How to Have Successful Realistic Goals in 2025!
IT’S GOOD TO DREAM
At some point in life, we stop dreaming. When we're young, we're often asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" "What college are you going to?" "What are you studying?" But eventually, people stop asking these questions—maybe when we enter a career or start our first job.
As I thought about 2025, I was reminded that we should never stop dreaming, thinking about what's next, and imagining what life could be. Some of you may know that I worked as a Court Reporter for 35 years. I loved my career and still work in the field today. I've made lifelong friends and learned so much. However, my creative side began to itch for something more. Several years ago, I started exploring social media. If I had stopped dreaming, I wouldn’t be here today, writing this blog post.
This is why, even at 50, 60, 70 or beyond, we’re meant to keep dreaming and remain hopeful. We’re creative beings with a natural desire for change and new experiences. How beautiful it is that, once a year, we have the opportunity to reflect, be thankful for the year gone by and dream about all the possibilities the new year holds.
SET INTENTIONS
As I began thinking about the new year, it felt more like a chore. I looked at the goals I’ve set in the past and couldn’t help but laugh, because I rarely stick with any of them. I’m sure we can all agree that New Year’s goals and resolutions can feel a bit discouraging. Some of the ones I remember are: work out every day, eat <30 carbs daily, eat 100g protein daily, walk 12k steps daily, take daily supplements. It starts to sound more like a to-do list than a vision for the year ahead.
That’s why I’ve started setting intentions for the new year instead. I focus on how I want to feel, not just what I want to accomplish. I’ve found that choosing a word for the year is a great way to focus on what’s truly important to me. For example, if you want to prioritize peace, you might set an intention to spend 30 minutes of quiet, alone time daily. Or if your word is family, you could make a point to create memories with your loved ones throughout the year.
If you’re trying to pick a word for 2025, here are a few questions to ask yourself:
What do I value most?
In what areas could I see myself growing?
What brings me joy?
If I died tomorrow, what would I want to be remembered for?
START SMALL
Once you’ve set your intention for the year, it’s time to start implementing practical habits to help you achieve your vision, goals and intentions. This is where people often get overly ambitious. I’m not saying you can’t achieve your goals, but speaking from personal experience—and statistics—it’s easy to get ahead of yourself. According to Baylor College of Medicine, “88 percent of people who set New Year’s resolutions fail within the first two weeks.” Resolutions don’t seem to work for 88% of Americans, and they haven’t worked for me either.
So, as you think about the habits you want to implement in 2025, start SMALL! You might feel like it’s not enough, or that it won’t make a difference, or that it’s not drastic enough—but it needs to be something approachable. For example, if your word of the year is HEALTH and you want to build habits to feel more energized, set a realistic goal like going to the gym twice a week. It takes 66 days to form a habit. Once you’ve mastered that routine, then you can add another day.
This slow and steady approach may seem too small, but it will help you build lasting habits—rather than burning yourself out by relying on willpower alone.
PROGRESS OVER PERFECTION
If you're truly looking to set achievable goals, it's about progress over perfection. I believe the reason 88% of people fail at their resolutions is that as soon as they “cheat on their diet” or miss one gym session they think, “Forget it, I’ll start next month or next year...” It’s easy to fall into this cycle. But I don’t want that for myself, and I don’t want that for you. I want us to form habits that CHANGE OUR LIVES. And it doesn’t even have to wait until January 1st, 2025— you can start your new habits tomorrow.
I want to encourage you not to get discouraged. If you set a goal and get off course, remember: tomorrow is always a new day with new opportunities. You can choose yourself again tomorrow. Keep showing up for yourself and keep saying yes to the life you dream of.
I believe in you! Happy New Year xoxo
