goal because it matters to me, or because I feel behind?
Would I still want this if no one else knew about it?
The answers are often very telling.
Build in review points, not just end points
One reason goals fail is because they’re set in January and not revisited until December. Life changes, priorities shift, and without review points, goals can quietly stop making sense.
When setting goals, consider:
When will I check in on this?
What would tell me this needs adjusting rather than abandoning?
How will I respond if things don’t go to plan?
Reviewing your goals as you go keeps them relevant and reduces the all-or-nothing thinking that causes many people to give up entirely.
Keep it simple
You do not need ten goals. You do not need a perfectly mapped-out year. You need clarity on what matters most.
For many women, one to three meaningful goals, supported by clear boundaries and realistic expectations, are far more effective than an ambitious list that never quite gets off the ground.
Progress comes from consistency, not overwhelm.
Moving forward with intention
If you’ve taken the time to review and reframe the year you’ve had, you’re already setting yourself up for a different kind of year ahead. One driven by choice rather than habit.
Goal setting isn’t about becoming a different person. It’s about deciding how you want to use your time, energy, and attention in the year ahead, based on what you now know about yourself.
That’s where real change tends to come from.
If you haven’t yet read How to Review and Reframe a Year That Didn’t Go to Plan, I’d recommend starting there before diving into your goals. Reflection gives your goals context, and context is what makes them stick.
