5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Setting Goals For 2026

The end of the year always brings that familiar urge to start plotting the next one. New goals. New habits. A supposedly “new you.” Yet rushing into resolutions without pausing to reflect often leads to goals that feel more like pressure than purpose.

Annemie Burger, HR Director at Penquin, believes meaningful goal-setting starts long before you put pen to paper. It starts with reflection.

She explains that people often get swept up in the culture of doing more, earning more and achieving more. Real, lasting change doesn’t come from checking boxes, it comes from deciding what truly matters and aligning your choices with your values.

Burger suggests asking yourself five simple questions before committing to personal or professional goals for the new year.

Here are 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Setting Goals For The New Year

1. What did this year teach me?

Progress isn’t only about outcomes; it’s about what you’ve learned along the way. Taking stock of your challenges, wins and personal growth helps you recognise how far you’ve come. That reflection becomes the foundation for everything you build next.

2. Where did my energy go, and did it serve me?

Exhaustion without clarity is a sign that your energy went somewhere, but not somewhere useful. Burger encourages an “energy audit”: identify what drained you and what nourished you. Your energy is finite. Protect it and allocate it intentionally.

3. What does success look like for me?

Success is personal, not performative. It might mean slowing down, strengthening relationships or prioritising your health. Burger emphasises that your definition is the only one that counts and it doesn’t need to match anyone else’s expectations.

4. Who do I want to grow with?

Your circle matters. The people who uplift, challenge, support and see you clearly play a major role in your wellbeing. Moving into a new year is an opportunity to choose those connections consciously.

5. What will I do differently this time?

If you’ve cycled through the same goals for years, the problem isn’t the goal, it’s the strategy. Small, sustainable changes in behaviour or mindset often make the biggest difference. Growth comes from adjusting your approach.

For Burger, the heart of goal-setting isn’t pressure, it’s possibility. There’s no rule that says you must have your entire life mapped out by January. What matters is awareness. When your goals reflect your values, staying consistent becomes far easier because the path feels authentic.

As South Africans head into a new year, Burger encourages trading perfection for progress. Set goals that are grounded, compassionate and deeply personal.

The most powerful thing you can do in 2026 is be intentional. When your actions reflect who you truly are rather than who you think you should be, you create a year that feels meaningful and genuinely fulfilling.

This kind of reflective approach keeps the door open for growth throughout the year, not just during the January rush.

Watch this space for updates in the Hacks category on Running Wolf’s Rant.

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