You’ll want to set goals for the new year, because it’s an effective way to focus your effort and make great things happen. Now that we are already half way through 2025 it’s less important if you think of them as New Year’s resolutions or something else. What is important is ensuring you select the best goals to set in the first place. Because your aspirations and your vision for the future can galvanize your energy and contribute to significant success.
It’s beneficial and powerful to consider your future and the direction you want to go—and it’s human nature to determine how you can improve yourself and your circumstances It’s also worth the time and effort:
The Best Goals to Set
When you’re assessing the improvements you want to make, there are plenty of options. In fact, according to a study by Scranton University 23% of people want to achieve health goals, 21% want to be happier, 20% seek to lose weight, 16% pursue career goals, 11% focus on relationships, 7% want to exercise, 5% want to stop smoking and 2% want to reduce alcohol consumption In addition to these, you can also consider goals related to financial health or skill
Goals are fundamentally about change—and making change is hard work. But failing to change is also hard. You’re unhappy in your job and that’s hard. Updating your resume, networking and interviewing are also hard—but the discomfort results in a positive outcome. Choose your hard.
As you’re setting goals, be sure you’re not overloading yourself. As much as you want to improve, don’t try to overhaul everything at once. Choose no more than three goals for you to focus on. I found that works best for me especially if distributed into different areas ie fitness, one for personal development and one for leisure/travel. Once you’ve achieved those, you can tick them of your list and replace them with new goals . Given that you’re choosing a short list of goals—which matter the most ! It is fascinating but true, that you’re more likely to be happy when you seek to get better, rather than to get happy. Ironically, when you pursue happiness for its own sake, you’re actually less likely to feel joy—because the process focuses you on what you don’t have, rather than focusing you on gratitude for what you do have. And it focuses you on yourself, rather than others—which is also correlated with lower levels of fulfillment.
Also consider selecting a goal that is difficult enough that it demands an accumulation over time. You may want to run a marathon by the fall—and you’ll expend effort over months of training. Or you choose to learn more through reading a certain number of books—with a book list that expands through the year. You’ll be more likely to reach your goal if you track your progress and get feedback—so it’s wise to set a goal that demands you build and develop
1. Choose A Difficult
One of the first rules of goal setting is to ensure your goal is challenging—because it will keep you motivated. In fact, when your goals are both clear and challenging, they have the effect of helping you focus and give attention and effort to the goal. As you’re setting goals, be sure you’re not overloading yourself. As much as you want to improve, don’t try to overhaul everything at once. Choose no more than three goals for you to focus on. I found that works best for me especially if distributed into different areas ie fitness, one for personal development and one for leisure/travel. Once you’ve achieved those, you can tick them of your list and replace them with new goals . Given that you’re choosing a short list of goals—which matter the most ! It is fascinating but true, that you’re more likely to be happy when you seek to get better, rather than to get happy. Ironically, when you pursue happiness for its own sake, you’re actually less likely to feel joy—because the process focuses you on what you don’t have, rather than focusing you on gratitude for what you do have. And it focuses you on yourself, rather than others—which is also correlated with lower levels of fulfillment.
Also consider selecting a goal that is difficult enough that it demands an accumulation over time. You may want to run a marathon by the fall—and you’ll expend effort over months of training. Or you choose to learn more through reading a certain number of books—with a book list that expands through the year.
2. Choose a Goal That Expands Your Perspective
You should also consider to choose a goal that helps you think differently and expands your perspective. It’s easy to get into a comfort zone because of habitual behavior—and social media tends to feed you information that agrees with what you already believe.
However, there is huge benefit in learning new things and challenging yourself to think more expansively. When you’re stretching your capabilities, developing your resilience and striving for the next big thing, you are more likely to feel joy.
Consider goals in which you’re learning a new skill or expanding your network. Or give thought to a goal in which you’re traveling to new places, learning a new language or researching your genealogy. Any of these would help to provide you with new views, different perspectives and a novel outlooks.
You’ll also be more likely to reach your goal when you focus on habits. Set a goal to write a book, but establish a habit to write for 30 minutes each day. Set a goal to expand your professional network, but establish a habit to invite one contact per month to have coffee. If your habits don’t change, it will be another year, rather than a new year.
3. Choose a Goal You Can Share
Another way to give a boost to your goals is to focus outside of yourself. Happiness is significantly correlated with contributing to your community and making a difference for others—and the most powerful goals take this into account. Consider doing things both for others and with others. Set a goal by volunteering for a charity or by committing time to help others in your community.
As you’re making choices about your goals, focus less on short-term gratification that is individual, and more on longer-term aspirations that link you with others for mutual benefit. I found that when I volunteer my time and by helping others often give me the biggest rewards
The Best Goals to Set
Do something today that your tomorrow self will thank you for— by making choices today that will pay off in the future. Expend today’s effort for tomorrow’s growth and experiences.
Ultimately, the best goals to set are those which mean the most to you. Rather than being influenced by what everyone else is doing, reflect deeply on what you can commit to—and what will matter in the long term for yourself and others. These are the goals that will be the most likely to drive your success, development, happiness and fulfillment