3 Ways to Build the Life You Want with Small Goals
January 7, 2026
The start of a new year feels like a clean slate, an opportunity to start fresh. It’s a chance to build new habits, make positive changes, and design the life we want. One effective way to do this, which might seem counterintuitive, is to set tiny, incremental goals.
In his book Atomic Habits, author James Clear reminds us that making a 1 percent improvement every day for a year means you’ll be 37 times better at a task at the end of the year. Improving by 2 percent per week means you’ll be almost 3 times better at it in a year. Small gains add up!
Here’s a simple idea that changes everything: instead of setting a long list of New Year’s resolutions in January, choose one focus per quarter. Just one. One meaningful small goal to work on for three months, then move on to the next. This approach lowers the pressure, reduces overwhelm, and gives you the space to actually follow through. Over the course of a year, you’ll focus on four meaningful goals, and you’ll do it with intention, clarity, and far more consistency.
When setting your goals, in addition to breaking them down into small, achievable components, remember to limit your list to things you can control. For example, instead of setting a goal to get a new job, focus on finishing a certification program, updating your resume, or applying for three new positions each week.
Here are 3 key areas where incremental improvements will generate significant results and help you build the life you want.
When you are well-rested, everything is easier. Your memory works better. It’s easier to focus on the tasks you need to accomplish. You are more emotionally resilient. These are huge gains compared to how you feel when you’re not getting enough sleep.
So, what interrupts your sleep at night? Is your pillow providing your head and neck with good support? Is light or noise waking you at night?
Taking time to investigate and address sleep issues can help you find practical solutions and make a huge difference in your productivity, mood, and relationships.
An organizational system you can actually stick with makes life so much easier. Start by identifying one challenge area you encounter each day. Check common trouble spots, such as just inside the door of your home or office (or the nearest horizontal surface to an entrance or exit).
Break down what’s causing the mess to pile up in this area. What items belong in that space? Do those items have a designated spot, like a hanger, bin, or drawer? Remember what organization expert Marie Kondo would say: “Everything needs a home.”
For instance, try adding hooks to hang up jackets and bags in a disorganized entry area. Then perhaps a simple shoe rack. See how each addition affects the space and your use of it.
When choosing organizational tools, opt for function over beauty. A gorgeous system that is time-consuming to use will ultimately get abandoned. Keep it simple, try one change at a time, and see how that feels. Once you find a system that works for you, then you can make it pretty.
What is one healthier choice you can make today? Thinking of health in terms of small, sustainable choices you can build on is a great way to set yourself up for significant growth in healthy habits this year.
For example, you might set a goal to walk an extra 100 steps until you reach a daily goal of 10,000 steps. Perhaps you decide to eat an apple or other whole fruit or vegetable each day, or to reduce the amount of sweetener in your coffee bit by bit. You might start your day with one positive intention.
Pick something achievable and build on the habit from there.
Building positive habits sets us up for success. Pretty soon, we don’t have to think about the choice to reach for that healthy snack or take the stairs instead of the elevator. Those habits become part of our routine, and we continue to yield the benefits.
My book, 21 Days to Happiness, teaches you 21 happiness habits you can easily integrate into your daily life to boost your mood and increase joy, helping you build the life you want. Each chapter focuses on one habit, allowing you to move through the text at your own pace. You might tackle one chapter per day, or slow it down and focus on one per week so that you have a chance to try out different techniques and find what’s right for you.
The book is packed with science-backed insights and practical tools you can start using right away. 21 Days to Happiness is available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook format.
For organizations looking to start the year on a positive and energizing note, our Happiness at Work interactive conference is a wonderful way to inspire your teams, reinforce healthy habits, and set the tone for a year focused on well-being, motivation, and engagement.
