Welcome to The Violet View!
A monthly newsletter designed to bring digestible leadership insights, straight to your inbox.
Hi there, it's Stefanie here (Co-Founder and President of TVG).
Happy New Year! Whether you celebrated big, small, or somewhere in between, I hope the close of 2024 gave you time to rest, recharge, and start the year feeling energized.
Today, I want to dig into a topic that’s everywhere right now: goal-setting. But don’t worry—I’ll keep it grounded in practicality and action.
As always, I’m drawing on research-backed insights (nerding out is part of the deal!) to help cut through the noise and make this season of resolutions, intentions, and goals work for you.
Let’s face it: this time of year can feel overwhelming. Between “new year, new you” messages, “word of the year” trends, and the pressure to transform overnight, it’s a lot. You want to make meaningful progress, but figuring out where to start? That’s a different story.
Allow me to simplify things. Below are three evidence-based strategies to help you set yourself up for success in 2025. Not into goals right now? No worries—there’s plenty of value in the rest of this issue too.
1. Be Specific and Measurable
Vague goals like “get healthy,” “be a better leader,” or “get a promotion” often fall flat because they lack clarity. The key is to reframe them into specific, actionable objectives.
For example, instead of saying, “I want a promotion,” try this:
“I’ll demonstrate my readiness for a promotion by exceeding goals for Project X, taking on more responsibility with Project Y, and sending bi-weekly updates to my manager to highlight my progress.”
This approach provides directional guidance, while allowing you to track your progress and hold yourself accountable.
2. Balance Ambition with Realism
Unrealistic goals are doomed from the start. You should absolutely challenge yourself and set a high bar but include a healthy pragmatism too.
For instance, many people come out of the gate hot after New Year’s with goals like “work out 7x a week” or “secure 10 new clients in January.”
These goals are specific (as they should be), but are they realistic or are you deluding yourself? Research suggests you’re probably deluding yourself which will lead to demotivation and disappointment.
Did you make it to the gym 2-3x a week in 2024? Awesome, why not up that to 4-5x on average and try that on for size? It’s a challenge but it leaves space for the
unpredictability of life and “off weeks.” It’s sustainable.
3. Anticipate Obstacles
Life is messy, uncertain, and imperfect—and your goals should account for that. Research shows that anticipating setbacks improves your ability to stay on track.
What barriers might you encounter, and how will you navigate them? Whether it’s scheduling conflicts, energy dips, or unexpected detours, planning for hurdles makes all the difference in sustaining momentum.
Here's to a year of clarity and growth,
Stefanie
