January 1, 2025 • 12 mins
Ready to set New Year's goals that actually last beyond January? As the host of Wellness Through Reading, I promise you'll learn how to craft resolutions that stick. In our latest episode, I unravel the secrets behind the SMART goal framework—an effective strategy to make your aspirations clear, focused, and achievable. With a personal touch, I share how setting a specific target of reading 50 books in 2025 helped me create a month-by-month plan that aligns with my busy life. Discover how anchoring your goals in your passions can transform your resolution-making process into a journey of success.
Many of us are familiar with the all-or-nothing mindset that derails our best intentions by February, but it doesn't have to be this way. Together, we'll explore why most resolutions fail and how to avoid setting goals that are too broad or overly ambitious. I'll guide you through each aspect of the SMART framework—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound—to ensure your goals are realistic and deeply connected to what you love. Join me as we turn the blank canvas of the New Year into a masterpiece of productivity and fulfillment, especially for fellow book enthusiasts!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome back to Wellness Through Reading, a
podcast dedicated to keepingreading a daily habit as a form
of self-care.
I am your host, tanisha, andtoday I'm tackling one of the
most common resolutions everyyear setting New Year's goals
that actually stick with you.
The beginning of a new year canfeel like a blank canvas full
of potential fresh starts, but,as we all know, the excitement
(00:25):
of new year's resolutionsoftentimes fades very fast.
Well, why?
Because many of us set goalsthat are just too big, too vague
and just too unrealistic, eventhough we have good intentions
with them.
It's just within the time framethat we have and what you
really want to achieve.
It can be overwhelming.
And so how can you set NewYear's goals that can not only
(00:48):
motivate you, but also areachievable?
Well, that's what today'sepisode is all about.
I'll be exploring how to setrealistic goals that are
grounded in reality so you canmake 2025 your most productive
and fulfilling year yet,especially for us book lovers.
So let's dive in.
Well, first things first.
Why do we often fail to stickto our New Year's goals?
(01:09):
A lot of it comes down to theall or nothing mentality.
Maybe you set a goal to losethree pounds in three months or
to work out seven days a week.
Big, exciting goals which arevery good may help.
It's very important.
Important, but also verychallenging.
Without the right plan in place, it's easy to fall off track.
Research shows that 80% of newyear's resolutions fail by
(01:32):
February.
So literally two months in,it's like nope.
So why?
Because they're often too broad, too ambitious or simply not
something we can sustain longterm, and that's the key goal
here.
So how can we avoid thesepitfalls?
(01:52):
Let's look at how to make yourgoals both meaningful and
achievable.
So I want to talk about theSMART goal framework.
So SMART, in this instance,stands for specific, measurable,
achievable, relevant andtime-bound.
So specific, so we're startingwith specific.
Anyone else have issues sayingthat word, but yeah, it is clear
(02:15):
and focused goals.
It's very clear.
Cut to the point.
Case in point, I'm going to usemy example of how many books I
want to read this year.
So last year I had set a goalof reading 100 books and I
reached 30.
So 30% of the way there.
But yeah, my goal last year wasa bit too ambitious, so this
(02:35):
year I'm going to cut it in half.
I'm going to say 50 books thisyear.
Specific, straight to the point.
I'm going to read 50 books thisyear, so measurable, something
that you can track.
So, on a month-to-month basis,what I'm going to do is read
roughly 50 books a year.
That breaks down to roughlyabout four to five books per
month.
Measurable, so that's myestimate.
So measurable being, obviously,how you can measure that you're
(02:59):
doing this well.
So, all month-to-month, I'mgoing to make sure I read at
least four to five books, soachievable.
Realistic, given your resourcesand time frame.
For me, this is very much sorealistic because, apart from
doing this podcast, you know,like many of you who are
listening, I work full-time job,so that's realistic to me, and
the time frame that I have aswell too.
(03:20):
So making sure you dedicateyour time as well, and relevant,
aligning with your values andlong-term objectives.
