I can’t believe we’re into December already – it only feels like five minutes since I was talking about goalsetting back in January!
I’ll be talking about goalsetting again later on in the month, as we get closer to the New Year, but you can’t set new goals without a little reflection on your old goals – otherwise all you’re doing is a box ticking exercise.
But the kind of deep reflection I’m talking about isn’t always easy – it needs a good hard look in the mirror and to be truly honest with yourself. To help you with that, this week I’m sharing a framework that I think will help you.
So, before you set goals for 2026… Here are some questions for you to answer about 2025.
Looking back
- Which goals did you achieve… and which ones did you outgrow?
- Where did you surprise yourself?
- What felt easy this year that used to feel hard?
Not hitting every goal doesn’t automatically mean you’ve failed. Sometimes you abandon goals because you’ve outgrown them: your priorities shifted, you evolved, or you realised the goal was never really yours to begin with. That’s not failure, that’s growth.
Take an honest look at which goals you actually achieved this year, and which ones you simply moved on from. What made you tick one off? What changed to make you walk away from another? Both tell you something important about who you are now versus who you were at the start of the year.
Where did you surprise yourself? These moments matter more than you might think. This is often where our actual strengths are revealed. And what about the things that felt easy this year that used to feel hard? That shift is one of the best measures of genuine progress. Maybe having difficult conversations got easier, you got better at saying no, or making decisions came more naturally. Whatever it is, acknowledge it, because that’s evidence of real change.
Energy and attention
- Where did you waste the most energy?
- What did you say Yes to that should’ve been a No?
- What did you avoid that now you can’t put off any longer?
Most of us leak energy all over the place: we agree to the wrong things, get pulled into drama that isn’t ours, or chase opportunities that look good on paper but in reality are completely draining. Take a hard look at where you wasted the most energy this year. Was it on projects that went nowhere? Relationships that took more than they gave? Trying to meet other people’s needs rather than your own?
What did you say Yes to that should’ve been a No? Remember, every time you say yes to something that doesn’t serve you, you’re missing out on other opportunities elsewhere. Misplaced Yeses add up, which is why you might feel knackered, despite not achieving anything that you actually want to.
Then there’s the thing you’ve been procrastinating over: that conversation you need to have, the decision you need to make, a problem you keep sidestepping. It’ll still be there in 2026 unless you finally deal with it – remember, it’s not a case of whether you’ll have to face it at all, but whether you’ll do it on your terms or wait until it forces your hand.
Who you became
- What version of you showed up in 2025?
- Which habits served you, and which ones sabotaged you?
It’s an uncomfortable truth, but our habits make us. The person you are isn’t necessarily the person you said you wanted to be, or the person you thought you were working towards – you’re a product of your daily actions. So, what version of you actually showed up in 2025? Disciplined or distracted? Focused or scattered? Intentional or reactive?
Which habits served you this year? Did you build a morning routine that set you up well, or get consistent with exercise, or start reviewing your finances regularly? Remember that habits compound into results… both good and bad. So be really honest about which habits sabotaged you – taking easy options over the right ones, or letting things slide because ‘just this once’ turned into every single time.
The first step has to be awareness. You can’t change what you won’t admit to, so be brutal about the version of you that turned up this year, because that’s the starting point for who you become in 2026.
The freedom check
- How free did you feel in 2025?
- Break this into the three types: financial, time, mental
How free did you genuinely feel in 2025? Not how it looked on social media, or what you told other people – the actual reality of it?
I recently talked about the three types of freedom: financial, time, and mental, and these are good benchmarks to use now. Financially, did you gain more options this year or did you take on new pressures? Could you stop work now if you want to, or are you more trapped than you were twelve months ago?
Did you create more time in your day, or did your calendar get even more chaotic? Are you living to your own schedule or constantly reacting to everyone else’s demands? In terms of mental freedom, which is often the hardest one to think about – did you feel clearer about who you are and what you want, or are you more confused than ever? Whose version of success are you chasing?
Real freedom isn’t about having no responsibilities. It’s about being able to carry your responsibilities lightly. So rate yourself honestly in each area. If you’re not feeling freer than you were at the start of 2025, something needs to change.
Looking ahead
- What did you do (or put up with) in 2025 that you won’t bring into 2026?
When most people think about setting goals, they focus entirely on what to add, without thinking about what they should get rid of. But if you bring all the old crap with you into 2026, no amount of goal-setting is going to help you.
What did you tolerate this year that you’re going to leave in 2025? Were you working with people who drain you? Saying yes when you mean no? Whatever it is, make a clear decision now that you won’t carry it into 2026.
Remember, what you tolerate, you teach, so if you tolerated poor boundaries, scattered focus, or misaligned values this year, you were setting a standard for what’s acceptable. The new year is your chance to raise that standard; you don’t necessarily have to do more, but you do have to be clear about what you won’t accept anymore.
Self-reflection is never easy, but ultimately this exercise is a really worthwhile one! By working out what you want to leave in 2025, you’ll be able to set your 2026 goals with more clarity and more conviction. Take your time, answer the questions properly, and don’t rush through it.
Whatever your reflections bring up, good or bad, remember that you’re not starting 2026 from zero. You’re starting with the resilience of everything you learned, built, tolerated, and got through this year.
So draw a line under what isn’t working anymore and don’t drag old baggage into the new year. By being intentional, you’re creating the space you need to really move forward!