Why Goal Setting—and Reviewing—Matters as We Prepare for 2026

As the year comes to an end and we prepare for 2026, I find myself doing something I intentionally make time for every year: stopping to review and reflect.

I plan to take a full day to review my 2025 goals and thoughtfully plan for 2026. This pause is not accidental—it is necessary.

Why Reviewing Goals Is Important

The purpose of reviewing goals is simple but powerful. It forces us to slow down and honestly evaluate:

What we planned to achieve
What we actually achieved
What we achieved sooner than expected
And what we did not achieve at all

Without review, goals become wishful thinking. Review turns intention into learning.

As I looked back at my goals this year, I noticed something interesting. Some goals were achieved exactly as planned. Others were achieved earlier than anticipated. And then there were goals I did not achieve at all.

Where I Fell Short—and What I Learned

The area I struggled with the most this year was my health goals.

I need to do better.

I realized my challenges weren’t about lack of knowledge—they were about execution. Conflicting priorities, moments of laziness, and poor planning all played a role. For example, exercise often got pushed aside as the day became busy. Looking back, I’ve learned that morning workouts before the day starts may work better for me.

Diet was another area where I fell short. I didn’t fail because I don’t know what healthy eating looks like—I failed because I didn’t plan for it. Next year, I intend to plan my meals over the weekend so that lunch and daily meals are intentional rather than reactive.

Looking Ahead: Setting SMART Goals for 2026

As I plan for next year—across personal, health, career, and family goals—I’m committing to setting SMART goals:

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Time-bound

But here’s the key lesson I’ve learned:
Setting goals is important—but defining the tasks that lead to those goals is even more important.

Goals Need Actionable Tasks

For example, saying “I want to eat healthy” is a good intention—but it’s not actionable.

A better approach is defining what healthy looks like in real life:

Scheduling lunch meetings at Mediterranean restaurants
Choosing salads and lean proteins like fish or chicken
Planning meals ahead of time instead of deciding when I’m already hungry

That level of clarity removes friction and increases follow-through.

Small Habits Create Big Results

If you want to go deeper into how small habits produce lasting results, I highly recommend the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. It does an excellent job explaining how systems and habits—not just motivation—create real change.

👉 You can find Atomic Habits on Amazon here: https://a.co/d/au0y03B Atomic Habits by James Clear

Final Thought

Start small. Be honest with yourself. Build systems, not just goals.

Most importantly, give yourself grace. Celebrate the wins—big and small—as you go.

Progress compounds when reflection meets intention.

Here’s to learning from 2025 and building a stronger, healthier, and more intentional 2026.

Anthony Ndungu, PhD. MBA, RN
Entrepreneur | Leader | Growth Advocate
CEO, http://www.kansashomehealth.com|www.medicashift.com|www.meadowlarkcarehomes.com
“We make lives better.”