So if you are someone who hatesrunning, but you made it a
smart goal to actually go outand run every day, that's not in
line with your goals there.
So obviously, as book lovers,this a goal of how many books I
(03:41):
want to read or how often I wantto read.
That's more in line with whatyou love and your objective.
So if it's something that youlove to do, then you're more
inclined to do it.
That's what the relevant partof SMART means.
And time bound, a deadline or atime frame for completion.
Things that have a deadline getdone.
Not only do they get done, butthey get done sooner.
I feel like if I just givesomething a la-la-la time, then
(04:02):
I feel like if I just givesomething a la-la-la time, then
la-la-la, it's not going to getdone.
Give yourself a deadline.
Same way back in school, whenwe had deadlines with homework,
give yourself a deadline foryour goals.
Even if you don't achieve yourgoal, at least you may have at
least started on the path, or atleast you're almost there.
It's okay, there you go.
(04:23):
So let's break this down.
So by making your goals smart,you can increase your chances of
success and avoiding thefeelings of being overwhelmed at
the very last minute.
So onward now.
So set smaller incrementalgoals.
So this is another thing thatI'm doing this year to help
achieve my goals, especiallywith my reading as well, too.
My goals, especially with myreading as well, too, because
(04:46):
another key to achieving yournew year's resolution is setting
small incremental goals ratherthan diving into the deep end
with huge transformation.
Break your large goal intomanageable steps.
For example, if your goal is towrite a book, don't aim to
finish the entire manuscript ina month.
Instead, set a target of 500words per day or finish a
chapter per week.
These smaller milestones willkeep you motivated and keep you
(05:10):
seeing progress even when thebigger picture feels far away.
That's for my writers out there, but also for my readers as
well too For me.
I'm just going to use myexample of reading 50 books this
year.
That's four books a week.
It's roughly a book a week.
So, depending on the book, I'mreading this many chapters I
want to finish per day, and thenessentially taking small baby
(05:32):
steps.
That way, you can get to youruh goal instead of taking larger
steps that when you're out ofenergy.
So onward then to the power ofaccountability.
So this is going to be anothergood one as well.
It's no secret that when youare, accountability can make or
break your goal setting journey,whether it's a friend, a mentor
or even a social media group,sharing your goal with someone
(05:55):
else can help you keep motivatedand stay tracking as well too.
So find someone to hold youaccountable.
Maybe it's a workout buddy,maybe it's a reading group,
maybe it's an Instagram page.
I do have an Instagram page,the Wellness Through Reading.
Go ahead and look this up aswell too.
So I'll be keeping track of myreading goals.
Also, I'll be keeping track.
(06:17):
I'll be posting updates on thepodcast Also tips and tricks on
how to keep reading your dailyhabit as well too.
And also this is anotherimportant part of just setting
goals and keeping them Toembrace flexibility and
normalize giving yourselfself-compassion.
(06:37):
Now I want to talk about becauseit because it's really it's
often all been looked theflexibility and self-compassion
portion, because life happensand things don't always go as
planned.
Maybe you get sick or a workproject comes up.
It takes more of your time.
You're moving, things happen,life happens, life be lifen.
So be kind to yourself when youface setbacks, adapt your plan
(06:59):
if necessary and don't be afraidto re-evaluate your goals as
you go.
Remember it's not perfection,it's progress.
In fact, embracing flexibilitywill make your goals feel less
like a burden and more like anongoing journey and something
that's enjoyable.
And that's the mindset thatkeeps you going, even when the
initial motivation fades.
Even when the initialmotivation fades, because that's
(07:22):
the thing once you set yourgoals, you're fired up, ready to
go, and but then February,march, april, may, june come
around and then you start towane a little bit.
So things do happen.
But once you do hit those little, small milestones and you get
that goal, celebrate your winalong the way.
It's too often we wait untilthe very end to reward ourselves
, but celebrating those smallmilestones along the way keeps
(07:44):
us motivated, high and keeps youconnected to your why.
Why am I doing this, why do Iwant this?
And maybe you hit your weeklyexercise goal.
