2025 : #28 goal setting 101: the version that actually worked for me .
If you're someone who never really knew how to set goals , if you always forget about them, lose motivation fast, or give up halfway through… then this blog might actually be for you. Because I’ve achieved about 90% of my 2025 goals so faaaar so I figured it’s time to share the real recipe for goal setting the kind that actually works.
1 . you need to think about your goals by yourself.
You need to think about your goals by yourself. If you’re out here searching “how to set goals” on TikTok or watching YouTube videos where some random girly is like, “Here are goals you should set: exercise, skincare, journaling, go outside more.. to have the best year of ur life" stop right there.
Because if you keep doing that chasing the MOST aesthetic MOST overrated goals that everyone else is setting you’re not going to achieve them. Especially when the only reason you’re doing it is because someone online looked good doing it. You’ll find yourself like, “OMG yes I’ll start exercising because this girl in the video is so fit, so maybe if I do what she does, I’ll get there too.” But you won’t stick with it because it’s not your goal. A lot of people think they can just copy someone else’s dream and magically get the same results. But every time you fall off or miss a day, you’ll start spiraling: “I’m not like her.” “I’m failing.” “Maybe I’m just not good enough.” and that mindset It destroys everythin
So please if you want to actually grow, set your goals based on you. What do you need? What are you lacking? What do you want to become?Stop letting TikTok trends or Pinterest girlies tell you who to be. Like yes if you really have zero ideas, it’s okay to look around for inspiration. But don’t just copy-paste a list of goals from some stranger on the internet and expect it to work for your life.
And I’m not even gonna start on the toxic “be like wonyoung” culture. You don’t need to follow a 27-step skincare routine, eat ONE APPLE, and have perfect posture 24/7 to feel like you’re improving. U won’t become Wonyoung or any other celebrity and you’re not supposed to.
So set your own goals based on your own needs. not on what some influencer told you to do. not on what seems “productive” just because it’s trending.
﹙ ✿ ﹚ What do I actually want?
﹙ ✿ ﹚What do I need more of in my life?
﹙ ✿ ﹚What would help me feel proud?
2. Set ur goals in the MOST smart way
So when it comes to setting goals I discovered this method that honestly blew my mind I don't know if someone else did this before me, but I'm gonna claim it because it worked so incredibly well for me. So back in November 2024 I was struggling hard with sticking to my goals. I had all these ideas floating around wanting to exercise more, eat healthier, read books, study better, spend time reflecting , go out w friends more ... but it was just this chaotic mess in my head that never led ANYWHERE.
That's when I came up with what I call the "Arc Method." Instead of having random goals scattered everywhere i organized everything into seven clear categories: Arc of Studying, Arc of Reading, Arc of Solitude, Arc of Education, Arc of Aesthetic, Arc of Health, and Arc of Joy. It's like putting all your goals into organized containers instead of having them scattered all over the place (u can create other arcs if u want !) , and why this method absolutely destroys the traditional goal-setting approaches is cuz our brain stops getting overwhelmed because instead of juggling twenty random objectives, we will be managing seven clear categories. Each arc contains related micro-goals, so your mind can process them as organized systems rather than a mess . Plus you naturally maintain balance across all areas of your life instead of obsessing over one thing and neglecting everything else.
The real game-changer is that this forces you to dig deep into what YOU actually want. Not what some social media gal tells you to want, but your authentic desires. You're organizing your genuine aspirations in a way that makes them achievable.
You literally sit down and write detailed "I want" statements for each arc, and I mean really get into it. Like for exemple Arc of Health: "I want to start eating healthier, especially with my meals. I want to start cooking by myself instead of relying on unhealthy food because I know I've been treating my stomach badly, but this time I will make my own meal program and actually stick to it. I want to feel energized after eating instead of sluggish. I want to build a relationship with food that makes me feel good about myself." For Arc of Education: "I want to master this specific subject that's been challenging me. I want to study smarter not just longer hours that drain me. I want to understand concepts so deeply that I can explain them to others. I want to feel confident in my knowledge instead of constantly doubting myself."
