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The New Year, New Me Myth

‘New Year, New Me’ is a mantra that can destroy confidence and kill your dreams

It’s that time of year again. The ‘New Year, New Me’ slogans are plastered everywhere, promising that as soon as the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, we will magically transform into more disciplined, more productive, and more successful versions of ourselves. Urgh. I hate it.

Can we just call it for what it is? It’s absolute rubbish.

January 1st doesn’t have magical powers. If you enter the new year as the same person, with the same mindset, and the same strategy, you’re just going to get the same results. Also, the New Year shouldn’t change YOU as a person. You’re perfect as you are. If you want to achieve more in terms of your goals and dreams, that’s just changing how you approach goals and ensuring your have the plan in place to help you achieve them. It shouldn’t be about changing YOU!

I mean, if we’re being really frank, the first thing that needs to change is the concept of New Year Resolutions.

Because resolutions are “shoulds.” Goals are “plans.” The reason most resolutions fail (and, let’s be clear, there’s a day dedicated to this called Quitter’s Day – they DO fail!) is that they are built on emotion, not strategy. They are ‘shoulds’ born out of holiday guilt or social media pressure.

  • ‘I should post more on LinkedIn.

  • ‘I should write that book.’

  • ‘I should scale my business.’

But should is a horrible foundation. It comes from a place of lack and deficiency. It’s not a desire to improve; it almost feels like an apology. Do you know what I mean?

But what if we moved from shoulds to goals, from wishing to planning?

If you want 2026 to be the year you actually hit the pinch-me milestones – the kind that lead to book launches at Hatchards or segments on Heart FM – you have to ditch the resolutions and start strategising.

Success isn’t about a changing who YOU are. It’s about a better system that supports YOU! It’s about taking the person you are today and giving them a blueprint that is so robust it works even when you’re tired, even when you’re busy, and even when things don’t go according to plan.

To be frank, I’m not interested in helping you make resolutions. I’m interested in helping you create goals that make you want to leap out of bed in the morning, and I want to help you build a strategy that survives the hardest days and celebrates the biggest wins.

Join me on January 8th at 12:30 PM for my FREE Goal Setting Masterclass, where we’ll actually talk about the power of the plan, and then get to work on the strategy you actually need.

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Let’s talk goal anatomy…

Is your 2026 a dream or a design? Why you need to understand goal anatomy, and why your goals need architecture.

We’ve all been there. We’ve sat down with a fresh notebook, our favourite pen (yes, I have a favourite pen, it’s metal!), and a head full of “big dreams and ideas.” We write down the destination—the book launch, the ‘big talk’, the revenue milestone—and we feel that instant hit of dopamine.

But here’s the cold, hard truth: A goal without a plan is just a wish.

When I look back at my 2025 – from the book launch at Hatchards, Piccadilly with guests Simon Alexander Ong, Joanna Jenson, and Laura Tenison, to the main stage at #SBSEvent2025 (with Google, having lunch with Theo Paphitis, Richard Harpin, and some other legends – I know, WILD). And then there being the first guest on BBC News after the fireworks (I still joke that the fireworks were my warm up act). These are just a few highs. I achieved some amazing things in 2025. And none of it happened because I ‘wished’ for it.

Building your dreams on dodgy foundations

Most people treat goal setting like a game. They do the nice stuff – what they want to achieve, and then they leave it there. This creates a hollow goal. A vague goal. A goal without structure and without foundations.

If your goal is vague, it has no structure. If it has no structure, it won’t survive:

  • The first ‘no’ from a potential client will floor you

  • The exhaustion of the school run will provide you with excuses (I know the school run and mum life is brutal, I really do)

  • The unexpected curveballs life throws at you will make you throw in the towel (and believe me, 2025 threw plenty).

BUT when you have a good, sturdy, well built goal, you take the knocks because you’re looking at the bigger picture.  To build a year that doesn’t collapse by February, you need to understand the anatomy of a goal. This means moving past the “what” and diving deep into the “how.” It’s about creating the scaffolding that supports you when motivation leaves the building – and it will – because life WILL get in the way. It’s about identifying the knowledge gaps and the micro-wins that create a bridge between where you are now and that big, shiny goal.

I’m pretty passionate about this. I mean, I wrote a book about it and work with clients one to one and through my membership. But for the first time ever, I’m running my own goal setting webinar this January to help you create your own blueprint. And it’s FREE.

