Goal Setting is Spitting in the Wind

How many times have you looked back at the end of a year and felt embarrassed and impotent about the goals you set?

What do I mean? You set goals in late December or early January and are optimistic about an upcoming year full of possibility. But as that year winds down, you can’t believe that you didn’t come close to what you wanted (embarrassed).

And, if it’s a long-time goal of yours, you feel this deep frustration because you still feel completely unclear how to get where you want to go (impotent).

The problem I have with goal setting is it promises gold but doesn’t give you the tools to dig the gold. It’s a like a motivational seminar. It gets you all jazzed up and then once you start walking to your car afterwards, the doubt starts creeping in and a few days later you’re back to square one.

By all means, bake your cake your way, but, if you want a 2025 that lights you up, here are the six ingredients you want:

1.??????? Define Success on Your Terms?

A fat wallet doesn’t guarantee an inspired life. Self-made millionaire Felix Dennis admitted his $650m fortune brought insulation, loneliness, and regret, while author Robert Holden saw his father lose himself to alcohol and death chasing traditional success. Both stories highlight the cost of misaligned goals.

True success comes from living in alignment with your values, prioritising meaningful relationships, and defining your own version of fulfilment – not societal expectations. Let love, purpose, and your ambition to grow your business guide you as you create a life that truly inspires you.

2.??????? A crystal-clear vision

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s life is a testament to the power of having a bold vision. From an upbringing of poverty in Austria to becoming a bodybuilding champion, global film star, and governor of California, he has consistently aimed 10X higher, achieving what many would deem impossible.

In Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life, he explains why aiming big matters: smaller goals limit motivation, while ambitious visions push you to fully commit and grow. The key is not just setting audacious goals but quieting self-doubt long enough to stay in the game—because even if you don’t hit the ultimate target, thinking big will take you further than you imagined possible. He advises:?

“Get crystal-clear on that vision and tattoo it to the inside of your eyelids.”

3.??????? Inspiring goals

Once you have your own Success Target for your life and you have a clear vision of ALL that entails lasered in your mind, now you have accurate context to set some goals. Now the pieces can fall into place in a way that aligns for you.

First, at the top of a page, write: “I would love to…” and have at it!

Second, set your goals because they can be a powerful tool to create focus, align with your ambitions, and make decisions with clarity. Goals help you break life into manageable areas—like health, relationships, and professional growth—and challenge you to ask, “What type of person do I need to become to achieve this?”

SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-Bound) provide structure, while breakthrough goals inspire quantum leaps in motivation and results.

Balance ambitious goals with realistic expectations to avoid frustration and consider whether to keep goals private or share them for accountability. Remember, the journey matters as much as the destination—stack small wins daily, adjust as needed, and stay in alignment with your vision to make meaningful progress.

Unfortunately, for at least 80% of people, this is not enough to consistently assure a happy December.

Usually, you also need to put your barriers in the crosshairs, otherwise they will get in the way again – this is where the frustration hits hardest.

4.??????? A Beliefs List

Most of the time, your subconscious will not let you follow through consistently on your goals. This feels baffling because you are not, well, conscious of this. The first part of the solution is to…?

Carry around a list of your current beliefs that limit you and the counter beliefs to feed your brain.

Your current beliefs are your current results, e.g., if you’re 20 pounds/10kgs overweight, your current belief is “I deserve and expect to be 20 pounds/10kgs overweight.”

The beliefs you want reflect the results you really, really want and must be stated in the present tense: “I am” – otherwise your brain will ignore them as something not to focus on because they are in the uncertain future. Couple this solution with…

5.??????? A Manifesting Process

This sounds woo-woo, but your subconscious determines 95% of what you do. If you let this fact sink in, you will start to realise how hard it is to change anything through goals and habits when you’re up against something that’s 95% hardwired to do what it always does. You don’t stand a chance.

Manifesting isn’t magic—it’s a process of aligning your subconscious with your true desires. To manifest effectively, start by weeding out old, negative patterns that block your energy and hold you back, replacing them with clarity about what you truly want (see how this all connects?)

Ground yourself daily through visualisation, positive emotions, and gratitude as if your desires have already happened. Repetition and aligned action (DOING) are key—your subconscious needs consistent reinforcement to embrace the new you. These images and thoughts need to start to feel NORMAL before your desired results can start to bear fruit.

6.??????? Pick 1-2 Power Habits – where the money is

Success often stems from one aligned, consistent action—what I call a Power Habit - that channels your energy into meaningful results. During one of my workshops several years ago, a seasoned advisor feeling stuck discovered his breakthrough by focusing on increasing weekly client/prospect meetings from 5-7, leading to a 21% goal surpass.

By asking yourself, “What type of person do I need to BE to achieve my goals?” and committing to one high-impact action, you align with your vision while building momentum.

Dream big, start small, and stay consistent—your energy, when paired with purposeful habits, can honestly unlock extraordinary growth and fulfilment.

Hopefully now you’re clearer about how goal setting alone is wildly inadequate and what you can do about it.

I can’t in good conscience claim that doing these actions is easy. That’s why I decided to offer this process as a three-hour session to plan for 2025 (see link in the comments). If that sounds helpful to you, ping me a message for details. And it’s why I’m launching a Manifestors Club next year to support us all on our journey. Again, drop me a line for more on that.

To winning together!

Matt

Copyright Matt Anderson, 2024