January 1st.
It’s a day like any other on the calendar, yet we’ve chosen to give it a little different meaning than all the rest. Many of you reading this have spent some time thinking about what you want in the new year, and the first day of January is when it all begins. Whether you want to optimize your health, go deeper in your relationships, learn something new, or transform your finances in 2025, January 1st is where it all begins.
For some of us, January 1st is when achieving our goals begins. For others, it’s when we embark on our New Year’s resolutions. You may find yourself asking, “Aren’t they the same thing?” Not even close.
A quick Google search turns up the following definitions:
“A resolution is a more open-ended promise to yourself for a desired trajectory while a goal is a specific target.”
“Goals are attached to specific achievements, while resolutions are a declaration of a permanent change.”
“A resolution is a statement of what you want to change. For example, saving money. A goal is a statement of what you want to achieve; the steps you need to take to achieve it; and when you want to achieve it by.”
The common thread through all of these? Resolutions are open-ended declarations and statements. They’re focused on what you want, but are typically loose, including some fogginess and wiggle room. Goals, on the other hand, are specific, targeted toward certain achievements, and backed up with action, steps, and timelines. Resolutions often fall apart by the end of January. Goals, if you’re serious about them, have more staying power.
My question for you today is this: Which one do you want in 2025?
A resolution that crumbles in a matter of weeks with no results? Or, a goal that you stick with until you finish it, achieving what you want in the new year?
You can answer that however you want. Better yet, you get to choose how you approach this new year. As Mel Robbins is known to say, “No one is coming to save you.” As in, no one is going to do the work for you. The results you achieve are up to you.
- Whether you optimize your health this year is UP TO YOU.
- Whether you go deeper in your relationships this year is UP TO YOU.
- Whether you learn something new this year is UP TO YOU.
- Whether you transform your finances this year is UP TO YOU.
- Everything about how you show up in 2025 is UP TO YOU.
With that in mind, if you’re ready… if you want to set some real goals for yourself and are prepared to do the work to achieve them… then here is my 2025 Goal Planner. This is the goal-setting tool I use to set my goals at the beginning of each year.
This goal-setting planner allows me to:
- Identify the areas where I’m seeking growth.
- Get focused on what I want, including the DO and the WHO.
- Define SMART goals with specific results and outcomes.
- Get clear on why each goal matters.
- Develop action steps for each goal to get moving.
- Connect each goal to someone who will hold me accountable.
The Goal Planner will do the same for you. And, as you see when you dig in, it is going to challenge you to stretch yourself in one area. I want you to reach further than you think is possible, achieving your full potential and redefining what you’re capable of in 2025.
DOWNLOAD YOUR 2025 GOAL PLANNER NOW
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The Takeaway
Set goals, not resolutions. Move into 2025 with focus and clarity, and then start making the moves you need to achieve what you want for yourself and those around you. Together, let’s make 2025 our best year yet!
P.S. If you haven’t spent some time reflecting back on 2024 yet, I want to encourage you to do that first before you start setting your goals. It’s easy, and my 2024 Snapshot tool will walk you through the process with all the right questions to be asking yourself. Don’t jump into 2025 without celebrating your wins and remembering the lessons it brought you. Do that first; then, you’ll be fully prepared to set breakthrough goals.
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Ready for more?
If you liked this, then you might be interested in my new book, Living Life Daily. Designed to motivate and challenge you every day, this book offers 365 thought-provoking prompts that will push you to reflect, take action, and embrace meaningful change. Whether you’re striving to set clearer goals, build resilient habits, or cultivate a winning mindset, each daily entry is packed with wisdom and practical advice to help you take small steps toward big results. Find it here!
You’ll also get massive value out of the Grit Meets Growth podcast that I share with Chris Cathers. It’s for people who want more out of life… at work, at home, in their relationships, and in their health and wellness. Find it here or on your favorite podcast platform! – John
