More Than a Resolution: Why We Set Goals
Happy 2026!
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and a great start to the New
Year.
As we begin a new year, I wanted to talk about why we set goals in the first place. This is
the time of year when resolutions are everywhere, big plans, bold promises, and
lots of motivation. But the reality is sobering about 30% of people stick with their
resolution through January, and only 8–10% actually
follow through for the entire year.
There are many reasons for this, but one of the
biggest is that we try to change everything at
once, while still managing work, family, parenting, and everyday life. We
expect ourselves to give ten different goals equal attention, and when that
becomes overwhelming, we quit.
Yesterday at lunch, I told my boys that by the
end of the next day they needed to come up with goals for 2026. I offered some
ideas, running a certain distance, lifting a specific amount of weight, getting
faster for soccer, sharpening skills. Endless possibilities. Their response?
Absolute resistance. Typical teenagers.
But honestly, many adults don’t fully
understand the importance of goals either.
For me, goals aren’t just boxes to check. We
live in a world of instant gratification, we want results quickly, sometimes
within hours or days. Waiting months or a full year feels uncomfortable. That’s
exactly why goals matter. Goals teach us
that the
process is more important than the outcome. You might fail ten
times before you succeed, but each failure teaches you how to adjust.
I always say: don’t change the goal—change the
plan on how to get
there.
I want my kids to learn early that if you have
nothing to strive for, you don’t grow. I know people who have no goals at all,
and honestly, that makes me sad. Are you okay being exactly the same this time
next year? Maybe some are but for me, the answer is no. I never want to stop
growing or learning. There’s a quote that says, “If you’re not growing, you’re dying,” and I truly believe
it.
As a mom of two teenage boys, I see it as my
responsibility to teach them not only how to set goals, but how to create a
plan and how to keep going even if they don’t reach the goal right away. Not
hitting the goal isn’t failure. Giving up is.
There are many ways to approach goal setting.
You can set yearly goals, but as we know, very few people follow through for a
full 12 months. One approach I love is quarterly goals. Ninety days
feels much more manageable than 365. If something isn’t working, you can adjust
sooner instead of waiting an entire year.
Another great option is monthly goals.
A friend recently told me she’s doing Whole30 for January, while my goal is no
sugar for the year. Her approach made me pause, focusing on one month at a time
makes change feel doable instead of overwhelming. One month builds momentum for
the next. I think monthly goals is a fantastic way to approach 2026.
This applies beyond health. Think about saving
money. Saying “I want to save $10,000 this year” can feel daunting. But what if
January’s goal is no Amazon purchases? February could be no eating out. March
might be meal planning and sticking to a grocery budget. Each month has a
focused intention, and by the end of the year, you’ve likely hit that $10,000, without
feeling deprived or overwhelmed.
If you don’t have a goal for 2026 yet, start
with this simple question:
What do I want to be different on
December 31, 2026?
Stronger? Healthier? More financially secure?
A new career? More time with family? More rest? More joy? Once you know the
destination, work backward and build monthly or quarterly goals to get there.
The biggest regret is not failing, it’s staying the same.
Here are 5 reasons you need at least one goal:
1. Goals give you direction
Without goals, it’s easy to drift through life reacting instead of choosing.
Goals act like a compass—they give your time, energy, and decisions purpose.
When you know where you’re headed, it becomes easier to say yes to what matters
and no to what doesn’t.
2. Goals keep you growing
Growth doesn’t happen by accident. Setting goals challenges you to stretch
beyond your comfort zone, learn new skills, and evolve. Even when you don’t
fully reach a goal, you grow in the process—and that growth compounds over
time.
3. Goals teach discipline and consistency
Motivation comes and goes. Goals teach you how to show up even when you don’t
feel like it. Small, consistent actions toward a goal build discipline, which
is far more powerful than motivation alone.
4. Goals build confidence
Every step forward—no matter how small—proves to yourself that you’re capable.
Achieving goals (or making progress toward them) builds self-trust and
confidence. You begin to see evidence that you can do hard things.
5. Goals turn dreams into action
Dreams stay dreams without a plan. Goals take what you want and turn it
into something you work toward. They move you from wishing to doing, and
from intention to results.
Once my boys finalize their goals, I’ll share
them with you. And I would truly love to hear yours.
Here’s
to growth, intention, and showing up for the process in 2026
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