Setting Goals for 2025? Here’s Why You Should.

Let’s play a game of would you rather. 

Would you rather…feel calm, collected, and confident that you’re on the path to success? 

Or…feel anxious, scattered, and uncertain about what steps to take next and where you want to get to? 

Ok – that’s hardly a tough one. Not our best work, we’ll admit. 

The thing is, a lot of us do fall into the second trap. And while it’s natural to feel a bit confused and directionless from time to time, nobody wants to be feeling that way all the time. 

Setting some personal goals can often be the difference between the two – and the even better thing is, they’ll start to shape the direction of other parts of your life, too. 

Let’s take your job (which, as you’re reading this, we’ll say is a sales role). If one of your personal goals is to go on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday, then really excelling at selling is how you’re going to get there. Do well enough to get a promotion, bonus, or commission, earn enough money to go on the holiday, and both your personal life and your professional life are on track. Two birds, one stone.  

This time of year is an excellent time to set some personal goals – so we’ve put together a complete guide below:

• The Power of Personal Goals
• What Makes a Good Goal?
• How Personal Goals Can Lead to Better Performance at Work
• Using Your Sales Job to Achieve Personal Goals

Take five minutes to read this, and your whole entire life could change (emphasis on the could, just to be clear). 

Sold? Keep reading. 

The Power of Personal Goals

First things first – why exactly are personal goals just so powerful when it comes to work? 

Clarity and Direction 

Goals act like a roadmap for your life. Not sure whether to go for that promotion? Go to that work party where you don’t know anyone? Whether you should say yes to that healthy free lunch at the office?

Personal goals can help with all of the above (yes, even that last point). If one of your goals is to buy a house, go for the promotion. If it’s to meet new people, go to the party. If it’s to get healthier, say yes to lunch. 

Simply put, a clear sense of where you’re headed makes it easier to make decisions that align with your long-term plans.  

Motivation and Performance 

Tying personal objectives to your professional life can be a strong motivator. As much as we’d love to pretend we’re all in absolute control of our own destiny, for the average Joe achieving life goals may well depend on achieving work goals. 

For example, when your sales targets align with personal milestones you’ll push harder to meet or exceed those targets.  Otherwise, you’re unlikely to reach your personal goals. 

If you see every successful sale as one step closer to a dream holiday or a new car, you’ve got a daily incentive to excel at work. Simple.

What Makes a Good Goal?

Ok, so we know why goals are so powerful. But to be powerful, it’s got to be properly set. Let’s look into what exactly makes a good goal. 

SMART Goals: A Tried-and-Tested Method

A goal that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound is SMART. Pretty clever, right? Attaching each goal to this structure makes sure that they’re clear and actionable. 

Here’s how to do it: 

Specific: Clearly define your goal (for example, I want to save $20,000 for a down payment on a house). 

Measurable: Determine how you’ll track your progress (for example, I’ll save $1,500 from each paycheque). 

Achievable: Make sure the goal is realistic (for example, I don’t have to save as much over the holiday period, as that tends to be an expensive time of year). 

Relevant: Align the goal with your personal values and desires (for example, I want a stable home environment for my family). 

Time-bound: Set a deadline to stay on track (for example, I will save $20,000 by the end of 2025.)

Aligning Goals with Your Values

Just now we mentioned aligning goals with your values. Let’s dig into that a bit. 

You probably have a few things that are most important to you in life. Maybe it’s financial security, family, or personal growth, to throw out some examples. 

Your goals should reflect these. Why? Well, when goals resonate with your values, they provide a stronger sense of purpose and fulfillment. If financial independence is a key value, for example, setting goals around saving or investing becomes not only practical (which can be hard to stick to in itself) (unless one of your values is always being practical, that is) but personally meaningful. 

Break Larger Goals into Smaller Milestones

Large goals can feel overwhelming. Remember that house you could be saving for? A multi-thousand down payment is quite a scary number to think about – but if it’s broken down into smaller numbers, it feels more manageable. 

Achieving smaller milestones also keeps you motivated and on track toward your larger objective. 

To take an example, you could break down a $20,000 down payment into four goals of $5,000, to keep momentum going.

How Personal Goals Can Lead to Better Performance at Work

The nice thing about a well-set personal goal is that its benefits stretch into other areas of your life. You’ll likely see an improved performance at work, which, as we know, can potentially lead to your goals being fulfilled. Think of it as a particularly beneficial flywheel. 

Increased Focus and Productivity

When you have a personal goal that work will help you achieve, you’ll have a clear reason to work harder, and smarter. 

This could look like prioritizing your tasks effectively, staying away from distractions, and making sure you stay productive. You also might be motivated to look into new technologies or techniques that will help you do your job. 

