The theme of this week’s Superset is going to completely revolve around a system and framework for you to work through to be able to identify and commit to goals for 2025 that you will actually be able to achieve. Not only is the structure laid down to achieve them crucial, but the why behind them and the perceived feeling if you were to accomplish them at the end of the year is important to consider as well.

We can all raise our hand and list off a number of goals we have set in previous years we have fallen short on. That is unfortunately the norm. We can also probably all look back at a couple of goals that we set that didn’t leave us as fulfilled as we thought they would.

The moral of the story is simple - it’s commendable to set a goal to lose 40 pounds and get into shape. Achieving that will likely be a life-changing endeavor. The reason you want to lose that 40 pounds though is actually the most important aspect to consider when setting and planning for the goal. Do you want to be more confident? Look better for your spouse? Are you tired of having to buy bigger clothes than you like? Do you want to be able to comfortably go out and run a few miles without feeling winded?

The goal of losing 40 pounds is objective, but also surface level. If progress wanes, it’s easy to just give up on that goal of losing the 40 pounds. Whereas if you tie a “I am tired of not being able to look at myself in the mirror when I get out of the shower” to it, you will have a much stronger bank of willpower to lean on when the tough times come.

This is also to say that in addition to the fitness goals most of us will set, it’s important to look at all buckets of your life holistically too. What if you get in great shape, but your family life falters or you are stagnant at your job? Would you be happy? If not, it’s time to break down the buckets most important to you and align your goals to encompass all of these buckets together. Hopefully, some of the prompts below will help -

Brain - What Do You Want to Become in 2025?

The best version of you could be one year away. One year of focused, intentional effort in a few buckets of your life could get the snowball rolling enough that you simply just have to keep the foot lightly pressed on the gas pedal in the years to follow.

As you consider who you want to become in this new year, consider the following buckets: What do you want to accomplish professionally? Your family life? Your relationships? Your hobbies / side-interests? If you can identify what a successful year would look like in each category, it’s easier to work backward to set smaller goals that will help ensure you get there. The following are just a few prompts in each bucket to get you started. Consider these as you set a goal for each, and again, it’s important that all are considered together - optimizing for max fulfillment as Bill Perkins would say:

Professionally:

• What skills do I need to develop to excel in my role or prepare for the next step in my career?

• What measurable milestones (e.g., promotions, certifications, sales targets) would define a successful year professionally?

• How can I expand my network or build stronger professional relationships?

• What strategies can I implement to maintain a healthy work-life balance?

• How will I measure my impact and growth in my role by the end of the year?

Family Life:

1. What habits or traditions can I create to strengthen bonds with my family?

2. How much quality time do I want to dedicate weekly to my family, and what activities would make it meaningful?

3. Are there unresolved issues or areas of improvement in my family relationships that I can address?

4. What values do I want to model for my family in 2025?

5. What major milestones or events should I prioritize (e.g., vacations, celebrations)?

Relationships:

• How can I deepen my connection with my partner, friends, or close colleagues?

• What communication habits do I want to adopt or improve?

• Are there relationships that require more effort, boundaries, or closure?

• What types of new connections or communities would enrich my life?

• How can I show appreciation and gratitude to the people who matter most?

Hobbies / Side-Interests:

1. What new hobbies or skills would I like to explore, and how can I dedicate time to them?

2. What progress do I want to make in my current hobbies (e.g., setting running goals, achieving personal records in lifting, writing more)?

3. How can I create a routine or schedule to make consistent time for my interests?

4. What challenges or milestones can I set to make my hobbies more fulfilling?

5. How can I use my hobbies to contribute to my personal development or relaxation?

You now have put into words what is important to you and some areas where you can improve / focus on. Set a big goal for the year, and smaller goals for quarters and months to help keep you on pace.

Body - How Do You Want to Look and Feel in 2025?

90% of the people reading this will be thinking of some sort of weight / look goal they want to achieve. 100% of the people reading this will have set a body goal in previous years and failed to achieve that. For this year, we need to consider both why we have failed in the past, and what systems we can put in place to mitigate the roadblocks we can foresee from those failures to ensure success this year. Don’t just set the weight number goal. Break down whatever goal you have to the point to where when January 31st rolls around, you have something measurable you can be proud of.

Disclaimer - For most people, a successful year in the health and physique bucket starts and ends in the kitchen. If you tighten up your diet this year, even if the gym output is stagnant, you will see results. Period.

The Past:

1. When you last set a fitness goal for the year, when did you fall off?

2. How did it feel when you realized you had strayed off of that goal? When you got off track, can you admit you probably threw in the towel too early?

3. Why did you want to lose / gain weight in the first place? Do you still feel that same motivation, or has it changed?

4. How thankful would you be today if your previous self had stuck to the course and seen the goal through?

The Future:

1. What is my ideal weight or body composition, and why is it meaningful to me?

2. What small, realistic changes can I make to my daily routine to reduce my calorie intake without feeling deprived?

3. Are there any emotional or mental barriers I need to address regarding my relationship with food and weight loss?

4. How will I measure success beyond just the scale (e.g., energy levels, clothing fit, confidence)?

5. How will I stay motivated when progress slows or challenges arise?

Structure for your goal:

• What do you want to achieve in 12 months?

  • What does that goal look like broken down by quarters?

  • What does that goal look like broken down by months?

• If I fall off track, how many days will I allow myself before I get back on the routine?

Book - What Do You Want to Learn in 2025?

Reading goals are simple, but just like fitness, they are easy to stray away from. To set ourselves up for success in 2025, we again define why we want to read more, and what we want to read to help align with that pursuit as well. How would reading 12 books this year impact your mind frame? What do you want to learn about? Would reading reduce your screen time?

You have to set a goal to align to, and if you are new in your reading journey, it has to be realistic. If you read 2 books last year, you won’t read 20 this year, period. But if you read 10 books this year, I bet you would have the habits locked down to be able to jump to 20/30 the next. So start the process, build the foundation, and stack from there.

1. How many books do I want to read in 2025, and why is that number meaningful to me?

2. What balance of fiction and non-fiction would I enjoy most, and why?

3. What areas of my life (e.g., career, relationships, personal growth) could benefit from focused reading?

4. Are there books that align with my hobbies (e.g., running, lifting, or personal development)?

5. Do I want to read every day, or do I want to have a page goal for the week / month?

6. How many pages a day will it take to read “x” number of books?

7. What would I be happy I learned more about come December 31st?