Renew
Get ready for the new year with some enlightening perspectives on goal setting.
Welcome to 2026!
It is that time again for the monotonous New Year’s resolutions, where we strive to commit to our new habits and goals that eventually fade out not long into the first month. You would think people would be more consistent than that. But based on personal experiences and the people around me, it seems that most new goals don’t tend to last longer than two weeks into the year.
Why does this happen? Is it because the start of the new year, or anything new for that matter, only has a burst of energy that inspires our spirit temporarily? The spark of something new is powerful. It renews our spirit, excites us, and makes change feel relatively effortless at first. However, a spark alone is never enough to sustain a fire. Without the proper elements to support a fire (fuel, oxygen, and heat), the flame inevitably dies out. These elements are
analogous to our core principles and personal values, while the fire represents the ongoing process of pursuing new goals.
“By aligning with our purpose and values, in addition to setting appropriate goals, the spark initiated at the beginning of every year will sustain us in completing any goal we set out to achieve.”
So why does this pattern of failing to see our goals through persist if we adhere to the previous statement?
One explanation would suggest that our goals lack specificity and reasonability. But let’s take a deeper look and explore the foundations on which our goals are formed. Goals are our way of communicating with our future selves about what we want (desired outcomes). These outcomes are based on our passions, which we draw from our values. Values, on the otherhand, are formed through culture, environment, and early experiences, often becoming stable during childhood.
Where some people may go wrong is twofold: first, individuals try to deviate from their core values and create goals on foundations that were never meant to support those ambitions. Secondly, some of their values themselves may be underdeveloped or distorted: rooted in early toxic environments or formed by unstructured beliefs that have been inculcated during childhood. If the issue is the former, then the solution is straightforward. It requires time and effort to work on ourselves to truly gain a better understanding of who we are. With that knowledge of self, we will be able to create goals that reflect our actual purpose. If it is the latter, however, then the work is more demanding. The effort goes into reshaping years of neural networks and turning these thought patterns into something more flexible and open to growth.
For example, it seems counterintuitive to dream big but discern small. It is similar to coming up with a recipe that requires certain ingredients you don’t have. Many of us approach our goal-setting in this way, formulating goals that do not yet match our current mental capacities. Not to say that it is bad to dream big, but how can we plan for something that is out of alignment with who we are? Unless change takes place, then sure. We have to do the necessary work to transform into the person who is capable of achieving the success we desire. Who you used to be does not have to be who you will be in the future. Change is difficult, but it is possible.
Simple steps that can help influence your goal-setting journey:
- Expose yourself to the things you want to become and refine core values in the process.
- Change your environment
(These two steps go hand in hand.) Growth requires proximity. Spend time around environments that reflect the version of yourself you are working toward. Exposure unintentionally refines values and reshapes perspectives. However, before you begin to expose yourself to new environments, certain prerequisites must be met. First, you need to identify all the flaws within the environment you are currently in. If you believe it is associated with negative effects, then highlight how these factors have influenced you. Once you get a firm grip on how your current environment negatively shaped you, try to choose an environment that is the exact opposite of those markers, one that will generate positive internal qualities and bring out the best in you. This shift will also give you the space to reverse engineer the outcomes you want and work toward them strategically. Previously, the past environment did not allow you the opportunity to achieve favorable outcomes due to the restraints and limitations it placed on your growth. With a new environment comes new awareness, heightened values that are more geared to your purpose, and clarity towards reaching your highest potential.
“Change your environment, change your life.”
- Find your purpose
Contemplating your purpose in life can be a daunting task. Overwhelming even. Finding your purpose often involves time-traveling back to the past and rediscovering who you were as a child. What moved you? What made you mad? What made you think? What games did you like? Who did you like to be around, and what activities stimulated your mind? Were you extraverted or introverted? What made you extremely angry to the point where you had no choice but to stand up for what you believe is right? By answering these questions, you begin to uncover patterns, values, and interests that have always been a part of you. Within those concepts lies your purpose, not as something you must always invent, but as something you rediscover.
- Know thyself, know others
Self-knowledge requires honesty and continual reflection. We need to acknowledge our behaviors, the good, the bad, and the ugly. It takes heavy observation in real-time as well. Put on your analytical lens and ask yourself-
Why do I act like that around them?
Why do I put on this persona in public?
Why do I procrastinate on the same type of assignment?
What do I believe in spiritually?
Who do I idolize?
These are just some examples of complex questions you should keep in mind whenever you are observing your daily movement. You may not have immediate answers to these questions, which is okay. The work is in the willingness to find the answers.
Some of the concepts discussed in this article are entire fields of study in their own right, with books dedicated to each. The depth each principle requires to be explained thoroughly is beyond the scope of this article. This article provides a simple overview on a specific hindrance in goal setting that oftentimes gets overlooked. The steps provided above are good starting points to induce change in fundamental values that will help guide your goal-setting criteria.
Don’t let 2026 be another year of unaccomplished intentions. Be bold and courageous in transforming yourself into an optimal force, capable of achieving what you want.
If you agree, disagree, or have a different perspective on anything that has been stated, please comment, and let’s get a discussion chain going. I would love to hear the collective thoughts.
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