On January 8th, 2026 at 12:30 PM, I’m hosting a FREE webinar: Make 2026 Work For YOU – THE Goal System You Need!

I’m going to strip back the fluff that doesn’t work and show you exactly how to build a robust, well-structured goal plan that survives the real world. From here, you’ll be able to map out the exact path you need to take to achieve your dreams, so that 2026 will be the year you made the big steps and achieved.

All you need to do is register and join the free webinar on Thursday 8th January 2026. And if you can’t join live, that’s OK too, sign up anyway and I’ll send you the replay when it’s available!

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Goal Setting Series – Who Are You Sharing Your Goals With?

You need to choose wisely to increase your chances of success

It’s widely quoted that sharing goals increases the chances of success. And whilst this is kind of true, there’s a caveat that is always missed. Sharing your goals with the RIGHT people increases your chance of success; sharing them with the wrong people achieves the opposite.

We’ve all done it. We’ve set a huge, exciting goal, and we want to stack the odds in our favour. We’ve heard that sharing a goal can increase the chances of success, but that’s not always the case.

Who are the right people to share goals with?

The short answer is people who get your goals and dreams – or, even if they don’t ‘get’ them, they support you in your mission. They don’t belittle, tell you you’re crazy, laugh, or wait for your downfall. People who do these aren’t part of your cheerleading squad. And it’s not to say that they’re bad people, but we all have very different worldviews when it comes to work, life, and what we want to achieve. There are lots of reasons why our views differ so much, and it can be very difficult for us to understand if we’re ‘hardwired’ to act in a certain way. We can’t change these people – we shouldn’t even try – but knowing what they’re like could well mean you don’t share you goals with them.

Because when we start making steps towards our big goals, the whole situation is fragile. We can feel very vulnerable and unsure. It’s only when we start to make steps forward and gather momentum, with a few micro goals and the associated wins under our belts, does that confidence come that allows us to smile and nod at the less than helpful comments.

Ego boosters?

On the other side, you might have people who make you think they’re supporting you, but they don’t have the energy/knowledge/desire to help you on your quest. These people can be great for an ego boost, but they won’t help you push on through the tricky times, or challenge you to problem solve when things don’t go according to plan.

So, what should you look for when it comes to who to share your goals with?

Goal getters

In short, it’s someone who gets it. Someone who sees what you want, believes in you, asks you how it’s going, and keeps you accountable. Ideally, you’d share your goals with someone who helps you develop them through asking additional questions to help you find those knowledge gaps to allow you to create a blueprint to help you get from where you are now to where you want to be.

What’s key though, is that sharing your goals with the wrong people can be a lot more damaging, and limiting, than keeping your goals to yourself. You don’t need anyone’s permission, or agreement, to go after what you really want, and if that’s the reason you’re intent on sharing, it’s important to challenge this head on. However, if you share your goals with likeminded people and find a partner or network of people who provide good, genuine support, you’re more likely to achieve the big dreams and goals that are waiting for you.

…you need a well structured goal FIRST

But before you get to the stage of sharing and considering/assessing people as accountability partners, you need to make sure your goal is structured correctly. You must have a robust, well structured goal before you invite anyone to hold you accountable to it. A vague goal shared with a great partner will still result in disappointment.

…and as luck would have it, I’m hosting a FREE webinar on 8th January 2026 at 12.30pm covering the subjects above, including goal anatomy!

In my free January webinar, Make 2026 Work For YOU – THE Goal System You Need! I will walk you through the full anatomy of a good goal plan and show you how to identify the right inner circle who will help you execute it.

➡️ Click here to save your seat for the free January Webinar! 

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Goal Setting Series – Are You Thinking Big Enough?

Why it’s your DUTY (oh yes!) to dream big and achieve big things

As January approaches at an alarming rate, many thoughts turn to what we want to accomplish next year. However, what I notice more and more – is that we often pick a goal that we really want to achieve, and then promptly talk ourselves out of it.

What if I don’t achieve it?

What if it’s too big?

Can I even do it?

Well, I have some thoughts on this… but let’s just start by saying that big things happen when people dream big, set big goals, and work towards them. Nothing truly great was ever achieved by playing small…

Playing it safe

When it comes to goal setting, the natural instinct is often to play it safe. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with setting safe goals, but it’s when we limit ourselves from fulfilling our potential that I have the issue.

