It’s that time again. A new year is almost here, and you might be feeling the familiar itch to set big, bold goals for 2026. But before you jump into another rinse-and-repeat January routine that starts strong and fizzles by spring, let’s talk about a better way. I’m going to walk you through the goal-setting process that’s worked for me for over eight years and helped countless clients through the 10-Week Transformation. It’s not about setting more goals—it’s about setting the right goal, in the right season of your life, and staying focused when life throws distractions your way.

The Real Reason Most Goals Fail

We all know the pattern. January hits, motivation peaks, you make a big declaration, and then a few months later, it fades. And it’s not because you didn’t want it bad enough. It’s because you didn’t assess what season of life you’re in and where your focus needs to be. That’s where most people get it wrong.

This isn’t just about personal achievement. It’s bigger than that. There are people counting on you to follow through—your family, your community, your future self. For me, Kennedy is counting on me. Our future kids are counting on me. And I know people are counting on you too. That’s why your goals matter.

Start with a Better Definition of Success

At the Best You Retreat, we use a framework that helps you zoom out and see your life as a whole. And it starts with redefining what "your best you" actually means. Here’s how I define it:

The best version of you is the most competent and reciprocal version of you—the one who can solve the greatest number of problems and take advantage of the greatest number of opportunities for yourself and others.

Competence means you have the knowledge, skills, and experience. Reciprocity means you’re using those things to help others. That’s how you build meaning and impact into your life.

Identify the Season You’re In

Here’s the truth: you can’t spike in every area of life at once. You have limited bandwidth—limited time, energy, and attention. So the first step is to take inventory.

There are six core areas of life that we all juggle: health, personal life, career, finances, spiritual life, and relationships. I encourage you to reflect and rank yourself in each area on a scale of 1 to 5. Be honest. A five means you’re thriving. A one means you’re struggling.

Once you rank each area, you’ll likely notice the lowest score is dragging everything else down. That’s the area you need to spike. If you’re a one in health, that’s your priority. If your relationship is a two, it’s time to invest more energy there.

Spike the Weakest Link, Manage the Rest

You can’t improve everything at once. But you can make major progress in one area while maintaining the others. I call this spike and manage. Choose one area to spike—meaning you pour more time, energy, and attention into it. And you manage the rest through habits that keep them afloat without overwhelming you.

This is how you set the right goal. It’s not random. It’s strategic. You’re choosing based on what matters most in your current season.

Confront Where You're Losing

If you’re a one or two in any area, it’s tempting to look away and pretend it’s not a problem. But if you neglect one part of your life, it’s only a matter of time before it negatively impacts all the others. The longer you ignore it, the bigger the consequence.

Maybe it’s your health. Maybe it’s your marriage. Maybe it’s your finances. Whatever it is, you have to look it in the eye. Decide you’re going to do something about it in January. Decide which habits need to change. Decide what success would look like three months from now. That becomes your 2026 goal.

Make 2026 Different

If you want this year to be different, you have to do something different. Take time to reflect. Get real about where you're falling short. Choose to spike where it matters most. And manage the rest.

This is how you break the pattern of fading motivation and mediocre follow-through. This is how you make 2026 your best year yet.

If you want help gaining clarity on your season and setting your best goal, join us at the Best Year Retreat. Go to nickcarrier.com/bestyouretreat to sign up.

And don’t forget—we’re opening the Best You HQ gym in 2026! Be the first to hear about the launch, location, and founding membership by going to nickcarrier.com/bestyouHQ.

I hope today’s post helps you move closer to your health and fitness goals—and ultimately, closer to your Best You.