Your Best Year Yet: Create A Game Plan for 2025 Based on Your 2024
I have a habit of writing notes to myself throughout the year during seasons of change — whether it’s the new year, my birthday, a career change/shift, or a particularly challenging time, I pause, open up the Notes App on my phone and write mini commitments to myself. During those times, it’s grounding for me to think about where I want to be. Some might say it’s my way of “manifesting” things. Maybe it is.
What I know for sure is this: whenever I take the time to revisit those notes, I’m often shocked by how much of what I wanted for myself has come true.
Last week, as I was brainstorming ideas for this post, I revisited a set of commitments I wrote in August 2023. The time when I was questioning whether I should commit to coaching full-time and whether content creation should be part of that journey. I was at a career crossroads. I was surprised that the commitments I wrote spanned every area of my life: health, career, relationships, quality of life, etc. I read through them. I felt a mix of pride and some awe, I scribbled these ideas down without lots of deep thought and here I was reading through them all, mentally saying: Check. Check. Check. Each item sparked a memory of what it took to make it real.
I’d be lying if I pretended that everything on my list was done—they’re not. In fact, there’s still a few big items in the “to do” column, but this exercise reminded me of how powerful intentional reflection can be in sparking real change.
I see this truth in my work, too.
Finding Clarity: The Moment Everything Shifts
I’ve worked with many clients who come to me with some version of this sentiment:
“I feel like I’ve been running in circles all year, and I don’t even know if I’m chasing the right thing anymore.”
For some, the right thing may be a new job, a promotion, more money, or starting a new career path entirely. All big things. Admitting that the thing they’ve been pursuing may not be what they want anymore might feel like an admission of failure in that moment. The “wasted” time, effort, and energy. The sunk costs. The emotional drain resulting from a dream deferred.
But I see it differently.
To me, this is a moment of clarity—one that forces you to stop, reflect, and recalibrate. It’s recognition that something feels off and that progress isn’t happening the way you’d hoped. That feeling, unsettling as it is, is where meaningful change begins.
And while they may not see it yet, I know what’s coming next
Over time, I’ve watched clients use this moment as a jumping off point to untangle the core of what they want, and in the months that follow, I’ve seen them:
Land promotions.
Find new jobs that align with their goals.
Make more money—life-changing sums.
Regain control over their time and priorities.
Pursue personal goals and interests and live more balanced lives.
Develop confidence in their decision-making and authority.
Rediscover joy in their work.
Moments like these are a reminder that growth doesn’t have to be loud. Or sudden. Sometimes it’s a quiet decision to tune out the noise, invest in understanding what it is that you really want, and taking the right next steps for yourself.
As we step into 2025, I wanted to unpack what it takes to get there, based on my own personal experience and my work with clients—whether you’re building on a great year, recovering from a tough one, or breaking out of stagnation in 2024.
Know Where You’re Starting
I love the “new year, new me” vibe that January brings. Some of you might already have your goals laid out, vision boards completed, and a plan of action ready to go. Others might feel stuck, wondering if it’s too late to get started.
Wherever you are on that spectrum, take some time to think about where you are today. If you know me or if you’ve been reading this for awhile, you know my first recommendation when you’re planning ahead usually involves some sort of reflection; reflection isn’t about judgment—it’s about understanding. Knowing where you are is how you’ll define where you want to go next.
Take some time to reflect and think about:
What went well in 2024? When were times that you felt aligned, successful, or in flow? Why do think that was?
What didn’t go as planned? Where did you feel resistance, frustration, or overwhelm? Why do you think that was?
What patterns do you see? What themes emerged in your wins, losses, or in your day-to-day? What would you change? What would you keep?
How would you evaluate your year?
Great: Are you satisfied, happy, or even thrilled with how the year turned out? That’s a great year in my book!
Tough/Challenging: Was 2024 a hard one? Did you encounter many challenges, face one or more setbacks, and maybe even feel like you aren’t where you want to be?
Stagnant: Maybe the year wasn’t good or bad. Maybe the year went by without a lot of fanfare. Maybe you aren’t where you want to be and maybe you don’t know where you want to go either—but you know that where you are doesn’t quite feel right.
Once you’re clear on the above, you’re ready to shape what’s ahead.
Where to Start, Based on Your 2024
Now that you’ve reflected, here’s how to approach 2025 based on what your 2024 was like.
If 2024 Was a Great Year
If you had a great year, you probably achieved all or most of your goals. You’re likely proud and maybe even a little surprised at how far you’ve come. Maybe there’s even a quiet unease—a fear of plateauing, losing momentum, or not being able to “outdo” yourself. A great year may leave you feeling like “what now?” but you don’t have to move on to chasing the next big thing. Instead, think about building on that momentum in 2025.
How to Build on Momentum:
Double Down on What Worked: Identify the habits, relationships, or risks that fueled your success. How can you expand or replicate them this year?