Maybe you finished that chapterper week, maybe you took time
to take care of yourself, maybeyou paid your bills on time,
maybe you did something.
Celebrate, whether it's a smalltreat, a moment of gratitude or
taking a moment to acknowledgeyour progress.
(08:05):
Make sure you take time to giveyourself that pat on the back
that we all need from time totime.
So make 2025 the year ofachieving your goals.
Setting realistic New Year'sgoals is all about clarity,
small steps, accountability andself-compassion.
By following the SMARTframework, breaking your goals
into small tasks and all of this, it can really help you from
(08:27):
stop feeling overwhelmed andgetting burned out.
This year doesn't have to bethe same as any other.
Take the time to set goals thattruly align with who you are
and what you want to accomplish.
And remember it's not aboutperfection, it's about progress
Keyword there progress.
Want to accomplish.
And remember it's not aboutperfection, it's about progress
keyword there progress.
So, yes, how we achieve ourgoals.
(08:49):
I am super excited for this newseason of wellness through
reading.
I'll be doing a bigger deepdive in some of my books as well
, too.
Also, I've been digging up somemore research articles that I
think you can really enjoy.
Also, I might even get to dosome interviews with one of my
favorite authors, so stick tunedfor that as well.
I'm just I'm really excited.
And also this this month.
(09:10):
I'm gonna say that this monthI'm excited for the release of
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yaros.
That comes out on January 21st.
I have it written down on mycalendar.
Super excited, I cannot wait.
Goodness, I'm looking forward.
One thing I'm really lookingforward to is um taryn and darna
and violet how they're doingafter everything that happened
(09:31):
in iron flame.
I'm not gonna lie, iron flametook time for me to get used to,
but I'm rereading it right nowin preparation for onyx storm.
So excited about that also.
Another current read is fromblood and ash.
It's taking me a minute to getinto, because with fantasy
there's always that worldbuilding in the beginning that
can be kind of like.
(09:51):
But after a while I've got, Ihonestly I'm gonna have to go
back and reread a couple ofthose chapters because I know
it's gonna be good.
I know it's going to be good.
I know it's going to be good,so I'm like I just need time to
sit down and just enjoy it.
You know what I mean?
(10:12):
There is a Netflix series calledInterview with a Vampire.
I've been living on a rocklately so I haven't been
watching a lot of TV.
But Interview with a Vampire,written by Anne Rice.
I actually read the book manyyears ago because I watched the
movie with Brad Pitt and TomCruise and Kirsten Dunst and I
always wanted to know howaccurate it was.
I never really cared much forthe movie, but people always say
the book is obviously alwaysbetter.
(10:34):
So I'm going to go back.
Actually it's a series, it'sVampire Chronicles.
So I'm going to go back andread that.
Because also, another part ofthe series is called Queen of
the Damned.
So I'm going to go back andread that and that will
definitely be an episode ofitself, just the whole gothic
(10:57):
theme as well so.
So my favorite read of 2024will definitely have to be
Beverly Jenkins.
A night song, no, no, no, Ithink it's midnight.
I'm sorry I did.
I didn't get a chance to read.
I read midnight by BeverlyJenkins and that was such a
beautiful love story.
Oh my goodness.
He was a rebel.
She was this daughter who'soverworked by her oppressive
father.
I mean, it was just a beautiful.
I'm just.
Billy jenkins has, like, becomeone of my favorite authors and
(11:19):
even though iron flame did comeout last year with rebecca yard,
that midnight by beverlyjenkins was my favorite read
2024, so definitely something toadd to the tbr list as well.
Speaking of my tbr list, I justrecently added quicksilver as
well, so I've been looking intothat also.
Comment below, um, what booksyou're currently reading right
(11:42):
now that I could add to the tbrlist and what books that I
should talk about in upcomingepisodes.
And with that, I thank you somuch for listening.
I thank you so much forlistening.
I thank you so much for tuningin To all of my returning people
welcome back.
I thank you so much for stayingwith me on all this and also my
new people who are coming.
