Before You Set Goals for 2026, Do This
A simple reflection guide to help you get clear before the new year.
For most of my life, I treated the end of the year like a finish line. I closed the books, caught my breath, set new goals, and started running again. I rarely looked back because I believed reflection would slow me down. I was always focused on what came next, the next deal, the next goal, the next version of myself.
That approach changed over time.
Now, somewhere between Christmas and New Year’s, I find myself in the same place every year. I am sitting in my home office late at night with the house quiet and the boys asleep, laptop open. I am not planning yet. I am reflecting. I pull up my calendar and scroll back through the year. I open the favorites photo folder on my phone and revisit the moments I paused long enough to capture. I open my goals file one last time and compare what I set out to do with what actually happened. Not to judge it, but to see it.
I want to notice the progress I made, both professionally and personally. I want to acknowledge the hard seasons I pushed through and the moments of joy that surprised me along the way. I want to remember the trips, the dinners, and the ordinary nights that ended up meaning more than the big wins. Over the years, I have learned something important. Reflection does not slow progress. It sharpens it.
Only after I have looked back clearly do I feel ready to look forward again. That is when it is time to set new destinations, not rushed or reactive, but intentional. The final week of the year has always felt different to me. The pace slows. The noise fades. The rush that carried us from summer into fall loosens its grip, and we are given a rare chance to see our lives from a wider angle.
Reflection Is the Real Accelerator
For years, I rushed past this moment. I slid straight from Christmas into January without pausing long enough to understand what the last twelve months had taught me. I set new goals without acknowledging the ground I had already gained. I tried to become a new version of myself without appreciating the one who carried me through the year.
I thought speed was the way forward. What I have learned instead is that reflection is the real accelerator.
Most people never truly look back. They flip the calendar, make a resolution, and hope this year will somehow be different. But real change begins with clarity. Reflection creates clarity. Clarity creates direction. And direction is what allows habits to compound into meaningful, lasting growth.
Start With What Went Well
One of the most important places to begin is with what went well. We do not celebrate our wins nearly enough. We are quick to spot our shortcomings and slow to acknowledge our progress, but the wins matter. They mark where you grew, stretched, and strengthened different areas of your life.
Think back on the moments this year when you showed up as the version of yourself you are proud of. Maybe you were more present with your family. Maybe you made one wise financial decision that brought peace instead of stress. Maybe you took better care of your health or invested in a relationship, a skill, or a habit that quietly shifted your trajectory.
These are not small things. They are evidence of growth. Writing them down, saying them out loud, or sharing them with someone who knows you well is not self indulgent. It is self awareness. It helps you see what is working so you can carry it forward.
Be Honest About What Did Not Work
Reflection also requires honesty about what did not go well. What drained your energy this year. What distracted you from what mattered most. What patterns kept showing up that you hoped would simply disappear.
Being honest about these areas is not about criticism. It is about understanding. Missteps are not proof of failure. They are signals that reveal where habits no longer serve you and where values and actions drifted out of alignment.
Maybe you worked more than you intended. Maybe your finances felt reactive instead of clear. Maybe you lived in a constant state of urgency or kept telling yourself things would change next month. You do not need to judge these moments. You simply need to see them. What you see clearly, you can change. What you avoid tends to repeat itself.
Decide What Needs to Change
This is the hinge moment of reflection. Once you know what worked and what did not, the next question becomes obvious. What needs to be different in 2026 so you do not recreate the same outcomes.
The answer might be better boundaries around work, a healthier rhythm for your time, one simple habit around money, or a renewed focus on physical strength or relational connection. Whatever it is, capture it.
Because your habits, not your goals, will determine your results. A year from now, your outcomes will be the result of the decisions you repeat daily and weekly. That is why we are spending January inside BOLD Wealth focused on habits. This is where wealth, health, and fulfillment actually compound, through money habits, presence habits, mindset habits, and connection habits.
Small actions, repeated consistently, build a life that feels rich.
Set the Direction, Then Build the Habits
Before stepping into the new year, take time to write down what you actually want. Not resolutions you will forget by February. Not vague intentions. Not a list of things you think you should want.
I mean clear, meaningful goals aligned with your values. What outcomes would make you proud a year from now. What direction would feel grounded and fulfilling.
Your goals are the destination. Your habits are the path. Most people get stuck trying to change everything at once, but real change happens when habits quietly turn intention into daily practice.
That is why January will be one of the most important months we have had in this newsletter. We will focus on creating habits that are simple, sustainable, and aligned with your values. Habits that make life better, not busier. Habits that help you build wealth, health, and presence with the people you love.
Momentum follows clarity. And once momentum takes hold, the entire year changes.
A Tool to Help You Begin
To help you close this year with clarity and step into the next one with intention, I created a simple downloadable workbook for you. It is an eight page guide designed to help you reflect on 2025, identify what matters most, set meaningful goals, and prepare for the habits we will build together in January.
It is not overwhelming. It is not complicated. It is simply a place to slow down and think clearly. You will find it below. It is available to subscribers, and subscribing is free and always will be.
My hope is that this becomes something you return to throughout the year whenever you need to recenter on what matters most. Because real wealth, in money, mindset, and meaning, is built through small decisions that compound. Your habits are the engine. Clarity is the compass.
Thank you for being here. Thank you for reading. Thank you for investing in your growth. I cannot wait to walk into 2026 with you.
Why We Build Wealth
At BOLD Wealth, we believe money is not the goal. It is a tool. We build financial wealth to create freedom. Freedom to live aligned with our values. Freedom to spend time with the people we love. Freedom to build a life rich in meaning, not just money.
That is the real payoff. That is what it means to minor in money and major in life.
New to BOLD Wealth?
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Your Turn + A Giveaway!
What are you most looking forward to in the year ahead?
Leave a comment, and I’ll draw one name from everyone who comments to win three of my favorite books on money, mindset, and habits. Keep the books for yourself or pass them along to someone who could use them!
Sometimes the best way to start a new year is by naming what you’re excited to build.
Can't wait to fill out this guide and talk through the questions with Ari!
Reflection as an accelerator really landed.
Most people rush into new goals without understanding the habits that already shaped their year — which is why the same patterns repeat.
This felt less like motivation and more like alignment. Appreciate how grounded this was.