Do your 2025 goals pass the 'so what' test?

Author: Harry Welby-Cooke, ActionCoach, Southern Africa

At the end of last year, I heard a lot of comments like:

• I'm tired, even ‘gatvol’
  
• I ran out of energy earlier this year than ever
  
• I’m overwhelmed
  
• Don’t have enough time
  
• There’s just too much going on at the moment
  
• I can’t wait for the year to end
  
• Counting down the ‘sleepies’ to when I close/go on holiday etc.

Whilst concerning at the time, it was maybe somewhat justified at the end of what an ‘interesting’ and quite taxing year. We’ve all most certainly been on a rollercoaster ride and it hasn’t always been easy. We had elections in more than 50 democratic countries, two major ongoing regional wars never mind the smaller conflicts in many other places. Inflation was stubbornly coming down ever so slowly, interest rates weren’t falling enough, uncertainty was through the roof and many other distractions. Yet magically over a few weeks we’re now more positive, more excited and miraculously everything will change. Or will it?

Just before the end of December, I saw a great post online which read: “If your habits don’t change … you won’t have a New Year, you will have the same year again.” Ouch! Sad but so very true. Fast track a few weeks and whilst engaging with many business owners everyone seems excited about 2025, and what they’ve planned, but very few have new habits. In fact many, when I’ve asked: “So what?” about their goals: So what if you do achieve it, so what if you don’t achieve them, so what will change now, then or either way? Every time it’s brought silence, deeper thought and introspection followed mostly by… “Well nothing!” Nothing?

If you test your 2025 goals (resolutions, plans, priorities, etc.) and whether you do achieve them, or don’t, it’ll be 'so what?'. Then you definitely need to go back to the drawing board and come up with new ones. Those won’t cut it. For me, it’s really simple. If you don’t ‘see’ a future you won’t build it. Not just any future, but a future that serves you. One that’s exciting, will be memorable, allows you to be the best version of you and also allows you to be selfish about what you want.

Too many people are just going through the motions aiding other people get what they want, supporting them through a range of ways but are frustrated and even subconsciously thinking: “What’s in it for me?” at the end of the day. Scary but worth exploring for yourself. The purpose of turning your dreams into goals is so that you can ‘see’ a desirable future for yourself, your family, your business, and your life. Maybe this will help.

Goal

A lot of what I saw last year was not enough of WIIFM? (what’s in it for me?) Too much energy out and not enough return. Whether that was emotional, financial, intellectual, or returns in any other area. If you’re not seeing the direct benefits of your efforts, it’s almost impossible to keep going. Your business must serve you. If it’s not, then there’s something wrong and you need to set different goals or drastically change something. Also, more and more the problem was, despite your success, you weren’t making enough money! Change that.

Plan

Generally, people don’t set bad goals, they just don’t work enough on the plan to execute them. They definitely work hard enough, even too much sometimes, but don’t have a structured plan to go about it. Also, generally speaking, the goal shouldn’t change, but the plan might very well have to. If the goal is still important, and actually does pass the “so what?” test, then make sure you come up with a different plan to achieve it. Working harder at the same thing isn’t going to cut it. You need a new focus with a new strategy.

Diarise

A major reason that goals aren’t achieved is that the time needed to achieve them is not scheduled and diarised. If your health is as much of a priority as you say it is, then where is your health time in your diary? If your family is so important, then where are they featured in your diary? If your finances aren’t where they need to be, then where is the time schedule to address the issue. Goals don’t miraculously appear, there needs to be allotted and prioritised time to achieve them. Get scheduling. Then learn to say “no”.

Review

Regularly, and I mean regularly, reviewing your goals and progress towards achieving them is critical. Too often we set the goal, and then go about our business. We get busy and distracted, and when we eventually check in, we’re too far behind. When we’re too far behind, we just take the easy road and give up. Excuses are easy. Regularly schedule time to sit down, yes, sit down, and review the progress. How far have you come? Are you on track? Is the plan working? What changes are required? If you make regular tweaks and adjustments, and regularly review your progress, you’ll have achieved your goals before you know it. Try it. You’ll thank me later.

I sincerely hope this helps. Goals are the only things that help us keep our focus and ensure we’re moving towards a better life, a life that we want, and therefore will engineer. Also please remember your business is a vehicle to serve you, your family and your goals for your life. It should never be a trap that serves everyone else except you. I know with absolute certainty that the role of an entrepreneur is a very lonely and daunting one. You cannot, and dare I say, will not, do this alone. Stop kidding yourself. Reach out to one of the many ActionCoaches and let’s at least sit down and talk about you, your business and how we can assist in building it to serve you!

Make 2025 truly be your best year yet! Go make it so.