Monthly Learning - January 2026
Approaching goals for 2026
Starting out the new year with a more off-the-cuff style post.
Goals
Being as it is the start of the new year, I have been thinking a lot about yearly goals. I been putting together annual goals for many years and each year I feel more “blah” about the entire process. I find it more and more difficult to determine what numbers I want to reach or certain things I want to accomplish during a given year. I acknowledge this might be a skill issue on my end, not putting goals together the most optimal way.
Moving forward, I will continue to have a few goals that are very specific, like bring in a certain amount of dollars from side project throughout the year. However, something I want to think about even more is what daily / weekly habits and I can put in place to reach the overall objectives I want to achieve in the year (or even my entire life). Some habits that I have been really working towards has been reaching out to someone I don’t talk with often or ever at least once a week. This is a habit that will grow my network and could potentially lead to new opportunities. However, I can’t tie this directly to a goal, because I cannot control the outcome of those efforts, the only thing I can control is the inputs that put me in a good place down the road. This idea of focusing more on the inputs came from a recent YouTube video I watched from Leila Hormozi on goals (How to Achieve Anything) and it really connected with me. Technically, I have 0 control over the outcomes in my life. However, I have full control over the effort that I put in (inputs). So why create goals for which I have no control over the success or failure of that goal? To completely contradict this comment, I do like to set goals on things I would like to achieve. But I am continually holding these goals much more loosely so that my self worth is not tied to meeting these goals.
I also don’t want to create goals that are either no longer something I should focus on or something I can no longer focus on. For example, if funding for a specific project falls through, but my goal was to release a product from that project, how does this impact the goal? Do I completely throw it out or do I create a new one part way through the year? Life has a weird way of throwing a lot of changes our way. So I want to continue to focus on what things I can do to set myself up for success and pray that the path God’s plan will unfold as I focus on those inputs.
Having said all that, here are some goals and habits I will be focusing on throughout 2026:
Putting 10-20 hours per week into a few side projects.
Get new lot in Lester completely paid off.
Be done with work every day at 5:30 to eat supper with my family.
Reach out to at least one (or two) professional contact(s) (either already known or a new contact) every week.
Here are some habits I want to continue to do:
Workout 5 days per week
Daily devotional every day
Journal every day
Get under 240 pounds (been on the list for a while now and I need to figure out a habit to actually get there at this point)
Read 30 minutes every day
There are other habits / goals I want to apply or still need to figure out, but that’s where I am at as of now. I may change this outlook as seasons in my life change, but as of now, I am super focused on putting in the “boring” inputs that will (God willing) lead me to the places I am supposed to be.
If you read this and have thoughts on how you approach your goals, I would love to see some comments on this post with those thoughts.