No More New Year’s Resolutions: Goal Setting for Your Business in 2025

I can’t be the only one who hates the phrase “New Year’s Resolutions.”

It makes no sense, especially in the business world.

Confused? Hear me out!

A resolution is usually a vague statement of intention. Vagueness, in a business? No way! What we need are goals.

Unlike resolutions, goals are specific and action-oriented. Now we’re talking! 

2024 was the first year I wrote down real, achievable goals. Before owning a business, the only goals I made for myself took the form of a bucket list I created about fifteen years ago (boy, I would love to see that list now!).

My 2024 goals helped me stick to my vision as I leapt into full-time entrepreneurship. 

But I also found myself paying a lot of attention to the goals I didn’t meet. It turns out that these goals weren’t very intentional (my word for 2025!). Instead, they were numbers-based (for example, “I want to increase my number of email subscribers by 3x”). While numbers can be good, I realized that wasn’t what I wanted from my goals. 

So this year, I’m taking a totally different approach to goal setting!

Instead of creating a long list of goals, I created categories that aligned with my business values. Then, under each category, I wrote goals that fit with those values. For example, instead of writing, “I want to grow my email list by 3x,” I asked myself, Why is growing my email list important? Upon reflection, I found that my email list helps me foster a stronger sense of community (one of my categories–and core values!) and create more impactful conversations. So, under my “Community” category, I wrote “Organize a community-based fundraiser to foster connection and give back to a cause that resonates with my audience and community.”

In 2024, my goals started to feel like a “to-do list.” Don’t get me wrong, I loveeee a good to-do list, but goals don’t belong on the same list where I’d write “empty the dishwasher”. Goals are big and meaningful. Creating value-aligned categories helped me focus on what is most important to me and my business instead of writing down a bunch of things that would be “nice to accomplish.” Hello, intention!

Want to give goal setting a try in 2025? Here’s my best advice!

Goal Setting Tips & Tricks

–Don’t only go for shiny goals. Focus on goals that truly align with your values and long-term vision, rather than chasing what looks impressive or trendy to others.

–Keep your goals visible. Print them out or write them down someplace easily accessible. The more you see your goals, the more they’ll become part of your mindset!

–Allow yourself to revise your goals. If your goals no longer feel intentional or relevant, give yourself permission to revise them as the year goes on! 

–Set reminders to check your goals. Whether you set reminders on your phone or write notes in your paper planner (my go to!), make sure you check your goals throughout the year! In 2024, I didn’t look at my goal list until August. This year, I plan to check them quarterly!

–Celebrate your achievements. Instead of waiting until the end of the year to reflect on the goals I achieved throughout 2025, I’m going to celebrate the goals once they’ve been accomplished. Who doesn’t love to celebrate!?

And lastly, be kind and positive about how the past year went and how you want the next year to go. Focus on what you can do, not what you didn’t do!

January is a great time to set goals (not resolutions!) for yourself, your business, or both! I really believe in goal setting, so I created a freebie to help you set intentional goals in the new year. Take some time to fill it out–you won’t regret it!

Happy 2025, my friends! I’m cheering for you!