How to Plan Your Goals The Right Way (How I plan My Goals Plus My Free Templetes)

Let’s be real guys.

Goal-setting sounds exciting until… it doesn’t.

You write down big dreams every December, feel motivated for two weeks, and then boom, life gets busy, your energy crashes, and your goals collect dust like last year’s resolutions.

I know because I’ve done it too.

But something shifted when I started planning my goals differently, in a way that feels real, achievable, and connected to who I want to become... not just what I want to do.

So let’s talk. Not about creating a “perfect vision board”  but about building a life plan for 2026 that’s actually doable. by the way this is what I personally plan my plans as well.

 

💭 First: Reflect Before You Plan

Before you write your goals for 2026, pause and ask yourself:

• What did I learn in 2025?
• What felt aligned with the life I want to build?
•  What am I proud of?
•  What drained my energy this year? 

 

You don’t grow by just setting goals.
You grow by learning from where you’ve been.
So grab a notebook and answer this one question honestly:

 

“What do I need less of next year, and what do I need more of?”

Start there.

 

The 6-Area Framework (Balanced Goals = Lasting Growth)

To avoid burnout, I break my goals into six core areas.
This makes sure I’m not just chasing money or productivity, but building a whole life.

1. Health Goals

Your energy is your fuel.
Set simple but meaningful targets like:

• Workout 3x a week
• Take social media breaks on Sundays
• Sleep by 11PM on weekdays
• Drink 2L of water a day
• Hit 10,000 steps daily

Pick habits that help you feel alive. You can’t crush goals if you’re constantly tired.

 

2. Mindset Goals

You won’t reach new levels with the same old thinking.

Try these:

• Read 6–12 books (one every month or two)
• Write your own affirmations and read them daily
• Journal weekly
• Take one “dopamine detox” day every month

Mental clarity is more powerful than motivation.

 

3. Skill & Career Goals

Don’t just aim to “make more money.”
Build skills that increase your value.

For next year or now, choose:

• 1 major skill to master (e.g. copywriting, video editing, UI design, sales, etc.)
• A side project or freelance hustle
• A content platform to show your work
• A monthly income target to keep you focused

 

Write it like this:

"In 2026, I will master [skill] by practicing 5 hours a week and monetize it by Q3."

 

4. Financial Goals 💰

Money gives you options, but only if you manage it.

Set clear, measurable goals like:

• Save/make $_____by June
• Build an emergency fund (3–6 months of expenses)
• Invest consistently (start small)
• Earn $X/month from side income
• Track all expenses weekly

 Create like a simple Google Sheet to track your savings & income monthly. Clarity builds confidence.

To make things easier I will link to a sheet if you need one: 
Download the Financial Tracker Sheet here

 

5. Relationships & People Goals 👥

You grow faster with the right people.
Set goals around intentional connection.

For example:

• One deep catch-up with a friend every month
• Call your parents weekly
• Avoid people who drain you emotionally
• Plan one getaway with loved ones
• Join a local mastermind, club, or community

 

Your environment can either water your goals or poison them.

 

6. Personal Growth & Experience Goals 🌍

Don’t make life only about work.

Plan goals that feed your soul:

• Travel somewhere new
• Do one thing that scares you
• Take a solo weekend off-grid
• Learn a new language or instrument
• Volunteer for a cause

 

These are the goals that make life worth chasing.

 

Break the Year into Seasons (Not Just Resolutions)

Here’s a powerful mindset shift:

Stop planning your year. Start planning your seasons.

Split 2026 into 4 quarters:

• Q1: Jan–Mar
• Q4: Oct–Dec
• Q2: Apr–Jun
• Q3: Jul–Sep

 

Then ask:

What 1–2 major goals will I focus on each quarter?

What small habits can I build before the next quarter starts?

How will I review my progress?

This way, your goals stay fresh and you avoid burnout. One step at a time.

 

Bonus: Monthly Check-In Routine

Don’t set your goals and forget them.
Set a 30-min calendar reminder at the end of each month to ask:

What worked this month?
What can I adjust for next month?
What didn’t?

It’s like having a meeting with your future self.

 

✍️ My Simple Goal-Setting Templete

Here’s a short format of mine you can use starting from today:

My 2026 Vision:

(Write a paragraph about how you want to feel, live, and grow by end of year)

My Word/Theme for the Year:

(e.g. “Discipline”, “Expansion”, “Focus”, “Freedom”)

 

🥦 Health Goals

1. 
   

2. 
   

3.  

💼 Career/Skill Goals

1.  

2.  

3. 
   

💰 Financial Goals

1.  

2. 
   

3. 
   

👥 Relationship Goals

1. 
   

2. 
   

3. 
   

    

🌱 Personal Growth & Experience

1.  

2. 
   

3. 
   

   
   

 First 90 Days Focus

You can Download My Templete on Notion for Completely free here

 

Final Reminder: Progress > Perfection

You don’t need to do everything at once.
You don’t need to hit every goal perfectly.
You just need to move forward, even when it’s messy.

Because what matters most in 2026 won’t be how pretty your goals looked on January 1st…

It’ll be what you actually followed through on, in silence, in private, with discipline.

 

So here’s your challenge:

 Take 1 hour this week to plan your 2026 using this structure.

1. Build momentum, slow but consistent.
2. Keep it somewhere visible.
3. Check in every month.

 

You’re not behind. You’re just getting started.
And this could be the year everything changes, if you plan it right

 

I hope you found value in this, You can Subscribe for my latest post updates :here 

 Written By Mohamed Sinani