Why the end of the year feels bitter sweet
And what to do about it
As the year winds down, I find myself reflecting on the transformations I’ve seen in my coaching room. When I work with leaders and their teams, we begin the year crafting visions. I encourage them to be aspirational yet realistic. Whether it’s career milestones, strengthening relationships, or putting health and fitness to the top of the list, January is marked by clarity and ambition.
By December, we return to those visions, not just to measure achievements but to explore the stories they tell. What succeeded? What unravelled? And most importantly, what have we’ve learned about the interplay of effort, resilience, and self-compassion?
This year, three powerful themes emerged—revealing insights about how we go after our goals, and sometimes, how we stand in their way. No one achieved all their goals. Many coaches wouldn’t admit this! But later in this email I explain why 60% is conversely more successful than 100%.
What’s more curious: I noticed many people were more disappointed by what they didn’t achieve than proud of what they did.
I’ve decided to share with you the trends I’ve noticed in this cycle of end-of-year reviews. Along with tweaks to help you hit the ground running in 2025.
At the bottom of this email, I’ve also included your very own reflection tool and vision writing exercise to help boost your confidence for whatever adventures lie in store for you for next year. I’d love to know how you get on with it.
Here are the insights:
My Take:
This is exactly how goal-setting SHOULD work. You shoot for ‘just beyond’ and if you get some of the way there - well done! The reward is not success - the reward is working towards it.
The Tweak:
Instead of asking, Did I hit the goal or not? Think of it as a scale. How much progress did I actually make? Don’t judge your answer—just notice how it feels. What patterns or insights emerge? What’s the story behind the progress you made, and what does it tell you about how you work best? Ask yourself: is this still important to me? And if so - how can I push the dial up to 100% next year?
When comparing personal and professional outcomes, personal goals often dropped off the list. This is interesting considering the majority of personal commitments seemed on the surface more manageable and less ambitious. (Such as: logging off by 6 PM or reading for pleasure). Meanwhile, the professional goals were way more audacious: scaling revenue tenfold, pivoting industries, or leading billion-dollar agencies. These professional goals seemed to be more reliably ‘ticked off’ while not achieving the personal goals was a source of regret.
My Take:
Chasing professional success releases dopamine—excitement, achievement, momentum. When you’re going after a big professional goal it’s easier to find supporters and galvanisers. Personal goals feel quieter, less urgent and they’re the first to get pushed aside when things get tough. But they matter just as much. I speak from experience - if your personal life isn’t thriving, your professional success doesn’t mean as much.
The Tweak:
Clients who nailed personal goals leaned on habits and accountability. One booked a 6 PM fitness class, others joined book clubs or stuck to journaling. These small rituals create structure and make you more resilient. When you have positive habits it’s easier to stay on course.
Here’s the pattern: sidelining personal priorities, skipping the celebration, and going full throttle at work. It’s the surest recipe for burnout.
We start the year fired up, only to fizzle by the end. I’m seeing this A LOT in my coaching room this December.
My Take:
If your light is dimming, this isn’t a failure—it’s feedback. It’s your cue to pause.
The Tweak:
Start asking better questions: What can I say no to? Where is the best place to spend my energy? What recharges me? There are no prizes for working too hard.
Success is rarely linear. It’s messy, beautiful, and mostly in the journey. So as you consider your goals for 2025, I encourage you to see them not just as boxes to tick—but invitations to live more fully. (That’s definitely my personal learning from this year). Please take time to celebrate how far you’ve come. And I look forward to sharing with you more tiny tweaks to boost your confidence and bring your personal goals to life in 2025.
Here’s an end of year reflection and 2025 vision writing exercise for you.