Dream Bigger: What’s one bold goal that excites and challenges you? Success creates space for ambition—now’s the time to use it.
Invest in Growth: Whether it’s coaching, mentorship, a new skill, or unlocking deeper self-awareness, now’s the time to build on your foundation.
Think of this stage as the perfect starting point for what’s next for you: even greater things.
If 2024 Was a Tough Year
If you’ve ever had a tough year, you know they leave a mark. They test your resilience, push your limits, and sometimes make you question your path entirely. A sneaky little thing called self-doubt crops up way too often. A tough year can deplete you and leave you exhausted. It might even feel like the weight of the year is still with you going into the next. Maybe you faced setbacks, difficult conversations, or missed opportunities. That’s okay. If you’re reading this, you’re capable of redirection. Here’s how to get back on track.
How to Regroup and Recover:
Give Yourself Grace: Tough years take a toll. Before you can rebuild, you need to rest and reflect. McKinsey research shows that rest is critical for sustained growth. You may feel the urge to prioritize action, but don’t forget to incorporate time for rest. You need it most after enduring a storm.
Focus on Small Wins: Be smart about where you focus your energy. Resist the urge to fix everything, instead start by choosing just one or two areas to improve. Small victories create momentum. James Clear, in Atomic Habits, emphasizes that ‘success is the product of daily habits, not once-in-a-lifetime transformations.’ Focusing on small, consistent wins—like improving a single skill or fostering one key relationship—creates momentum and compounds over time, leading to meaningful, lasting progress.
Reframe Setbacks: I sometimes remind my clients, “Sometimes things have to fall apart before you can pick up the pieces and put them back together in a way that works better.” A tough year can be the beginning of a period of rebuilding—that’s exciting.
Seek Support: Whether it’s a therapist, loved one, or trusted friend, find someone who can help you process the year and move forward.
Think of a tough year as just a chapter—not your whole story.
If 2024 Felt Stagnant
Maybe you’re somewhere in between. The year wasn’t great, it wasn’t tough year. Maybe you just felt stuck professionally or personally. Stagnation is its own kind of struggle. You’re not failing, but you’re not thriving either. Maybe you’re complacent. Every day feels like a loop. You know you’re capable, but you feel unfulfilled. Maybe you’re going through the motions, or maybe you’re waiting for something—anything—to shake things up.
How to Break Through — Leverage the Theory of Constraints:
The Theory of Constraints suggests that progress depends on identifying and addressing your single biggest bottleneck. While the Theory of Constraints is a business management philosophy, I’ve found that it he core principle applies beautifully when you feel stuck in your career.
When someone comes to me feeling like they’re stuck, there is typically a single blocker that’s preventing them from progressing; it could be clarity on what they want, their organization no longer being a fit, a skill they need to develop, or a professional relationship that needs repairing, etc. But you’d be surprised at how focusing on that one thing and removing it as an obstacle accelerates progress.
Imagine your career as a river. If there’s a dam blocking the flow, nothing moves until you remove it. Focus all your energy on removing this single bottleneck, and progress will follow.
Identify the Constraint: What’s the one thing holding you back? For my clients, it’s been things like their orientation to work, maybe a lack of resources, or even executive presence - figure out what your constraint is and work to get it out of your way.
Channel Your Energy: Focus all your efforts on removing that bottleneck. For example, if you’re unclear on your next step, work on career mapping. If you’re stuck in a toxic environment, prioritize an exit strategy. Channel your energy into the controllables—what actions can you take to solve the problem and get what you want.
Unlock Momentum: Once the bottleneck is cleared, progress becomes natural.
You don’t have to feel stagnant forever, think of it as a signal that something (likely one big thing) needs to change.
Your 2025 Playbook
Once you’ve reflected, pinpointed your starting point, and identified where you want to focus your efforts in the coming year, it’s time to take action:
Define Success: Where do you want to be in 1, 3, and 5 years? Clarity creates focus. While I’m not big on overly structured or formulaic plans - I thrive by defining loose long-term goals for myself. They serve as goalposts.
Leverage Strengths: Growth doesn’t come from fixing weaknesses—it comes from amplifying what makes you exceptional. One of my favorite quotes is, “What you focus on expands.” And it applies to the good and bad, if you spend your time focusing on your strengths, you’re investing in accelerating your career faster than you would by focusing on your weaknesses.
Activate Your Network: Who can help you get there? Reconnect with colleagues, mentors, and friends who can open doors. If you need help identifying what’s next and navigating your action steps, hire a coach.
I’ll leave you with this. 2025 doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t have to be fully planned. It just needs to start.
Every single year, you have the opportunity to “create” your best year ever. If it doesn’t turn out how you wanted it to, guess what? You can take your learnings with you and start over in 2026 :)
As for 2025, the most important thing you can do is take that first step towards building a year that you can be proud of.
So, as you look toward 2025, take a moment to reflect: What’s your first step?
I’d love to hear about it, reply or leave a comment.