A few years ago, I read The 12 Week Year, by Brian Moran.* It’s an NYT best seller – maybe you’ve read it too. My aha moment was realizing that the way I approached “annual planning” was stilted, formal, and guaranteed not to work. A few of my mistakes:
- Thinking I could imagine what would be important to me 6 months from now, much less a year away. The farther I got into the year, the more obsolete my goals seemed.
- Typing out my SMART goals in a spreadsheet, carefully following the mechanics of writing them in a Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound format. They felt wooden and impersonal.
- Focusing mostly on career and professional goals, making personal priorities feel like afterthought. Maybe because my accomplishments were only measured at work? Not sure.
December is a lifetime away
Today, my approach to goal setting is far more creative, informal, and emotional. And it’s not an annual event. Moran writes about how easy it is to procrastinate until a deadline looms. Suddenly, we are our most productive three days before that project is due, or the week before vacation.
By setting goals for the next three months, then breaking them into monthly, weekly, and daily action plans, I massively increase the number of self-imposed deadlines. And – oddly – it compels me to action.
Moran suggests tracking your “% of actions” taken each week in a scorecard. I don’t do that math, but seeing checkmarks add up is motivating. This week, I finished two Continuing Ed classes at 10pm on the couch, just so I could check it off my list before Friday.
Do I hit 100% of my weekly goals? Almost never. More like 75-80%. But it spurs me to quit procrastinating and gives me daily dopamine hits of accomplishment.
So – you haven’t set your 2026 goals yet? Who cares. Redefine what a “beginning” looks like. This morning is the beginning of today. The week begins on Monday. The month begins on the 1st. Pick a beginning and start.
Write goals that are personal, professional, and micro
Lately, I’ve been adding more personal goals to my “strategic” plan; things that always felt soft and didn’t fit the SMART goal framework. Today, my goals are more feeling-oriented. “Live a meaningful life; one that feels purposeful and allows me to share my skills, time, and money to help others.” (Thus, this blog.)
The truth is, “spend joyful time with Mom” is more important than “write a blog post on Girl Math,” but because it felt robotic to write that in SMART form on a spreadsheet – I used to just ‘fit it in,’ as if there was plenty of spare time. Now, with my more freeform approach to goal setting, it’s easy to write down, making it important and visible as I make my weekly plan.
My other trick for personal goals is to make them simple and micro. If you’ve read Tiny Habits,* by BJ Fogg, you know two things: 1) it’s important to do only the tiniest version of your habit, and no more. 2) Anchor your new behavior in a reliable habit you already have, like brushing your teeth. My goal? Feel strong and healthy by building muscle. My daily habit? 10 squats while my coffee brews (a highly reliable cue).
Set life goals, not money goals
Yes, this is a blog about money. But if you start the year asking only, “What money goals should I set?” you’ll feel pressure, guilt, or overwhelm.
If you start by asking, “How do I want my life to feel this year?” your money decisions become supporting characters, not leading women, in your story. Suddenly, you have direction and a stronger connection to your money goals.
That’s why emotional life goals aren’t soft or vague—they’re strategic. They give your financial choices context, meaning, and staying power.
So, start by identifying the feelings you’re going for in the next 12 weeks. Then break those feelings into tiny behaviors you can accomplish each month, week, and day. Some of your goals will involve small money nudges that support the feelings. Now you’re on your way to a more meaningful, intentional life.
If you’d like a few prompts to get you started, try this Personal Reflections Guide. It’s one I use, based heavily on the work of Shane Parrish of Farnum Street.
That’s how money goals stop feeling heavy and start feeling meaningful and inspiring – Any time of year.
* Note: I am not paid for anything I reference in the Money Nudges blog. Links are for your inspiration only.