Please hit that subscribebutton so that way you stay
(12:03):
updated when new podcastepisodes are uploaded.
Look me up on TikTok while westill have it on Instagram, and
also up on YouTube as well, too.
Wellness Through Reading.
Thank you for tuning in totoday's episode of Wellness
Through Reading.
If you found this helpful,don't forget to subscribe, share
with a friend, leave a reviewand I will see you next week,
(12:24):
ready to crush those goals Loveand peace and, as always, good
wellness and good reading.
Bye.
Welcome back to Wellness Through Reading, a
podcast dedicated to keepingreading a daily habit as a form
of self-care.
I am your host, tanisha, andtoday I'm tackling one of the
most common resolutions everyyear setting New Year's goals
that actually stick with you.
The beginning of a new year canfeel like a blank canvas full
of potential fresh starts, but,as we all know, the excitement
(00:25):
of new year's resolutionsoftentimes fades very fast.
Well, why?
Because many of us set goalsthat are just too big, too vague
and just too unrealistic, eventhough we have good intentions
with them.
It's just within the time framethat we have and what you
really want to achieve.
It can be overwhelming.
And so how can you set NewYear's goals that can not only
(00:48):
motivate you, but also areachievable?
Well, that's what today'sepisode is all about.
I'll be exploring how to setrealistic goals that are
grounded in reality so you canmake 2025 your most productive
and fulfilling year yet,especially for us book lovers.
So let's dive in.
Well, first things first.
Why do we often fail to stickto our New Year's goals?
(01:09):
A lot of it comes down to theall or nothing mentality.
Maybe you set a goal to losethree pounds in three months or
to work out seven days a week.
Big, exciting goals which arevery good may help.
It's very important.
Important, but also verychallenging.
Without the right plan in place, it's easy to fall off track.
Research shows that 80% of newyear's resolutions fail by
(01:32):
February.
So literally two months in,it's like nope.
So why?
Because they're often too broad, too ambitious or simply not
something we can sustain longterm, and that's the key goal
here.
So how can we avoid thesepitfalls?
(01:52):
Let's look at how to make yourgoals both meaningful and
achievable.
So I want to talk about theSMART goal framework.
So SMART, in this instance,stands for specific, measurable,
achievable, relevant andtime-bound.
So specific, so we're startingwith specific.
Anyone else have issues sayingthat word, but yeah, it is clear
(02:15):
and focused goals.
It's very clear.
Cut to the point.
Case in point, I'm going to usemy example of how many books I
want to read this year.
So last year I had set a goalof reading 100 books and I
reached 30.
So 30% of the way there.
But yeah, my goal last year wasa bit too ambitious, so this
(02:35):
year I'm going to cut it in half.
I'm going to say 50 books thisyear.
Specific, straight to the point.
I'm going to read 50 books thisyear, so measurable, something
that you can track.
So, on a month-to-month basis,what I'm going to do is read
roughly 50 books a year.
That breaks down to roughlyabout four to five books per
month.
Measurable, so that's myestimate.
So measurable being, obviously,how you can measure that you're
(02:59):
doing this well.
So, all month-to-month, I'mgoing to make sure I read at
least four to five books, soachievable.
Realistic, given your resourcesand time frame.
For me, this is very much sorealistic because, apart from
doing this podcast, you know,like many of you who are
listening, I work full-time job,so that's realistic to me, and
the time frame that I have aswell too.
(03:20):
So making sure you dedicateyour time as well, and relevant,
aligning with your values andlong-term objectives.
So if you are someone who hatesrunning, but you made it a
smart goal to actually go outand run every day, that's not in
line with your goals there.
So obviously, as book lovers,this a goal of how many books I
(03:41):
want to read or how often I wantto read.
That's more in line with whatyou love and your objective.
So if it's something that youlove to do, then you're more
inclined to do it.
That's what the relevant partof SMART means.
And time bound, a deadline or atime frame for completion.
Things that have a deadline getdone.
Not only do they get done, butthey get done sooner.
