BEing Proactive: Your 2026 Goal-Setting Guide

This is the fourth post in our December series on Being Proactive — please catch up on the earlier installments if you missed them. Each one builds on the last.

In the spirit of being proactive — and in the spirit of the holidays — let’s take a look at setting goals for the new year, and a simple process to do that well.

Start by evaluating this year.
This is the fourth post on Being Proactive… please catch up on the previous posts you may have missed.

In the spirit of being proactive — and especially coupled with the spirit of the holidays — let’s take a look at setting goals for the new year and a simple process to do that.

1. Evaluate this year.
   What were the hits and the misses?
   Be straight with yourself about these and why you achieved the targets you hit and why you missed the ones you missed.
2. Decide what you want to create next year.
   Sales or revenue targets?
   Measurable skill developments?
   You want to articulate your goals in simple What? By When? language.
   For example: Generate $1.2M in revenue in 2026.
3. Make sure your strategy and action plan align with the goal.
   Many goals fail because the strategy and action plans are insufficient for the goal.
   It’s often a mathematical calculation using current performance metrics and selling skill actions.

For example:

Goal: Generate $1.2M in 2026
Strategy: Drive 60% of the business with design projects
Actions:
– Cultivate database of past clients for networking and referrals
– Build marketing program to highlight designers and projects via social media and website
– Use AI technology for visuals and communication templates
– Through sketching, convert 35% of new traffic to design projects

All measurable actions.

4. Include structures for support in your strategy.
   Organize your time with the identified actions and schedule these actions to be consistently executed.
   Monitor the strategy and actions to see if they are working.
   Ask your coach to observe and evaluate your performance and organization structure for what might be missing and what can be increased or enhanced.

Give yourself this month to put all of this in place so that you can launch your strategy when the calendar turns to the new year.

Action Items for This Week

• Write out your hits and misses for 2025 — with reasons.
• Create 2–4 What? By When? goals.
• Draft your strategy and measurable actions for each goal.
• Add these actions to your calendar for January–February.
• Share your draft with a coach or accountability partner for refinement.

Now, get busy!

oxo

Jody