How to Set 2026 Goals You’ll Actually Follow Through On
Keep reading this post to learn:
Why goal-setting without vision = burnout waiting to happen
How to use the Yearly Vision Meeting section of your planner
Scheduling your goals based on your actual life season
Letting go of the pressure to set 12 goals “just because”
The secret sauce to goal follow-through: The S.W.I.T.C.H. Method
If you've ever set a New Year's goal and forgotten about it by February (🙋♀️), this one’s for you.
Welcome to Part 2 of the 2026 Best Year Ever Workshop, where we're diving deep into goal-setting the Hustle Sanely way. The kind that aligns with your vision, fits your real life, and sets you up for a peacefully productive year, not one full of burnout and guilt.
But First, What Is the Best Year Ever Workshop?
The Best Year Ever Workshop is our free 3-part experience to help you:
Reflect on 2025 and get your mind right for the new year (Part 1)
Create meaningful 2026 goals that fit your season of life (Part 2 – that’s this post!)
Make a vision board you’ll actually use (coming soon!)
You can join the workshop for free at jessicamassey.com/bestyearever and follow along in your Peacefully Productive Planner. (Heads up: BFF members get two bonus co-working sessions in December!)
Step 01: Create Goals That Align With Your Vision
Don’t set goals just because they sound good. Set them because they mean something to you.
Before you even think about your 2026 goals, ask yourself:
What do I want my life to feel like in the next season?
What values do I want to live out more fully?
What areas of my life need support right now?
Use the “2026 Goals” page in your planner’s Yearly Vision Meeting section to brain dump your ideas. It’s okay if they’re messy, this is a first draft, not a final declaration.
✨ Pro tip: Your goals don’t have to match the number of months in the year. You can have 3 big ones or 17 small ones. What matters is that they reflect your actual season and capacity.
Step 02: Schedule Them With Intention
Here’s the real secret to goal follow-through: scheduling them like a peacefully productive queen 👑
Use the “Goal Scheduling” page in your planner to assign your goals to different months based on what’s happening in your life.
Busy with work in September? Launching something in April? Reserve those months for maintenance mode and schedule bigger goals when you have more margin!
When you pair your goals with your real life, you avoid overwhelm and increase follow-through tenfold!
Step 03: Visualize the Whole Year
Flip to the “2026 At A Glance” spread and map out your goals, life events, and seasons of rest. Seeing it all laid out on one page brings so much clarity and helps you stop trying to do everything all at once.
Circle busier months. Highlight lighter ones. Use this page to pace your goals with peace.
Step 04: Use the S.W.I.T.C.H. Method for Deeper Planning
For any goal you want to go deeper with, use the Hustle Sanely S.W.I.T.C.H. Goal Mapping Method inside your planner.
It’s a goal-setting acronym that helps you:
Get specific
Anchor your why
Plan for impact
Set a timeline
Schedule check-ins
Build habits to support success
You’ll find a S.W.I.T.C.H. page behind each monthly tab so you can stay on track all year long.
📖 Want a deep dive on S.W.I.T.C.H.? Check out Episode 112 of the podcast
Reminder: You Don’t Have to Figure it Out Alone
🎧 Catch up on the Best Year Ever Podcast Series:
Ep. 298: Reflecting on 2025 + Getting Mentally Ready for 2026
Ep. 299 (this one): Creating + Scheduling Your 2026 Goals
Ep. 300 (coming soon): Making a Vision Board That Doesn’t Get Shoved in a Drawer
🗓️ Sign up for the free workshop: jessicamassey.com/bestyearever
🛍️ Grab your 2026 planner: hustlesanely.com
Let’s make 2026 your most peacefully productive year ever. You in? (You are!)
PS: Don’t Forget to Sign Up for The Best Year Ever Workshop!
The Best Year Ever Workshop is a free, three-part series designed to walk you into 2026 with clarity and confidence.
You’ll:
Reflect on 2025 and reset your mindset for the year ahead (Part 1)
Map out intentional 2026 goals that match your current season (Part 2 — today’s focus!)
Create a vision board you’ll actually use all year long (Part 3 — coming soon!)
You can sign up for free at jessicamassey.com/bestyearever and follow along inside your Peacefully Productive Planner.
(Hustle Sanely BFFs also get access to two exclusive December co-working sessions!)
📲 Did you find this helpful? Screenshot this post, share it to your IG stories, and tag @jessmmassey and @hustlesanely so we can cheer you on!
Shop our planners & journals designed to help you trade burnout for a peacefully productive life ☁️✨
Loved this blog post? Tune into the full podcast episode below!
