As the year begins, many of us set ambitious resolutions, but by February, most have already fallen by the wayside. If you're a coach, service provider, or entrepreneur who's tired of setting goals that never stick, this one's for you.
Here's the thing: most resolutions fail because they're vague dreams, not actionable goals. That's where my Focus Wheel process comes in. It's a method I use to set more meaningful and realistic goals across every area of my life, not just business. Let's dive into how it works and why it's a game-changer.
Why Most Goals Fail (Especially for Entrepreneurs)
When we set goals without clarity or structure, they tend to fall apart. Imagine saying, “I want more visibility this year” or “I want to be more consistent with my content.” What does that actually mean? Without specifics or a plan, it's just a wish.
As entrepreneurs, we're especially guilty of setting only business goals. We focus on revenue targets, follower counts, and launch numbers. But we forget that we're human beings with relationships, health, and personal lives that need attention too.
The Focus Wheel helps you assess your entire life, pinpoint areas to improve, and create clear, actionable targets. Not just for your business, but for everything that matters.
Grab the printable wheel here to follow along: fastforwardamy.com/focuswheel
The 8 Key Areas of Life
My Focus Wheel divides life into 8 key areas:
- Health – Your physical and mental wellbeing
- Finances – Your income, savings, and financial security
- Living Environment – Your home and physical space
- Relationships – Partner, family, and friends
- Career – Your business or work
- Play and Leisure – Fun, hobbies, and recreation
- Community – Your impact and connections beyond your inner circle
- Personal Growth – Learning, development, and self-improvement
Start by scoring each area from 1 to 10 based on how satisfied you are. Be honest. This exercise isn't about judgment, but about understanding where your focus and energy are needed most.
I learned this the hard way. A few weeks ago, I was feeling frustrated about my health journey. I was getting stronger, but my pants didn't fit me anymore. My sleep had decreased by 30 minutes on average per night. That's 3.5 hours less per week. My steps dropped by 2,000 per day without me even noticing.
What changed? I stopped tracking my goals. I took down my goal sheets from the walls in my gym and didn't put new ones up. The moment I lost focus, my habits started slipping.
Setting Process-Based vs. Outcome-Based Goals
One mistake many people make is focusing only on outcomes: “I want to hit 10K months” or “I want to get 5,000 followers.” While these goals are important, they're not entirely within your control. That's why I recommend combining process-based goals (things you can actively do) with outcome-based goals (results you aim for).
For example, if your goal is more visibility and authority:
- Process Goal: Post 5 pieces of strategic content per week or pitch yourself to 2 podcasts per month
- Outcome Goal: Be invited to 10 podcast interviews this year or grow your email list to 1,000 subscribers
If your goal is better health:
- Process Goal: Walk 10,000 steps daily or do strength training four times a week
- Outcome Goal: Be able to deadlift 100 kilos by year-end or sleep 8 hours per night on average
The process goals give you actions to take every day, making progress tangible and rewarding. You can't always control the outcome, but you can control what you do.
Tracking Your Progress: The Secret Successful People Use
Tracking is crucial to staying on course. I learned this from watching documentaries about successful people like Jake Paul and hearing Grant Cardone talk about setting his goals every single morning. They look at their goals daily.
Whether it's using a planner, a whiteboard, or my free Focus Wheel template, regularly reviewing your goals ensures you stay focused. I've found that seeing my goals every day keeps my energy aligned with what I want to achieve.
When I stopped doing this, everything started to slip. My Oura ring battery died and I didn't replace it for weeks. I stopped checking my sleep. My steps went down because I wasn't tracking them anymore. I started skipping breakfast and chugging coffee on an empty stomach, spiking my cortisol.
These weren't massive changes, but they added up fast. That's why tracking matters so much.
Small Steps Lead to Big Wins (Especially When You're Overwhelmed)
You don't need to tackle everything at once. This is especially important if you're already overwhelmed running your business. Break your goals into manageable pieces and focus on what matters most right now.
For instance, if your home feels overwhelming to organize, pick one area to work on, like redecorating your bedroom or cleaning out the kitchen. If you feel invisible online and don't know what to post, start with one strategic content pillar and post consistently for 30 days.
Progress, no matter how small, builds momentum. Last year, I felt overwhelmed about decorating my entire house. So I focused on one room at a time. First the bathroom, then the bedroom. It made the process feel achievable instead of crushing.
The same applies to your business goals. Don't try to fix your entire content strategy, launch a podcast, start a newsletter, and scale to 10K months all at once. Pick the one thing that will move the needle most and focus there first.
Make 2026 Your Year of Intentional Growth
The beauty of the Focus Wheel is that it helps you stay intentional and balanced. By setting clear goals in the areas that matter most, you'll feel more aligned, motivated, and in control of your life.
This is especially powerful if you're a coach or service provider who's been stuck at the same income plateau. Often, the reason we can't break through isn't just about business strategy. It's about the other areas of our life that we've been neglecting.
Maybe you need better sleep to have the energy for consistent content creation. Maybe you need to strengthen your relationship so you're not distracted and guilty when you're working. Maybe you need to organize your finances so you finally feel secure instead of constantly stressed.
Time will pass anyway. You might as well make it count.
Listen to the full episode for the complete story.
Are you ready to get started?
Listen to the full episode where I walk you through the exercise and share my personal goals for 2026.
Download my free Focus Wheel template to guide you through the process: fastforwardamy.com/focuswheel
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