Every January, my LinkedIn feed fills up with the same energy: ambitious goals, bold predictions, declarations of reinvention. “This is the year I’ll finally master AI.” “New year, new me.” “12 months to transform my career.”
And honestly? It used to make me feel a bit anxious.
Because after 17 years in marketing, I’ve learned something important: the pressure to dramatically reinvent yourself every January is exhausting, often unhelpful, and rarely sustainable.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the fresh start feeling of a new year, the house feeling tidy again and those fresh, Winter walks with the dogs!. I appreciate the chance to reflect and recalibrate. But somewhere along the way, I realised that the most meaningful growth in my career hasn’t come from ambitious New Year’s resolutions. It’s come from showing up consistently, deepening what I already know, and being honest about what actually matters to me—not what sounds impressive on paper.
The problem with “new year, new you”
There’s an underlying message in all that January optimism that’s easy to miss: the current you isn’t quite enough. You need to be more productive, more skilled, more everything. And if you’re not setting stretch goals that make you slightly uncomfortable to say out loud, are you even trying?
I’ve set those goals. I’ve made the ambitious plans. And I’ve watched many of them quietly fade by March, leaving me feeling like I’d failed before the year even got going.
The issue wasn’t lack of motivation or discipline. It was that I was setting goals based on what I thought I should want, rather than what I actually needed. Goals that looked good but didn’t align with where I was in my career or life. Goals that added pressure without adding meaning.
What I’ve learned about setting better goals
1. Consolidation is underrated
A few years ago, I stopped asking “What new skill should I learn?” and started asking “What do I already do well that I could deepen or refine?”
For me, that’s been focusing on how AI can enhance marketing effectiveness, not because it’s trendy, but because I’m genuinely curious about it and it builds on skills I already have. Deepening existing strengths has been far more valuable than constantly chasing the next new thing.
The shift: From “I should learn this” to “I want to get better at this.”
2. Reflection time is just as important as action time
We’re very good at setting goals about what we’ll do. Learn a new platform. Run more campaigns. Attend more events.
But when do we build in time to actually think? To review what worked and what didn’t? To notice patterns in our own work? Spend time on our personal development plans?
Some of my most valuable professional growth has come from taking time to debrief campaigns properly, to ask “why did that resonate?” or “what would I do differently?” That’s not flashy. It doesn’t make for a great LinkedIn post. But it’s made me a better marketer.
The shift: Building in reflection as an actual goal, not just an afterthought.
3. What matters to YOUR career, not everyone else’s
It’s easy to look around at what other people are doing and feel like you should be doing it too. They’re speaking at workshops – should you be? They’re leading big teams – should you be? They’re pivoting into a new specialism – should you?
Maybe. But maybe not.
I’ve learned to get really honest about what success looks like for me right now. Sometimes that’s been about visibility and stretch. Other times it’s been about consolidation, learning to say no, or focusing on work-life balance rather than career advancement.
The question I ask now: “Does this goal align with what I actually value, or does it just sound good?”
4. Sustainable beats dramatic
The goals that have actually stuck for me have been small, consistent ones. Not “completely transform my approach to campaigns” but “test one new tactic each quarter and document what I learn.” Not “become an AI expert” but “spend 30 minutes a week experimenting with AI tools.”
Small, sustainable changes compound over time. Dramatic reinventions usually don’t.
The shift: From sprinting to steady progress.
5. Sometimes the goal is just to maintain
Here’s something we don’t say enough: not every year needs to be about growth.
Some years are about getting through. About maintaining what you’ve built. About protecting your energy and wellbeing while everything else feels demanding.
I’ve had years where my professional development goal was genuinely just “don’t burn out” or “keep doing good work while managing everything else going on in life.” And you know what? Those were good goals. Important goals. Goals that set me up for better years later.
Permission granted: It’s okay if your goal this year is stability, not growth.
What I’m actually focussing on this year
I’m sharing this not because I think you should copy it, but because specificity helps. These are my real goals for 2026, and they’re quieter than they might have been ten years ago:
1. Get better at saying no to things that don’t align with my priorities
I’m good at my job. I’m reliable. That means people ask me to do things. But saying yes to everything means saying no to focus, depth, and honestly, my own wellbeing. This year I want to practice declining thoughtfully and without guilt.
2. Build deeper expertise in AI-driven marketing, but at my own pace
Not because I should but because I’m genuinely fascinated by it. I want to experiment, test, learn—without the pressure to become an “AI expert” by some arbitrary deadline.
3. Share what I’m learning more openly
Including things that don’t work. Including uncertainty. I want to contribute to the conversation, not just consume everyone else’s polished highlight reels.
4. Protect time for thinking, not just doing
I’m blocking out time for campaign debriefs, for reading, for letting ideas settle. Not because it’s productive in the traditional sense, but because it makes everything else better.
5. Be kinder to myself when things don’t go to plan
Because they won’t. They never do. And beating myself up about it doesn’t help.
If you’re feeling the January pressure
Here’s what I wish someone had told me earlier:
You don’t need to reinvent yourself. The version of you that got you here is already pretty capable. Maybe what you need isn’t transformation—it’s refinement. Or rest. Or just permission to keep going at your own pace.
Your career is long. Not every year needs to be the year of massive growth. Some years are for consolidating. Some are for experimenting quietly. Some are just for surviving while life throws other things at you. All of that is okay.
Your goals are yours. They don’t need to impress anyone. They don’t need to fit a narrative. They just need to be meaningful to you.
Progress isn’t always visible. Sometimes growth looks like getting better at boundaries, or learning to manage your energy, or finally letting go of perfectionism. That’s just as valuable as any new certification or skill.
So, new year, same you?
Yes. Same you—maybe a bit more rested, a bit more intentional, a bit kinder to yourself. That’s more than enough.
Here’s to a year of sustainable growth, realistic goals, and being genuinely okay with where you are while you figure out where you want to go.
What are you focusing on this year—really focusing on, not what sounds good on LinkedIn? I’d love to hear what matters to you.
LAB Marketing 