Happy New Year!
How are you feeling about 2025?
If you had to choose one word to describe it, what would it be?
For me, that word is excitement.
I’ve set some exciting goals, and I truly believe 2025 is going to be the best year of my life. It’s a year that will challenge me, stretch me, and push me to grow to the next level.
I’m excited for all the experiences ahead—both the planned and the unexpected.
Over the last 3.5 years of my growth journey, one of the most significant skills that I’ve learned is to
Live intentionally.
What does it mean to live intentionally?
It means making conscious and deliberate choices that align with your values, priorities, and long-term vision rather than simply reacting to life’s circumstances.
Don’t just go with the flow or let life happen to you.
But Set a clear intention. Decide what you want, and take action to make it a reality.
One of the most powerful ways to live intentionally is by setting goals.
When I worked in corporate America, we spent months every year setting goals and creating detailed action plans.
Fortune 500 companies don’t leave success to chance—they define priorities, allocate resources, and map out a clear path forward.
If you work in Corporate, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
But when it came to my personal life, I didn’t approach it the same way.
The only thing I proactively planned was my vacations. I didn’t take the time to set personal goals that truly aligned with the life I wanted to live.
I was just going through the motions, using vacations as my escape.
How often do you plan your personal goals that align with the life you truly want to live?
Here’s the thing: “If you don’t design your life, someone else will do it for you—and you might not like their plans.” – Jim Rohn
Goal setting doesn’t have to start at the New Year, but this time of year can be a powerful opportunity—a clean slate filled with possibilities.
Why not make 2025 the year you commit to setting clear goals and intentions for yourself?
In this episode, I’ll share an approach to help you design a life you love and achieve the growth you’ve been dreaming of.
Why is goal setting so important?
There are 3 reasons.
- Direction
“People with goals succeed because they know where they’re going.” – Earl Nightingale
Goals provide clarity on your direction. Without them, it’s easy to wander aimlessly, unsure of where you’re headed, or to get distracted by what others are doing. Clear goals help you stay on course toward the life you truly want to create
2. Focus
As someone with many ideas, interests and hobbies, I know the temptation to want to do it all. If you’re like me, you may feel the urge to pursue everything at once. But let’s be honest—that’s just not realistic. For instance, Argentina to dance tango, Costa Rico for surfing….they are not priorities, I’ll put them on hold for now.
We all have a finite amount of time and energy, and trying to juggle too many priorities often leaves us, with no priorities. Setting clear goals acts as a filter, helping you make better decisions and focus on what truly matters. It keeps you from spreading yourself too thin and ensures you can give your best effort—no half-measures.
3. Motivation
Goals give you something to strive for and a reason to keep going, especially when the going gets tough. They connect your daily actions to your larger aspirations, making even mundane tasks feel meaningful and purposeful.
This is the experience I’m having right now with writing my book. One of my goals is to publish it this year, but the process of writing every week can feel mundane. The goal keeps me going—it reminds me why I started and motivates me to push through, even on the tougher days.
How To Set Your Goals?
I’ll give you a four-step process.
Step 1: The number of goals.
Limit yourself to no more than three goals.
Three is the magic number—our brains struggle to process more than that. Focus on the most essential objectives. Taking on too much risks overwhelm and burnout, making it harder to achieve meaningful progress.
Aim for a balance: At least one professional/business goal and at least one personal goal.
My 3 goals this year:
- Grow my coaching business to $150K income.
- Find a life partner through online dating – go on one date per week.
- Publish my book by writing 4 hours a week.
Step 2: Align with your core values
Your goals should align with your core values—what truly matters to you.
Think about it in this way: Your core values are your long-term vision for life. Your goals this year are short-term action plans to achieve the long-term vision.
They should be aligned.
If you don’t know what your core values are, I encourage you to check out Episode 13 – what’s your definition of success? In that episode, you can learn how to identify your core values.
My core values: Freedom, Connection, and Contribution
- Growing my business is aligned with Freedom.
- Finding Life partner is aligned with Connection.
- Publishing my book is aligned with contribution.
Your three goals don’t need to align you all of your three goals like mine.
But they need to align with one of your top values.
Step 3: Be Specific
You want to define the outcome clearly. Be detailed about the process.
You don’t want your goals just to be: I want to be healthier or happier. They are too vague.
For healthier: you can set a goal like: Exercise 3 days a week for 30 minutes each session
For happier: Journal for 10 minutes daily to reflect on learning, insights, and gratitude.
My examples:
- Goal 1: Grow my coaching business to $150K income this year
- Attend all weekly coaching, calls, and group support of my business Mastermind – 5 hours weekly
- Implement all action items from the Mastermind
- Goal 2: Find a life partner – commit to one date per week
- Goal 3: Publish my book – dedicate 4 hours per week to write.
When it’s specific, it becomes actionable, measurable, and trackable. You should monitor that weekly to stay on course.
Step 4: Make it Achievable.
