Focusing On One Goal At A Time
why i'm not creating all my goals at the start of the year
By the New Year, I usually have my theme, ways of being, and goals ready for me to kick off on January 1st. This year is different. I’m leaning into my values of intention, truth and growth and allowing myself the space to see where the year takes me.
I still have a theme and ways of being, though they are also slightly different this year. Reflecting on the past year and looking at what I wanted out of 2025, I had more questions than answers. I’ve never had the clarity of what I wanted out of life. I’ve sailed through calm waters and choppy seas that have led me to now having the appearance I’ve known what I’ve wanted all along.
My mind flips through ideas and possibilities of what I want so much that it's hard to pinpoint with clarity what a genuine desire of my heart is. Last year's theme of EVOLVE has allowed me to work on this aspect of my life: figuring out what a genuine passion of mine is or whether others have heavily influenced the decisions I have been making.
I’m giving myself the freedom in 2025 for my year of ENLIGHTENMENT.
I want to continue evolving this year and finding answers to the questions that circle in my mind. I want to reflect, journal, and read throughout the year while building on my other values of connection, love, and adventure.
This is what makes my ways of being different. Usually, I set five words connected to my theme to help guide my year. This year, instead of words, I have set myself questions:
What is true right now?
Am I listening to my heart?
Is there alignment with my values?
Can I remain grounded?
What will my impact be?
I want to use these questions as a guide in moving forward with my life and making decisions, assisting me in gaining the answers to those questions that circle my mind. I want to build clarity for my present and, ultimately, my future. I want to handle what comes my way, feel my feelings, and process what is needed to strengthen my resilience. I want to learn and understand my impact on myself, others, and the environment and adapt my impact to what is true to my heart and values.
My next step was to create my goals for the year. In previous years, I’ve mostly had three essential goals and quarterly sub-goals to break down the big goals. These sub-goals have ranged from three to, I think, one year I had fourteen. Just thinking of creating three goals is making me tired.
I continued going around in circles:
What do I want from this year?
What projects do I want to work on?
What three goals do I want to focus on?
What would make 2025 the best year ever?
What life categories would benefit from having goals?
Plus, many more.
But no matter where my circles took me, one goal kept coming to mind. Even when reflecting on life categories it didn’t fit into, this one goal kept popping up. I was causing myself stress trying to figure out other goals to complement this; I was moving away from the questions I had created for my ways of being.
And then, I broke my cycle.
Why do I need more than one goal at a time?
Immediately, the stress went away. I was able to be intentional and focus on my growth. My current truth is that I should have one goal at a time. It feels like love and connection, and the goal will lead to many adventures.
After ten years of setting multiple goals at the start of the year, I’m switching to focusing on one at a time. The first goal that I’m working towards in 2025 is:
Become a Lifetime Member of the National Trust.
The National Trust has been a big part of my life since childhood. I’ve been a member on and off since childhood, and one of its locations is my happy place. Out of all the possibilities of my life, this is one constant I want to remain.
Over the past two years, I have put money aside to transfer to their Lifetime membership. But because I have been trying to focus on more than one financial goal, any money I’m saving is being spread to each. I want to focus on one overall goal in life and be more intentional with spreading the cost and savings on things in my financial life, too.
I hope having a combined financial and life goal will help me start the year slowly. I am also reflecting on my spending and its impacts while saving for the end amount. While this goal may appear simple on the surface, I’m going deeper into the things that could impact the length of time it takes me to achieve it.
Here’s to an enlightening year.
Tami
Great approach: solid questions!
Love visiting National Trust properties when I was in England.