New Year Plans

We all want to start the new year on the right footing.

What does that mean?

I believe it means different things for different people. Nevertheless, we all have our new year rituals such as: goal setting, vision boarding and so on. We hope that this things will set us up for success.

They can. But they can also quietly set us up for disappointment. It’s all in how we define success. Let’s talk about setting goals in a way that will keep us motivated all year long.

At the start of the year, many people set goals like:
“I want to get into X school.”
“I want to win Y scholarship.”
“I want to be accepted.”

These are well intentioned goals and sound reasonable but they are also goals you do not control. You can do everything right and still lose because the outcome depends on other people. That doesn’t mean you failed, but your goal system will tell you that you did.

I encourage you to apply the SMART framework to what you can actually govern.

For example, instead of:
“I will get into a top programme this year.”

Try:
“By March, I will produce three strong applications, each with a clear narrative, tailored essays, and referees who know my work.”

Both are serious goals. Only one gives you agency.

This shift matters because effort compounds even when outcomes don’t. Strong applications can still lead to rejection. But they also lead to clearer thinking, better writing, stronger references, and less panic the next time you apply.

That is real progress.

You can’t control being selected.
You can control whether your work is coherent, honest, and well-prepared.

If you finish this year knowing you did the work well—even if the outcome was no—you are in a stronger position than someone who chased results they could not control.

That is a better way to start, and finish, the year.

If you have learnt something new or found this helpful, don’t hesitate to drop a comment to let me know and share with your friends.