Goals are called goals because they are not easily accessible. You want them to challenge, stretch, and expand you, but also within the range of possibility. Otherwise, you will give up quickly because it’s too hard.
For me, the $150K income is a stretch, but it’s achievable. I didn’t set $300k or more. Given where I am, I know I need to build more skills to achieve the next level. That could be my goal for the following year.
Okay, your goals are set.
Now, what can you do to maximize your chances of success?
You may need to learn some new skill sets to make it happen.
However, mindset always precedes skillset.
Without the right mindset, you can’t activate the skillset.
Here are seven mindsets that will help you.
1. Focus on the weekly action steps
Don’t fixate on the outcome; instead, focus on what you can control—the actions you take each week.
Progress comes from consistent effort, not from obsessing over results.
For more on this, check out Episode 20 on Consistency, where I dive deeper into this topic. It’s a great complement to what we’re discussing here.
2. Build Your Support System
Success doesn’t happen in isolation. Surround yourself with people and resources to guide and encourage you.
I feel very confident about achieving my goals is because I’ve created a support system tailored to my goals:
- For my Biz goal, – I have joined a Business Mastermind Group for 6 months starting end of Jan, I’ll have an amazing business coach and peers who help me stay on track.
- For finding a life partner – I have a life coach who supports me emotionally. I may also hire a dating coach if needed.
- For publishing my book, I have been in a one-year Book Writing Program. I have weekly calls with my editor who have been providing me guidance and support.
It’s so critical to build your support system.
For You: What does your support system look like? Think about who or what can help you stay on track with your goals.
3. Create Your Accountability mechanism
Accountability strengthens your commitment and increases your chances of success.
Once you have 3 goals – Share your goals with friends, family, or a trusted community.
I’ve been telling all my friends about my goals to reinforce my commitment. Sharing them here with you is another layer of accountability.
Research shows that sharing your goals significantly publicly boosts your likelihood of achieving them. Don’t keep them to yourself!
The support system you create can be part of your accountability mechanism as well.
4. Commit Fully
Success requires you going all in.
Here’s what that looks like for me for my business goal of making $150K – average income for a life coach is $40-60K. $150K is not going to be a walk in the park.
What I’’ve committed is:
- Be the best student in my mastermind.
- I’m going to do everything my coach asks me to do.
- Let nothing hold me back.
- No one else can do the work for me.
- This is my commitment to myself—to show up for the life I want to create.
How do you plan to commit fully to your goals?
5. Embrace Challenges
Your goals are going to challenge, strech and expand you.
Challenges and unexpected obstacles are inevitable. They are part of the game. View them as opportunities to grow, not setbacks.
Fears, doubts, and resistance will show up. I will feel frustrated, disappointed or sad. At some point, I may even cry.
That’s why the support system is so critical. Because I know in those moments of vulnerability, I have my coaches and peers there to support me.
Also I know that I can’t only rely on then. I have the resilience and grit to push through.
Trust yourself that you have the resilience and grit to push through, too.
6. Value the Process:
This journey is not just about achieving the goals but about who you’re becoming along the way.
The skills you acquire.
The confidence you build by showing up consistently.
The self-trust that you cultivate by proving to yourself that you can do hard things and achieve big goals.
Those skills are forever yours, regardless if you have achieved your goals or not.You will become a better version of yourself.
How amazing! That’s priceless.
7. Be Open and Flexible with Timing
While goals are time-bound, life doesn’t always follow a strict timeline.
For example, finding a life partner for me may not happen in 2025— certain factors are beyond my control. I don’t want to get too attached to the timeline or become desperate. Instead, I’ll continue taking action and trusting the process.
Remember: The journey itself will offer growth and meaningful lessons, even if the outcome takes longer than expected.
With these seven mindsets in place, you’re setting yourself up for a transformative year.
2025 holds so much promise!
It’s a year that I know I will be elevated to a higher version of myself in business, relationships, and impact. I’m genuinely excited about it!
It can also be your year to dream bigger, grow stronger, and achieve the goals that truly align with the life you want to create. Remember, it’s not just about reaching the destination; it’s about who you become in the process.
So, take this as your sign. Grab a journal or a notepad, and write down your top three goals for 2025.
Make it aligned with your values, specific, measurable and achievable!
Reflect on the support system you need, the accountability mechanisms you’ll put in place, and the mindset you’ll cultivate to stay on track.
I challenge you to commit fully. Share your goals with someone you trust, or better yet, share them with me! I’d love to hear what you’re working toward—send me a message, tag me on social media, or leave a comment. Let’s celebrate your vision together!
If you want me to be part of your support system and help you set and achieve your 2025 goals, here is good news!
I’m offering a Free 45-Minute Consultation Call to explore how I can guide and support you in creating the life you truly desire.
👉 Email me at Coco@nullCocoDuanCoaching.com with the subject line: “Consultation.”
Don’t wait—2025 is here, and your goals are waiting to be claimed! Let’s make this year extraordinary together.
