With the New Year, we often find a kick of motivation and inspiration. It’s a time we feel naturally capable of putting our past performance behind us and committing to new goals.
It can be incredibly helpful to adopt this mindset for the midpoint of the year, too.
Sometimes, if we don’t feel we’re travelling towards our goals by this point, we can be inclined to give up. Alternatively, we can get so caught up in day-to-day busyness that our goals naturally fade into the background… they become something we’ll work on when we have more time or energy. But when will that time come?
Let this month be the time to dust off those January intentions, review how you’ve travelled so far, and re-define your goals based on what is realistic for you right now. The chart below can be a great starting point.
Re-design your approach
Identify and address obstacles
What is making it difficult to progress? Is it having enough time? Enough energy? Motivation? Accountability?
Create a plan to help overcome the obstacles. For example:
- Time: Find even 15 minutes in your schedule every few days, and commit to spending it on your goal.
- Energy: When are the times you feel most energised? It could be a time of day, a season, or directly after checking things off your to-do list. Plan to utilise these energy boosts for goal-focused tasks.
- Motivation: Try different motivational techniques… promise yourself a reward after committing to a specific action or routine; combine tasks with something you enjoy; visualise what achieving the goal will feel like.
- Accountability: Working with a coach and having regular check-ins can help keep momentum going. You can also tell a friend or family member, or find someone else interested in a similar goal to work alongside.
Revisit your time-frame
Your goals should always have a time-frame in mind, even if it’s just the step. One mistake we can make when we’re newly excited about a goal, is expecting it to happen too quickly. Now that you’re mid-way through the year, reassess whether your initial time-frame was suited to you, or whether it was perhaps another obstacle. Often, one of the most effective things we can do to create sustainable movement towards our goals is to slow down, break tasks into smaller steps, and not overcommit our time and energy. Take into account the current state of your personal and professional life: how much time or mental energy can you realistically dedicate to your goal, without compromising the other important things in your life?
Before you move forward, look back
One thing that motivates us more than anything is feeling we’re doing well. Keeping the momentum going is essential, but sometimes we need to actively remind ourself that progress has occurred. Acknowledge your progress, and make sure you’re looking through the widest lens possible. If your goal is to be appointed team leader, there are probably a million things you have done this year that have developed your suitability for the role. You might instantly look for success through promotions, performance reviews, or workplace relationships, but even things in your personal life can be counted as successful steps towards your goal.
- Have you played a team sport as a hobby? You’ve been building key skills for working within a team.
- Have you started reading more? You’ve opened yourself to more diverse points of view, improved your vocabulary for better communication, and boosted creative and critical thinking.
Follow this framework for all of the goals you made earlier this year, and set yourself up for a successful and satisfied second half of 2026.