I feel like if I just givesomething a la-la-la time, then
(04:02):
I feel like if I just givesomething a la-la-la time, then
la-la-la, it's not going to getdone.
Give yourself a deadline.
Same way back in school, whenwe had deadlines with homework,
give yourself a deadline foryour goals.
Even if you don't achieve yourgoal, at least you may have at
least started on the path, or atleast you're almost there.
It's okay, there you go.
(04:23):
So let's break this down.
So by making your goals smart,you can increase your chances of
success and avoiding thefeelings of being overwhelmed at
the very last minute.
So onward now.
So set smaller incrementalgoals.
So this is another thing thatI'm doing this year to help
achieve my goals, especiallywith my reading as well, too.
My goals, especially with myreading as well, too, because
(04:46):
another key to achieving yournew year's resolution is setting
small incremental goals ratherthan diving into the deep end
with huge transformation.
Break your large goal intomanageable steps.
For example, if your goal is towrite a book, don't aim to
finish the entire manuscript ina month.
Instead, set a target of 500words per day or finish a
chapter per week.
These smaller milestones willkeep you motivated and keep you
(05:10):
seeing progress even when thebigger picture feels far away.
That's for my writers out there, but also for my readers as
well too For me.
I'm just going to use myexample of reading 50 books this
year.
That's four books a week.
It's roughly a book a week.
So, depending on the book, I'mreading this many chapters I
want to finish per day, and thenessentially taking small baby
(05:32):
steps.
That way, you can get to youruh goal instead of taking larger
steps that when you're out ofenergy.
So onward then to the power ofaccountability.
So this is going to be anothergood one as well.
It's no secret that when youare, accountability can make or
break your goal setting journey,whether it's a friend, a mentor
or even a social media group,sharing your goal with someone
(05:55):
else can help you keep motivatedand stay tracking as well too.
So find someone to hold youaccountable.
Maybe it's a workout buddy,maybe it's a reading group,
maybe it's an Instagram page.
I do have an Instagram page,the Wellness Through Reading.
Go ahead and look this up aswell too.
So I'll be keeping track of myreading goals.
Also, I'll be keeping track.
(06:17):
I'll be posting updates on thepodcast Also tips and tricks on
how to keep reading your dailyhabit as well too.
And also this is anotherimportant part of just setting
goals and keeping them Toembrace flexibility and
normalize giving yourselfself-compassion.
(06:37):
Now I want to talk about becauseit because it's really it's
often all been looked theflexibility and self-compassion
portion, because life happensand things don't always go as
planned.
Maybe you get sick or a workproject comes up.
It takes more of your time.
You're moving, things happen,life happens, life be lifen.
So be kind to yourself when youface setbacks, adapt your plan
(06:59):
if necessary and don't be afraidto re-evaluate your goals as
you go.
Remember it's not perfection,it's progress.
In fact, embracing flexibilitywill make your goals feel less
like a burden and more like anongoing journey and something
that's enjoyable.
And that's the mindset thatkeeps you going, even when the
initial motivation fades.
Even when the initialmotivation fades, because that's
(07:22):
the thing once you set yourgoals, you're fired up, ready to
go, and but then February,march, april, may, june come
around and then you start towane a little bit.
So things do happen.
But once you do hit those little, small milestones and you get
that goal, celebrate your winalong the way.
It's too often we wait untilthe very end to reward ourselves
, but celebrating those smallmilestones along the way keeps
(07:44):
us motivated, high and keeps youconnected to your why.
Why am I doing this, why do Iwant this?
And maybe you hit your weeklyexercise goal.
Maybe you finished that chapterper week, maybe you took time
to take care of yourself, maybeyou paid your bills on time,
maybe you did something.
Celebrate, whether it's a smalltreat, a moment of gratitude or
taking a moment to acknowledgeyour progress.
(08:05):
Make sure you take time to giveyourself that pat on the back
that we all need from time totime.
So make 2025 the year ofachieving your goals.
Setting realistic New Year'sgoals is all about clarity,
small steps, accountability andself-compassion.