For example, knowing that meeting your sales quota will bring you closer to your goal of buying a new car makes every task feel purposeful. If it doesn’t, you need to evaluate how useful the task actually is. 

Better Time Management

With a clear goal or goals in mind, you’re more likely to manage your time effectively to meet both personal and professional objectives. 

If you’re focused on making sure your actions are aligned with achieving your goals, you’ll be more disciplined about what you spend your time on, and what you say yes and no to. 

Let’s pretend one of your goals is to lift a certain weight in the gym. That iron isn’t going to be pumped itself – you need to do your job efficiently to make sure you have the time to work out.  

Improved Mental Health and Reduced Stress

We all know that if your brain is feeling good, you’re much more likely to feel good at work and at play, too. 

Clear personal goals can reduce the anxiety that often comes with feeling directionless or overwhelmed and improve mental health at work. When you’re working toward something that’s really meaningful to you, both work and life will feel less chaotic, and you’ll experience a greater peace of mind as a result. 

Instead of feeling stressed about work, you’ll see it as a pathway to achieving personal satisfaction – which makes your day-to-day feel like a joy rather than a drag.

Using Your Sales Job to Achieve Personal Goals

One of the beautiful things about working in sales is you have the opportunity to influence your earnings. Not every role comes with a commission or bonus structure – so make sure to take advantage and use it to reach your goals. 

Leverage Your Sales Success

If you do well in sales, you’ll be financially rewarded: whether it’s hitting your monthly commission targets, being awarded a bonus at the end of the year, or being promoted. 

You can use the financial rewards from your job to achieve your personal goals faster. This may be something obvious like saving for a big purchase or investing in experiences like travel. Or it may be something like having the headspace that comes with financial security. 

Set Professional Milestones that Support Personal Goals

If you align your sales objectives with your personal ambitions, you can accelerate your personal goal achievement. 

For example, taking on a leadership role or working towards a higher commission structure might allow you to contribute more to your long-term savings or investment plans. 

How Achieving Your Goals Makes Life Calmer and More Enjoyable

Achieving a goal is great – but what happens afterward? Spoiler alert: all good things. Let’s find out. 

The Satisfaction of Progress

Whether you’ve hit your big milestone or a smaller one along the way, doing so gives you a sense of accomplishment and progress. 

This satisfaction brings joy, reduces stress, and makes both work and personal life more fulfilling. For example, imagine you’re saving for a down payment, and you hit the halfway mark. You’ll be energized to see your hard work is paying off, and your overall life will feel more balanced and satisfying. 

Reduced Pressure and Increased Work-Life Balance

Balancing work and personal stuff can be difficult sometimes – after all, you’ve only got so much time in the day and a lot of responsibilities in both areas. Align your goals in both your professional and personal lives, though, and you’re reducing the pressure. 

You’ll feel more in control of both areas, which makes your life feel calmer and more enjoyable. For example, if you’re on track to meet your financial goals through your sales job – you’ll likely feel less stressed and maybe not as inclined to take on a side hustle or a weekend job. Instead, you’ll be able to enjoy personal time with friends, family, and hobbies. 

Let’s Wrap It Up!

Hey – we’ve thought of a better would you rather! 

What do you mean you’re too busy focussing on your goals to play? 

By now, you should be fully on board the personal goal-setting train for 2025. Do so, and you’ll reap the rewards: improved performance at work, a better balance between your personal and professional lives, and a sense of calm and renewed focus. 

We heard you’re going on a fancy holiday sometime soon. Room for one more?

FAQs About Setting Your Personal Goals for 2025

Why Are Personal Goals Important for My Work Success?

Personal goals give you a sense of direction and purpose, helping you stay motivated and focused. When your personal goals align with your work, you’re more likely to find satisfaction in your daily tasks, achieve better work-life balance, and ultimately perform better at work.

How Can Setting Personal Goals Impact My Job Performance?

By setting personal goals, you improve your self-discipline and time management skills. In turn, you’ll see your efficiency and productivity at work soar. When you have a clear plan for what you want to achieve, both personally and professionally, you can prioritize tasks more effectively and work towards meaningful progress.

What’s The Best Way to Set Personal Goals for 2025?

Start by reflecting on what matters most to you—both at work and in your personal life. Then, set clear, specific, and achievable goals that align with these priorities. Break them down into smaller, manageable steps, and regularly review your progress throughout the year to stay on track.

What’s the Connection Between Personal Well-Being and Goal Setting?

Setting personal goals that support your well-being helps you manage stress and maintain a positive mindset. By focusing on areas like health, relationships, or personal growth, you create a foundation of stability that can enhance your performance and resilience at work. When you feel good in your personal life, it reflects in your professional life too.