You HAVE to write these down yourself in full paragraphs like this. Don't just think about them or write short bullet points. Actually pour your thoughts out on paper with all the details, emotions, and reasons behind each want. I know it sounds HARD but ur brain is maybe full u just need to grab a paper and a pen this is literally the secret sauce. When you physically write these extended "I want" statements, they stick in your mind in a completely different way than just thinking about goals. Your brain processes written words differently, and there's something about seeing your honest desires spelled out in your own words that makes them feel incredibly real and achievable. It's like you're having a conversation with yourself about what you truly want, and that conversation becomes the foundation for actually making it happen
Then you add one major goal at the top your ultimate objective that everything else supports. This creates a clear hierarchy where every smaller goal either helps your major goal or at least doesn't conflict with it. No more working against yourself with competing priorities !!
my 2025 program if u want to know how it look like .
3. have some healing goals
Before you even think about how to achieve your goals I want u to know that a lot of people focus on physical or academic goals get the clear skin, get the grades, start working out, eat healthy and those are great... But especially in your Arc of Joy hear me out u don’t need to ignore your emotional glow-up. Because when life hits you, and you’re tired, drained, or burned out, those emotional goals are the ones that actually save you.
Let me give you an example : One of my joy arc goals was to go out whenever I felt overwhelmed literally just grab my bag and walk, maybe get coffee, sit in a park, journal somewhere outside. It might sound normal but it helped me so much during spring semester, when I was too “GROUNDED.” I barely left my eyes out of my books and I was burning out. But then I remembered that simple goal I had written in my note app : “ I want to go outside when I'm feeling overwhelmed...” So I did and it helped me breathe again.
So keep your goals somewhere easy to reach your phone’s Note app , your Notion page, anywhere. Re-read them often. And include emotional goals as I said because staying grounded forever It’s not realistic you’re a human. Ur emotions matter too taking care of yourself is not a distraction from your goals it’s part of achieving them !
4. How to achieve ur goals
Achieving ur goals requires confronting an uncomfortable truth that most people refuse to acknowledge SUCCESS demands RELENTLESS, sustained effort that will test every fiber of your willpower. The reality is that your brain is biologically wired to seek comfort and avoid discomfort, which means every day you'll face internal resistance trying to pull you away from the hard work your goals demand. Your dopamine system craves instant gratification from social media scrolls and easy pleasures, while your prefrontal cortex, responsible for long-term planning and self-control, must constantly battle these impulses. Most people fail not because they lack talent or opportunity, but because they underestimate the psychological warfare required to override their brain's default settings.
The difference between achievers and dreamers lies in their relationship with discomfort. When you commit to ur major goal you're essentially declaring war on your comfort zone, and this war must be fought daily not just when you feel motivated or inspired. Motivation is a fleeting emotion it's definition "When you feel motivated, you can get stuff done. When you don't feel motivated, you can't get stuff done."so DISCIPLINE is a skill that must be developed through repetition even when every cell in your body screams for rest or distraction. THE truth is that if you're not consistently uncomfortable, you're not growing. Your goals should scare u enough to make you question your capabilities, because comfortable goals don't require transformation they merely require existing. you must continuously increase the difficulty and consistency of your efforts to create lasting change.
For a long time I thought people were just being harsh when they said you have to “grind” for your goals. Especially on social media everyone made it sound EXTREME. But after six months of locking in, working, and seeing results with my own hands I finally understood they were right. If you WANT ur major goal to be a REALITY you have to work for it. That’s the only way. u can’t just daydream about it, scroll through other people’s lives, and complain about how hard it is. If you keep slipping, if you're not ready to grind, then maybe you're not ready to achieve it. That sounds brutal ikr but it's the truth I learned the hard way.
So don't pick a goal you're not prepared to fight for. Because achieving it isn’t about writing it down on New Year or manifesting it once during a full moon. It’s about doing the work eeevery day. That means sacrificing distractions, showing up when you're tired, and not mistaking one focused workday for a ten-day burnout excuse. Yes, burnout will happen and when it does, take the rest you need. But don’t start using that rest to escape your responsibilities. Rest with the purpose of coming back stronger, not slipping into avoidance. NEVER QUIT AT UR BREAKING POINT
If you fall 100 times this year fine get up for the 101. Don’t sit there crying over the time you wasted or the progress you didn’t make. Forgive yourself stand up and swear to yourself that you’re going to get it done. You don’t need to feel ready u just need to stop waiting for the perfect moment and grind anyway.
Because you know what’s harder than grinding it's REGRET. Waking up one day and realizing you were capable of so much more, but you let comfort, fear, or other people’s opinions steal your future that’s real pain nooo youtube video will hand u ur wins . Don’t let your younger self down. Don’t let the version of you who dreamed big when no one believed in her fade. I believe in you 🍀🪄
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