By following the SMARTframework, breaking your goals
into small tasks and all of this, it can really help you from
(08:27):
stop feeling overwhelmed andgetting burned out.
This year doesn't have to bethe same as any other.
Take the time to set goals thattruly align with who you are
and what you want to accomplish.
And remember it's not aboutperfection, it's about progress
Keyword there progress.
Want to accomplish.
And remember it's not aboutperfection, it's about progress
keyword there progress.
So, yes, how we achieve ourgoals.
(08:49):
I am super excited for this newseason of wellness through
reading.
I'll be doing a bigger deepdive in some of my books as well
, too.
Also, I've been digging up somemore research articles that I
think you can really enjoy.
Also, I might even get to dosome interviews with one of my
favorite authors, so stick tunedfor that as well.
I'm just I'm really excited.
And also this this month.
(09:10):
I'm gonna say that this monthI'm excited for the release of
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yaros.
That comes out on January 21st.
I have it written down on mycalendar.
Super excited, I cannot wait.
Goodness, I'm looking forward.
One thing I'm really lookingforward to is um taryn and darna
and violet how they're doingafter everything that happened
(09:31):
in iron flame.
I'm not gonna lie, iron flametook time for me to get used to,
but I'm rereading it right nowin preparation for onyx storm.
So excited about that also.
Another current read is fromblood and ash.
It's taking me a minute to getinto, because with fantasy
there's always that worldbuilding in the beginning that
can be kind of like.
(09:51):
But after a while I've got, Ihonestly I'm gonna have to go
back and reread a couple ofthose chapters because I know
it's gonna be good.
I know it's going to be good.
I know it's going to be good,so I'm like I just need time to
sit down and just enjoy it.
You know what I mean?
(10:12):
There is a Netflix series calledInterview with a Vampire.
I've been living on a rocklately so I haven't been
watching a lot of TV.
But Interview with a Vampire,written by Anne Rice.
I actually read the book manyyears ago because I watched the
movie with Brad Pitt and TomCruise and Kirsten Dunst and I
always wanted to know howaccurate it was.
I never really cared much forthe movie, but people always say
the book is obviously alwaysbetter.
(10:34):
So I'm going to go back.
Actually it's a series, it'sVampire Chronicles.
So I'm going to go back andread that.
Because also, another part ofthe series is called Queen of
the Damned.
So I'm going to go back andread that and that will
definitely be an episode ofitself, just the whole gothic
(10:57):
theme as well so.
So my favorite read of 2024will definitely have to be
Beverly Jenkins.
A night song, no, no, no, Ithink it's midnight.
I'm sorry I did.
I didn't get a chance to read.
I read midnight by BeverlyJenkins and that was such a
beautiful love story.
Oh my goodness.
He was a rebel.
She was this daughter who'soverworked by her oppressive
father.
I mean, it was just a beautiful.
I'm just.
Billy jenkins has, like, becomeone of my favorite authors and
(11:19):
even though iron flame did comeout last year with rebecca yard,
that midnight by beverlyjenkins was my favorite read
2024, so definitely something toadd to the tbr list as well.
Speaking of my tbr list, I justrecently added quicksilver as
well, so I've been looking intothat also.
Comment below, um, what booksyou're currently reading right
(11:42):
now that I could add to the tbrlist and what books that I
should talk about in upcomingepisodes.
And with that, I thank you somuch for listening.
I thank you so much forlistening.
I thank you so much for tuningin To all of my returning people
welcome back.
I thank you so much for stayingwith me on all this and also my
new people who are coming.
Please hit that subscribebutton so that way you stay
(12:03):
updated when new podcastepisodes are uploaded.
Look me up on TikTok while westill have it on Instagram, and
also up on YouTube as well, too.
Wellness Through Reading.
Thank you for tuning in totoday's episode of Wellness
Through Reading.
If you found this helpful,don't forget to subscribe, share
with a friend, leave a reviewand I will see you next week,
(12:24):
ready to crush those goals Loveand peace and, as always, good
wellness and good reading.
Bye.
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