The New Year has come and gone, and there can be a lot of pressure around setting goals or deciding exactly what success should look like over the next twelve months. And while there’s nothing wrong with goal-setting, I personally enjoy choosing what I will focus on for the new year. Having an intentional process that you can return to again and again can help it feel less overwhelming.

Instead of asking, “What do I want to achieve this year?” a more supportive question might be, “How do I want to show up in my business this year, and what kind of structure will help me do that?”

Here’s a simple, four-step approach to planning your year in a way that feels intentional, flexible, and sustainable.

Step One: Review and Reflect on the Past Year

Before looking ahead, it’s essential to look back.

Start with the external data. The tangible information you can gather about how your business actually performed over the past year. This might include how many clients you served, how much revenue you brought in, and how your email list grew. Maybe how consistent you were with your marketing. You can also look at things like how often you showed up on social media, how many networking events you attended, or how many new connections you made.

This part isn’t about judging yourself or assigning meaning to the numbers. It’s simply about noticing what’s there.

Once you’ve reviewed the data, shift into reflection. Ask yourself how the year felt. What went well? What didn’t work the way you hoped it would? What felt aligned and energizing, and what felt heavy or draining? Were there challenges you’d like to avoid repeating, or patterns you’re ready to change?

This step creates awareness. And awareness is what allows you to plan with intention rather than habit.

Step Two: Zoom Out and Look at the Big Picture

Now that you have a clearer understanding of where you’ve been, you can start thinking about where you want to go.

Imagine yourself at the end of the year. If everything went as well as it reasonably could, what would your business look like? How would you be spending your time? What would feel different than it does now?

At this stage, it can be helpful to brain dump without overthinking. Write down everything you’d like to accomplish by the end of the year. This isn’t about committing to every idea or figuring out the logistics yet. It’s simply about allowing yourself the time to dream and define what success means to you. Clarity at this level makes it much easier to decide what actually deserves your energy.

Step Three: Break the Vision into Quarterly, Action-Based Goals

Once you have clarity around the big picture, the next step is to narrow your focus. Rather than trying to do everything at once, choose three or four priorities that matter most right now. These are the goals that will guide your planning over the next year.

From there, I personally like to break things down quarterly. Quarterly planning creates structure without locking you into a plan that may no longer align with your goals a few months from now.

Instead of focusing only on outcomes like “more clients” or “higher revenue,” shift your attention to actions you can actually control. You may not be able to guarantee how many clients sign on, but you can decide how often you show up, how consistently you market your business, or how many opportunities you create to connect with others.

These kinds of action-based goals are what move the needle forward, and they’re far more sustainable than chasing numbers alone.

Step Four: Create an Action Plan and Define Your Non-Negotiables

With your quarterly focus in place, it’s time to map things out in a way that feels supportive rather than overwhelming.

Choose a planning system that works for you. That might be a digital tool, a notebook, or a simple monthly overview. What matters most is that you can see your plan clearly and return to it easily.

Start by outlining what your months might look like. For example, in January, you might decide to write a certain number of blog posts or send a couple of newsletters. These become your commitments, not rigid rules, but as intentional choices you are making to reach your goals.

This is also where non-negotiables come in. These are the small, consistent actions you commit to because you know they support your bigger goals. Create a list of the daily and weekly tasks that you must accomplish to successfully run your business. When you track them, you create a sense of momentum and accountability that builds over time.

At the end of each quarter, pause and review. What worked? What didn’t? Do your goals still feel aligned, or do they need adjusting? Sometimes a goal needs refinement, and that’s okay.

This reflection is part of the process, not a sign that you’re behind.

Planning as an Ongoing Practice

This approach isn’t about creating the “perfect” plan for the year. It’s about creating a system you can return to, refine, and trust.

Each quarter becomes an opportunity to recommit, recalibrate, and move forward with intention. And by the time you reach the end of the year, you’ll be able to look back and know that you showed up thoughtfully, consistently, and in a way that aligned with what mattered most to you.

That’s how meaningful progress is made, one intentional step at a time.

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