And just like that the year flew by! We’re on the cusp of 2025 and suddenly all my feeds are filled with ethereal videos contemplating and appreciating the year. The content is mostly focused on accepting and appreciating the big and little moments of 2024. However in just a few weeks, there'll be lots of content about “goal setting.” It’s normal for people to want a blank page to start afresh and share their intentions with others, but more often than not we set ourselves up for disappointment because the ways in which we set goals are not manageable. 

In an effort to prepare us for what’s to come, here are a few tips for setting goals for the new year.

Break it Down

One way to set obtainable goals is with a good plan. You must be strategic about the time limits you are setting for yourself. For example, if you want to save up $3500 for an umrah trip, make sure to set mini goals over a shorter period of time. Maybe you save $50 dollars each week. If that’s not achievable, then you should make adjustments along the way. Don’t just write one goal of $3500 in five months. Not only will you lose track of where you’re headed, but if you slip some months, you can always pivot to make corrections and get back on the path. 

Continuation of past goals

It might be easier to set goals if they’re packaged in an ongoing goal. Maybe your goal for the new year is to become a gym rat that works out at 5AM every day. If you’re already working out at 5PM each day, it might be easier to split up the days with more evening workouts, and then sprinkle in a few early mornings every so often. If you make big changes too quickly, they might not stick. But if you make small adjustments to things you’re already doing, you will have an easier success. 

Find a Buddy

It’s easier to stay locked into a plan when you’ve got someone else to keep you on track. Maybe you and a friend are trying to cut back on sugar. You could create a shared document in which you each list out what sugars you were able to avoid and what sugars were had on your treat days. You’ll quickly see that having a buddy to go on the journey with you is much easier than doing it alone.  

No Judgement

No matter what you do, you cannot pass judgment on yourself. The reason so many people never finish their new year's resolutions is because sometimes when they slip, they end up feeling shame and anxiety and it causes them to slip into a spiral in which they do not finish what they started. Don’t be that person. Work through your anxieties, don’t judge yourself, and try to find new creative ways to push past the obstacles so you can achieve your goals.