How to Maintain Focus and Achieve Your Goals Before 2025
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Chapter 1: Refocusing on Your Goals
As the year progresses, it’s easy to lose sight of our objectives. Have you experienced this?
A great solution to this challenge is entrepreneur-turned-executive Lisa Jacob's autumn goal-setting initiative, which she introduced in 2018, known as “18 Before 2018.”
These tasks can be small and manageable, so there's no need to feel overwhelmed!
With nearly four months remaining in 2024—equivalent to a quarter of the year—there's ample time to reassess our goals and make the most of this autumn season.
While “25 Before 2025” may seem ambitious, you can adjust your targets to 1, 5, or 15 goals—whatever suits you best. The essence isn’t about ticking off numerous items for the sake of it; rather, it’s about fulfilling your most meaningful priorities—those that will provide genuine satisfaction and a sense of achievement. This approach can help make the more tedious tasks feel less daunting.
This is how I approach my autumn goal-setting challenge.
Starting with a Brain Dump
I begin by jotting down everything I wish to accomplish before the end of the year in a brain dump format.
Let your thoughts flow freely without overthinking. If you don’t complete your list at once, set it aside and revisit it in the following days as new ideas come to mind.
Here’s my “25 Before 2025” list:
- Try daily pages bullet journal style
- Consult with an endocrinologist
- Engage in hand-weight exercises every other day
- Connect with friends M and J
- Maintain my daily meditation practice
- Update my will
- Paint the gate if weather permits
- Arrange for catchment cleaning and maintenance
- Acquire a medical alert bracelet
- Draft an end-of-life instruction letter
- Create an adulting task log
- Organize all my car maintenance and repair receipts
- Schedule an exterior house cleaning
- Contact window washers
- Replace smoke alarm batteries
- Repair minor dings in the kitchen countertop
- Seek advice from an audiologist about sound sensitivity
- Revise my LinkedIn profile
- Consider the future of my Always Well Within blog
- Increase my reading time
- Take short daily walks
- Delete my old Twitter (X) account
- Remove my unused Instagram account
- Revise all practical lists (passwords, cat care instructions, etc.)
My “25 Before 2025” may seem primarily routine, but yours can be as adventurous or straightforward as you wish. My daily life brings me fulfillment, so I don’t seek out new exciting projects. I prioritize inner peace above all.
Feel free to customize your list to reflect your own priorities and aspirations.
Organizing Your List
Next, it’s time to categorize your list using any or all of these criteria:
- Priority (high, medium, low)
- Category (home, medical, work)
- Timeline (September, October, November, December)
- Time investment (quick tasks vs. longer projects)
I prefer tackling a few quick wins first to gain immediate satisfaction. For instance, I’ve already removed my unused Twitter (X) and Instagram accounts.
You can also refine your goals into SMART Goals if that method resonates with you:
- S = Specific
- M = Measurable
- A = Achievable
- R = Relevant
- T = Timebound
As you sort through your list, evaluate each goal’s feasibility. For example, is updating my LinkedIn profile necessary if I don’t actively use it?
Eliminating Excessive Goals
Avoid overwhelming yourself with an unmanageable list. Your goals should serve as a helpful guide, not a source of stress. If it feels burdensome, you might be tempted to tuck it away and forget it.
Once your list is finalized, keep it visible for regular reminders. Schedule tasks in your planner or organizational app weekly or monthly.
Also, remember to leave room for spontaneity! I didn’t anticipate the need to expand my Substack newsletter this year, but changes prompted me to do so.
Your list is not set in stone; feel free to adjust it as needed. Avoid using your goal list as a measure of your worth. Your value isn’t determined by your accomplishments.
Celebrating Your Progress
Make it a point to celebrate each time you complete a task. Keep some champagne or chocolate handy for those moments!
Equally important is recognizing what you’ve already achieved this year. Often, we jump to the next item without appreciating our successes, which can make our days feel monotonous and stressful. Embrace joy and celebrate your wins.
Some of my accomplishments this year include:
- Expanded my Substack offerings
- Maintained a 20-pound weight loss
- Acquired an air fryer, simplifying cooking and cleaning
- Currently engaged in a 26-lesson course on mindfulness meditation
- Written over 4 million words since mid-January 2024
Take a moment to acknowledge your achievements!
Being Intentional
Time seems to fly by faster than ever. Soon, 2025 will be here.
When it arrives, don’t look back in wonder about how the last four months passed. Be intentional about how you utilize the remaining time in 2024.
Focusing on a task or goal helps slow down time and fills your heart with pride as you complete each item on your list.
Consider how satisfying it will be to check off your goals!
The first video titled "Focus and Finish Strong | After Spring Break Encouragement | Social and Emotional Learning for Kids" offers encouraging strategies to help kids stay focused and motivated as they approach the end of the school year.
The second video, "Are You Finishing Strong? Yes, I'm Talking To You!" provides motivational insights to inspire individuals to maintain their focus and finish their goals with determination.
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