Your Best Year Yet: The Simple Fix To Ensure Success in 2025

How to Achieve Your Goals: The Surprising Strategy That Truly Works

If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve set goals or New Year’s resolutions that didn’t stick. Maybe you forgot about the goal altogether or felt like you didn’t show up the way you thought you would. I’ve been there too—in life and in business—and I’ve learned that the traditional approach to goal-setting often falls short.

What changed the game for me wasn’t setting more specific goals, finding a better journal template, or dreaming bigger. It was something entirely counterintuitive: focusing on identity over outcome. Let me share how this mindset shift worked for me, both on the open road and in my business.

Several years ago, I decided I wanted to learn how to ride motorcycles. For over a year, I dreamed about it. I wanted to be the kind of person who could ride into the sunset, exuding confidence and freedom. But I was stuck. The idea felt daunting—I didn’t know where to start, and fear held me back.

Everything changed when I decided to adopt the identity of a motorcyclist before I had ever ridden a bike. Instead of thinking, One day, I’ll ride motorcycles, I asked myself, What would my life look like if I already were a motorcyclist?

• Wardrobe: I started wearing jeans, beat-up t-shirts, and boots—clothes that reflected the motorcyclist lifestyle.
• Community: I connected with people who loved motorcycles, surrounding myself with the energy and expertise of those who were already living the dream.
• Actions: I visualized what a motorcyclist would do daily. For me, it meant getting on the bike, even if it was just around the neighborhood.

Once I embraced this identity, things started falling into place. I got my license, was gifted a motorcycle, and within a year, I had ridden over 10,000 miles, including solo motorcycle camping trips. The shift wasn’t just about the actions I took; it was about the person I became.

When I transitioned from my 9-to-5 corporate job to running my own business, I faced a similar challenge. I didn’t have a playbook for how to be an entrepreneur, let alone a successful one. But instead of dwelling on what I didn’t know, I started to think of myself as a CEO.

• Learning: I read biographies and nonfiction books to understand how successful business leaders lived and worked.
• Habits: I adopted routines that aligned with a CEO’s lifestyle, like having a structured morning routine, prioritizing fitness, and dedicating focused hours to my business.
• Mindset: I stopped saying, I’m trying to start a business and started saying, I am a business owner.

This identity shift transformed not just my business but also my confidence. I showed up differently—more intentional, more determined, and more aligned with my vision.

Traditional goal-setting focuses on what you want to achieve: lose 10 pounds, save $10,000, post weekly content. But the secret isn’t in the outcome; it’s in the process and, more importantly, in who you become along the way. When you focus on identity, the goals become a natural byproduct of your daily actions.

For example:

• Instead of setting a goal to lose weight, adopt the identity of a healthy person. Ask, What would a healthy person eat, do, and prioritize?
• Instead of saying, I want to quit smoking, think, What does my life look like as a non-smoker?
• Instead of aiming to create 52 pieces of content in a year, consider, What does a confident content creator do every day?

By stepping into the identity of the person you want to become, you create alignment between your actions and your vision.

Embrace the Journey, Not Just the Destination

Here’s the truth: the real value of setting goals isn’t in checking a box at the end of the year. It’s in the journey. It’s in the skills you develop, the confidence you gain, and the growth you experience along the way.

Detours, setbacks, and U-turns are inevitable. But those challenges often lead to unexpected opportunities and experiences. Just like on a motorcycle ride, the scenic route you didn’t plan for can end up being the most rewarding part of the journey.

How to Apply This in the New Year

As you think about your goals for the upcoming year, try this:

1. Visualize Your Identity: Who do you want to become? What does that version of you look like, act like, and prioritize?
2. Reverse Engineer Your Life: Ask yourself how that person lives daily. What habits, routines, and environments support that identity?
3. Start Small: Begin integrating those habits and actions into your life today. Consistency compounds over time.

Your goals aren’t just about the outcome. They’re about who you become in the process. Focus on identity over output, and you’ll find that the results take care of themselves.

So, as you step into the new year, ask yourself: Who do I want to become? And then start living as that person today.

P.S. Book a business consultation with me and let's make this year your best year yet!