5 Steps to Setting a Goal You’ll Actually Keep in 2025

Dec 22

Have you ever set an unrealistic goal?

In high school, I routinely made unrealistic goals. I would create lengthy pages in my notes app of lofty ideals that I would never end up achieving.

Since then, I’ve learned the importance of being realistic. There’s a sense of disappointment in setting a goal and not reaching it – a feeling many can relate to, especially when it comes to New Year’s resolutions.

According to a 2024 article by Lark Allen for Drive Research, while 3 out of 10 Americans set a New Year’s resolution, only 9% actually successfully keep them. 23% abandon their resolutions by the end of the first week of January. Most interestingly, at the start, 80% of people believe they’ll stick to their resolutions.

Think about that: 8 out of every 10 people think they’ll follow through, but only 0.072 of those 8 people (if you do the math like I did) actually end up accomplishing their resolutions.

Wait… 0.072? That’s not even a whole person!

The problem isn’t setting goal setting. Goal setting works. People set goals all the time, and keep them.

The issue lies in the approach. Resolutions often fail because they lack structure and actual intent.

In this article, I’ll urge you to not make a resolution; rather, I want you to go into 2025 with a goal. You can read this article at any time – not just during the New Year – and the tactics will work.

1. Know Your Why

Before you set any goal, you need to have a why behind it.

Why do you want to achieve this goal?

A psychologist named Terri Bly explained in this way in a quote included in an article for VeryWellMind: “The pain of not changing has to be greater than the pain of changing for us to really… change.” If you don’t have an actual reason, the goal goes out the window. In an article for Lifehack, personal development expert Tracy Kennedy writes: “We often make resolutions based on what others think we should do… But if you don’t really want to do it, the likelihood of success becomes very low.”

Another thing is that you absolutely should not wait until January to set a goal. Goals can be established year round, but you need a clear why. The fact that the earth made a full rotation around the sun isn’t a good enough of a reason. You need an actual driver – an ambition — behind why you’re setting a specific goal in the first place.

2. Have a Strategy in Place

A proven method is to set SMART goals.

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.

It’s an acronym that many have heard before, so I’ll spare the specific details. But what’s important to realize is that this cute acronym brings clarity to your why.

Instead of setting a boring goal like, “I want more clients,” a SMART goal is, “I will acquire five new clients by March 31, 2025, through targeted outreach and networking events.” That’s way better!

The more specific you make your goal, the easier it is to track your progress and make sure you’re on the right path forward.

3. Hold Yourself Accountable

Accountability is a major key to accomplishing your goals. According to Christopher Nguyen in an article for UX Playbook, many people fail to reach their goals because they don’t have an established support system to get them where they want to be.

Saying you’re going to do something doesn’t make it magically happen. Imagine you’re a social media manager aiming to grow your following. If you just post without an actual strategy, your goal is just a dream. Things like schedules and project management tools do help, but you need an accountability partner to take things to the next level.

In a Forbes article, Kathy Caprino, a career coach, writes that “Outside support… encourages you to see what you cannot about yourself… and connect with the highest version of who you are.” Get a mentor, friend, colleague – someone! – to hold you accountable.

4. Acknowledge That This Will Take Work

Achieving goals is hard work, but without the work, we’ll never go places. Mindset coach Chris Mhammedi puts it this way in an article for Thrive Global: “We can choose to give up or grow from [challenges]… The best choice is to keep on moving, even if it’s just one step or one inch at a time.”

Growth requires a ton of effort, a ton of resilience, and a ton of persistence. There will be obstacles, but you have to keep moving forward. Get around people who encourage you to press on, and keep in mind that small steps are still steps forward.

5. Now, Get to Work

There’s a difference between wanting something and actually working for it. Terri Bly highlights the Stages of Change in the VeryWellMind article. Success hinges on moving from preparation to action. Many people stay stuck in the planning phase, never taking that the leap.

Use the remaining days of December to lay the groundwork for the new year. Identify your objectives, create a plan, and take the first steps now. When the new year arrives, you’ll be ready to go.

To Recap:

Here’s your five-step roadmap to success:

Know your why
Have a strategy in place
Hold yourself accountable
Acknowledge that this will take work
Now, get to work

At the end of it all, whether or not you achieve your goals in 2025 is up to you. Obstacles will always appear – that comes with the territory – but with determination, you’ll overcome them.

So this year, don’t just set resolutions — achieve your goals. Take this post as a piece of encouragement to start building the year that you want, today.