Mid-year makeover: How to salvage your 2025 goals

Hindustan Times

11-07-2025

How are we halfway into July already? Weren't we making wide-eyed resolutions for 2025 just a couple of weeks ago? Where's that vision board again? If you're hoping to sleep better by the end of 2026, start by just going to bed 15 minutes earlier this month. (SHUTTERSTOCK)
If you've been dragging your feet on this year's goals, a halfway mark is a good time to take stock and course correct. Or to just flip the script: You're not late for this year's deadline, but actually on course to prep for next year's resolutions. Forget the calendar. Be kind to yourself and start early.
Clear the deck. A mid-year reset doesn't mean throwing away your current goals or overloading new ones. It means evaluating what you haven't done yet, and looking at whether it still matters. 'When we set a goal, what we don't take into consideration is our current reality and the changing world,' says Dubai-based life coach Chetna Chakravarthy (@PositivityAngel). Think of all those people who made vision boards at the tail end of 2019, only to face a pandemic three months later. They had to recoup and adjust what they wanted to achieve that year. Chakravarthy also finds that clients in their 20s overreach, and struggle to balance ambition and ability. 'Starting early allows room for early tweaks, unlike when you hit the ground running in January,' she says.
Bend time. The pressure to 'start fresh' only at the beginning of the year is outdated, says high-performance coach Aditi Surana. Most goals aren't synced with a January-to-December calendar, anyway. Why you're reaching towards a goal matters more than what date you start working on it. 'Remind yourself of the why on a regular basis,' she says. And separate the plan from the purpose. If you're hoping to sleep better by the end of 2026, start by just going to bed 15 minutes earlier this month. Advance sleep time bit by bit, so that when January arrives, the body isn't making such a huge adjustment. If you're planning to lose weight, it's safer to do it incrementally over 18 months than 12.
Gamify the reset. Create a scorecard for two things that matter most to you right now. (SHUTTERSTOCK)
Aim well. Chakravarthy has a list of questions that she uses as prompts for her clients. These include, 'What did you think this year was going to be about?' and 'What is it turning out to be?' Give every unmet goal three checks: Desire (Is this truly something you want to do, or is it just lofty-sounding?), capability (Do you have the necessary skills and resources to pursue the goal?) and willingness (Are you going to actually do what's required?). 'If your answer to any of them is no or if you're unsure, that's a sign that you'll struggle with the goal,' she says. Spend 2025 adjusting life to accommodate them: Book early-bird gym memberships and work your schedule around it, tune in to morning podcasts to prep for a subject you want to specialise in.
Collect points. Surana says that a big part of her job is to hold people accountable to the changes they want to make. Her approach? Gamify the reset. 'Create a scorecard for two things that matter most to you – no more than two, or you'll get overwhelmed,' she says. Set periodic rewards. A weekend away after you've stayed off matcha lattes for three months; Spotify Premium only after you've started walked 90 minutes a day for a month. And mark the smaller milestones. 'Small wins, done consistently and with intention, have far more long-term impact than big changes that burn you out,' Surana says. No pressure, no punishment – the only person on the leaderboard is you.
Allow for wiggle room. Of course, life will get in the way. Pilates class will plateau, you'll end up buying chips when you needed veggies, some books will drag on and on before you give up on them. Regroup and reset. There's no such thing as 'starting over', Chakravarthy says. You only start from where you previously reached.
From HT Brunch, July 12, 2025
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