Because whilst a small goal can feel safe, let’s reframe this, shall we. What if everyone played it safe? What if no one tried to achieve big things? We wouldn’t have the innovations that we do today. But for you, sometimes a safe goal can be the riskiest strategy because it stops you from making big breakthroughs, big leaps forward, and really fulfilling your potential.

Rinse and repeat?

Sometimes, our smaller goals can cause us to stagnant. Perhaps we look for a small growth in our business each year and just push for that. Or maybe our goal is to maintain? I’m not saying burn it all down and start again, but if our goals are small, does it encourage us to think outside the box? To try new things? Explore new markets? Or do we make a deeper groove in our comfort zone and just kind of give up?!

Inspiration?

When we push ourselves towards big, exciting goals, the chances are we need to apply a hefty dose of thought to help us achieve what we want. When those creative juices start flowing, we become inspired, learn new things, and so a really positive cycle begins that helps to fuel our big dreams. And this has all happened just because we decided to think a big bigger. Wild, right?

The simple truth is this: Small goals do not require you to grow as a leader or an innovator. They keep you trapped in the day-to-day grind.

So, what’s the answer? To dream big – for you, your future self, and the impact you can make. You could say, it’s your duty…

The goal setting mindset

Adjusting your mindset can be a game changer, rather than thinking: ‘who am I to even dream this?’, you can think: ‘it’s my duty to dream big and just try’. By doing this, not only could you achieve huge goals, but you can also have a positive impact on yourself, and those around you – who knows what the simple act of dreaming big could do for you and your business?

You might say it’s not as easy as dreaming big… but it actually is! It’s the first step on your journey. By dreaming big and looking at the big goals you want to achieve, you’re opening your mind up to possibility. The action steps and the blueprint that is created during the goal setting and planning process might not be as easy, but this step is!

Bag a place on my FREE Goal Setting Webinar in January: Make 2026 Work For YOU – THE Goal System You Need

Of course, a big dream without a roadmap is just a fantasy. The reason most people fail when they finally try to “dream big” is not due to a lack of motivation, but a lack of structure. The bigger the dream, the better the blueprint needs to be.

We need to move beyond simple resolutions and build goals that are structured and a planned in a way to increase our chances of success.

…and as luck would have it, I’m hosting a FREE webinar to help you with that! Make 2026 Work For YOU – THE Goal System You Need!On 8th January 2026 at 12.30pm, I am hosting a webinar that will take you through the anatomy of a good goal, how to increase your chances of success, and three of the most common blocks that will try and stop you (as well as how to overcome them!).

➡️ Click here to save your seat for the free January Webinar! 

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5 tips for goal setting for your small business

goal setting for your small business

Today it’s all about goals – well, more precisely goal setting for your small business. It might be a few days since the bells welcomed the New Year, but the good thing is that goals are a bit different to resolutions. Resolutions generally kick in on 1st January and, for many, don’t last all that long. In more recent years, I’ve ditched resolutions. I tend to feel that resolutions are about taking something way. Maybe you want to eat less chocolate? Drink less alcohol? Do you see what I mean? The problem is that when you have a cube of Dairy Milk you can feel like a failure and that can knock you off course. Goals, well, to me, are different. Goals are what I like to focus on.

Goal setting for your small business

The good thing about goals is that they sit well in personal and professional life. It would feel a bit odd to have a resolution for your business, wouldn’t it? But a goal? That makes perfect sense.

The thing with goals is that there’s a bit of a knack to setting them. Well, maybe not a knack as such, but a way to increase your chances of success. Which is the whole reason we’re setting goals- to succeed in areas of our lives- isn’t t? So here are five tips on goal setting that I’ve gathered…

Goal setting for your small business…

Write it down. So flipping simple. But SO effective. I don’t know if you’re like me, but I have this crazy idea that I can remember everything. And I really, really cant. I can remember an impressive amount of things – not where my car keys are, or to order birthday cards on time: I can’t remember everything. And goals are something that get forgotten. But it’s not just for those who have a lot on their plate, there’s been a lot of research done that supports the theory that writing a goal down makes there a much greater chance you’ll achieve it. Simple, hey.

