Why Business Plans for 2025 Will Fail: Lessons From My Son Elijah

Elijah walked through the door, his head hung low, and I knew something was up. He handed me his test with a grade far lower than what I knew he was capable of. “It was hard, Dad. I did my best,” he muttered, hoping that would ease the sting. But I could tell by the look in his eyes that even he didn’t fully believe it.

As a father and a business owner, I get it. We've all been there. You set big goals, convinced deep down that you have what it takes to achieve them. But as the deadline looms closer, you scramble, hoping your last-minute efforts will pull you through, or worse, you watch as those goals slip away.

Here’s the hard truth I reminded Elijah that day, a truth that echoes in both life and business: success doesn’t come from just doing your best in the moment. It comes from the planning, preparation, and discipline you put in long before the test day. And it’s a lesson that applies to every one of us, especially as we look ahead to 2025.

The Lesson I Teach Elijah

In our house, we have a rule: your best starts long before the test begins. When Elijah knows a test is coming, the preparation starts immediately, with a plan, with discipline, and with intentional effort. I always tell him, “Your best is measured by how well you prepare, how faithfully you stick to your plan, and how disciplined you are leading up to the test day.”

If he’s done all that, only then can he truly say, “Dad, I did my best,” no matter the outcome.

Business is no different. Your “test day” for 2025 might feel distant, but waiting until January to start planning is like showing up to a test without having studied. The work begins now if you truly want to hit your goals next year.

The Difference Between Cramming and Sustainable Success

Think back to a time when you crammed for a test. Maybe you stayed up all night, filling your brain with as much information as you could in a short period. And maybe, just maybe, you passed the test.

But did you retain any of that knowledge? Was it sustainable, or were you just getting by?

Cramming might work in the short term, but in business, it’s not a winning strategy for long-term growth or success. You don’t want to be in a position where you’re scrambling to meet deadlines or rushing to hit numbers in the final quarter of the year.

When we rely on last-minute efforts, even if we manage to succeed, it’s usually not sustainable. Worse, it’s not scalable. Success built on rushed decisions and reactive measures is a house of cards waiting to collapse. And that’s why the key to a strong 2025 lies in the preparation you do now.

Why Strategic Planning Starts Now

You’ve probably set ambitious goals for next year, goals you know you can achieve with the right approach. But how do you make sure those goals aren’t just dreams that fade as the months roll by?

It comes down to these four steps:

1. Create a Clear Vision

The first step is defining success. What does “completion” look like for you? Too often, we set vague goals, like “grow revenue” or “improve operations”, without clearly outlining what we want to achieve. To hit your targets, you need a clear, specific vision of where your business is headed. What revenue milestones are you aiming for? What does a well-functioning team look like for your business? Clarity is key.

2. Develop a Proper Plan

Once you’ve set your vision, it’s time to create a plan that will guide you toward achieving it. But here’s the kicker, it’s not enough to have just any plan. Your plan needs to be realistic and based on the resources you have access to. Whether it’s your team, technology, or external support, make sure your plan is achievable given your current capabilities. And if not, ask yourself what resources you need to bridge the gap.

3. Prepare Your Environment

A plan is only as good as the people and systems you have in place to execute it. Have you set up your team for success? Are your processes efficient and scalable? Do you have the right tools and platforms in place? Think of this step as setting the stage, creating an environment where everyone knows their role and has the support they need to succeed. Without this, even the best-laid plans can fall apart.

4. Practice Discipline

Finally, discipline is what ties everything together. Planning and preparing are essential, but they won’t mean much if you don’t have the discipline to execute week in and week out. There are 52 weeks in 2025, and every one of those weeks should be an opportunity to move closer to your goals. Stay focused, eliminate distractions, and be relentless in your pursuit of success.

Don’t Get Caught Cramming in 2025

When it comes to business, success is all about the work you put in before the test day arrives. You don’t want to be caught cramming at the last minute, hoping that sheer effort will get you across the finish line. Instead, aim for sustainable, scalable success by preparing now.

Just like I tell Elijah, your best isn’t about how you perform on the day of the test. It’s about how well you prepared leading up to it. The same applies to your business. If you’ve done everything in your power to plan, prepare, and execute with discipline, you’ll not only meet your goals, you’ll exceed them.

So, as we approach the end of this year, I encourage you to start thinking about your 2025 plans today. Create a clear vision. Develop a proper plan. Prepare your environment. And stay disciplined.

Turning Preparation into Prosperity in 2025

As I looked at Elijah that day, I realized his struggle wasn’t about the test itself, but about the preparation, or lack thereof, that led to that moment. And just like Elijah, too many business owners find themselves in a similar place, hoping that sheer effort at the last minute will be enough to reach their goals. But the truth is, real success, whether it’s on a test or in business, comes from the intentional work done long before the deadline.

If you’re feeling that same pressure heading into 2025, now is the time to shift your mindset. Just like Elijah’s “best” isn’t only about what happens on test day, your success next year won’t be determined by a frantic scramble the last couple of weeks in December. It will come from the clarity, planning, preparation, and discipline you start building today. By taking control now, you’re setting yourself up not just to pass the test, but to thrive. Let’s start laying the foundation for a year that exceeds even your biggest goals.

With you every step of the way,

Marvin

CEO, Digital Business Growth

P.S. January 1st will be here before you know it. Don’t wait until the new year to start planning. Let’s create a roadmap for success that sets you up for sustainable growth throughout all 52 weeks of 2025! Click here to schedule a complimentary Scaling Strategy session .