Be specific. If you want to grow your Instagram following – what’s the number you’re aiming at? Want to grow sales? By how much? Want to stock new brands in your tack shop? Which ones? See what I mean? If you have a specific goal, you can measure your success against it. Don’t use it as a thing to beat yourself around the head with. If you say, for example ‘grow my Facebook page’ and you grow it by one, you’ve technically achieved your goal, haven’t you? But I would imagine that’s not quite what you were thinking… so how do you know you’ve achieved what you wanted to achieve if you don’t know what it is?

Break it down. Have achievable steps. Set big, brave goals- by all means – but then break it down into small steps with mini goals, and create the plan around it. So if you want to make HUGE sales as part of a three year plan, break it down into yearly, monthly, weekly if you like, and they create a plan to get there.

Put a time limit in there. Connected to being specific, you want to also add a time in there. If you have a goal to do something by some undefined point in the future, you might find that your goal never really comes true.

Accept that you might not know how to get to your end goal. But you do know how to take the first step. I know this is hardly the SMART goal setting method, but this bit is really, really important. I do love a grand plan, but grand plans are kind of pointless if you don’t actually get on with them at some point. Even if you feel overwhelmed by the goal you’ve set, just start. Do something small. You know how to get this started. Want to improve your videos on social media? Watch a YouTube video about it. Want to grow your mailing list? Google it to get some top tips from the professionals. And that, my friend, that potentially small, simple action, will help propel you forward to achieving what you want to.

I really hope that’s inspired you to give goal setting for your small business a go – I promise you it’s not difficult and it can be really, really effective.

Rhea Freeman Newsletter Link
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Why I bought the bag – do you reward yourself enough?

As anyone who follows me on Twitter or Instagram will know, I recently purchased a completely beautiful Fairfax & Favor Windsor Bag. I’ve actually filmed a video about its packaging too (coming soon!). But that’s not the point of this blog – the point of this blog is tell you why I bought the bag…and it’s not just because it’s gorgeous. And my question for you – do you reward yourself enough?

Fairfax & Favor Windsor HandbagI’ve been admiring this particular bag for a while. And I’ve been in need for a new bag as mine fell apart not that long ago, but I still drag it around the place. Anyway, it’s been on my wish list for quite a long time. But why didn’t I just flipping buy the damn thing? Well, that goes a bit deeper.

I don’t buy that many ‘things’ for myself. I have a bit of a vice for business books, and obviously I buy necessary clothes, food, you know – but I don’t ‘spoil’ myself. Well. Ever. And that’s fine. I don’t need to. But this goes a little deeper in that I neither spoil myself nor reward myself when I do well. I’m not saying that each time I make a bit of progress in my business I should buy myself new things – far from it – but I never even say ‘well done’ either. Silly, isn’t it?

But I’m not alone in this. I work with some amazing people who achieve fabulous things in their businesses each day. They revolutionise out of date services and products, they gain new clients, they create new pieces, they work really, really hard. And what do they do when they succeed? They’re onto the next thing, without so much as a celebratory pause. Or even a smile for a job well done.

Let’s flip this around. If you had someone working for you that made the wins that you make in your business, would you just ignore their achievements? I very much doubt it. You’d tell them that they’d done well. You’d congratulate them. You might go out for a drink after work. If it’s a spectacular achievement, you might even given them a bonus. And what do you do when you do something great? How do you reward yourself? Put the kettle on and crack on with the next job? Sound familiar?

So, back to the bag. A client of mine had bought one and sent me a video of it (yes…I do have lovely clients who egg me on to do things!), and one of the lovely bloggers I work with is a big fan of the brand too. Yet still I was on the fence. Did I deserve it? Yep. You read that correctly. Did I deserve the bag?  I work hard, I don’t play hard, I give a lot. With a gentle kick up the backside from my client, and husband, and Harriet (aka A Girl About Country). The bag was purchased and I couldn’t be more delighted. Not only is it a thing of beauty, but it’s a rather lovely reminder of how far I’ve come, and that hard work pays off. All in bag form.

So, my message to you. I’m not saying you need to necessarily buy yourself expensive things every five minutes, or throw parties when you make progress, but do something nice for yourself, to say well done. Self employed people and directors don’t really seem to celebrate their wins. And where’s the fun in that? Treat yourself like you would a team member. Even if it’s just a quiet word with yourself that says ‘job well done’.

Do you reward yourself enough? I’d love to hear how you pat yourself on the back below, or if this blog has made you think that perhaps you need to have a think about it.

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