To achieve any goal, you need four key things: clarity, a plan, the right mindset, and the resources to make it happen.

That’s it!

With these four, great achievements can be made.

Without them, it’s easy to drift, lose focus, or waste your energy on things that don’t move you forward.

As the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland famously said:

“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.”

That’s why I’m starting this year by getting super clear on what I want and making sure I have the tools in place to make it happen.

Let me walk you through the four essentials you need to make 2025 your most productive and impactful year yet.

1. Clarity of the Goal

If you don’t know where you’re going, it’s impossible to take the right steps to get there. Clarity is the foundation of everything.

For my online business, 2025 is about three things:

• Income: Reaching my income goal while working just 5 hours a week.
• Impact: Doing work that makes a difference in people’s lives.
• Freedom: Releasing my time for the things that matter most.

Your goals might look different, but they need to be just as clear. Without clarity, you’ll find yourself busy but not productive, constantly reacting to other people’s priorities instead of working toward your own.

Ask yourself:

• What income do you want to make this year?
• What kind of impact do you want your work to have?
• What kind of freedom do you want in your life—time, flexibility, or location independence?

Action Step: Take five minutes to write down your big-picture goals for 2025. Be specific. Numbers and deadlines are your friends here.

2. A Plan to Get There

Once you know where you’re going, you need a clear map to guide you.

Having a plan is what stops you from falling into the “learning hamster wheel,” where you’re always watching one more video, taking one more course, or reading one more book before you feel ready to start. Trust me, I’ve been there—it’s exhausting.

I’ve created a clear map for my business and for the people I coach. Does that mean it’s the only way to reach my goals? Of course not. But having a plan gives me the confidence to take consistent steps forward without second-guessing myself or getting stuck in overwhelm.

That’s one of the things that having a coach or mentor helps you with - knowing exactly what the plan is and what to do next. It doesn’t take away the work but it removes the guesswork and enables you to keep moving forward consistently.

Ask yourself:

• What is your overall plan guiding you towards your goals? Do you have one or do you need help to create one?
• What are the first three steps you need to take in January to move closer to your goals?
• How will you measure your progress?

Action Step: Write down your big-picture plan, your top three priorities for this month that align with your big-picture goals.

3. The Right Mindset

No matter how clear your goals are or how detailed your plan is, nothing will happen if you don’t have the mindset to follow through.

Your mindset is what keeps you moving forward when things get hard or when progress feels slower than you’d like. It’s what stops you from giving up and helps you turn obstacles into opportunities.

Here are some key mindset shifts for entrepreneurs in 2025:

• “Replace ‘I can’t’ with ‘How can I?’: Most challenges have a solution if you’re willing to look for it.
• Refuse the victim mindset: Make a decision to walk away from any victim mindset that dogged you in 2024 so that you can move forward in 2025.
• Focus on progress, not perfection: Small, consistent actions will always beat waiting for the perfect time or conditions.
• Time, not money, is your most valuable asset: Treat your time like the valuable resource it is. Say no to distractions and low-impact tasks.

Action Step: Choose one mindset shift to focus on this month. Write it down as a daily affirmation and revisit it every morning.

4. Resources to Make the Journey

Finally, you need the resources to support your goals—both time and money.

Start by auditing your 2024. What commitments drained your time or energy without moving you closer to your goals? What can you let go of in 2025 to create more space for the things that matter?

For example, my youngest son wants to get into property. His aim is to buy his first house before he’s 20. But he’s realised that to get started in the property game you need cash. So we’ve made a plan for him to build a cash-generating business so that he can eventually use that cash to invest in his first property. Will he achieve it? I don’t know. But he’s got a goal, a solid plan and he’s working hard towards it.

For me, this has been about saying no to tasks and opportunities that don’t align with my income, impact, or freedom goals. Every no I say makes room for a more powerful yes. Equally remember that if you say yes to something you are always saying no to something else. Asking yourself what you are saying no to can help you decide if the yes is a good idea!

Ask yourself:

• What are three things you’ll stop doing this year?
• What resources—whether time, money, or energy—do you need to invest to achieve your goals?
• How can you generate those resources?

Action Step: Write down three things you’ll stop doing in 2025 and one investment you’ll make to support your growth.

Accountability: The Missing Key

Even with clarity, a plan, the right mindset, and resources, accountability is often the secret ingredient that keeps you on track. When you know someone is cheering you on (and maybe nudging you when you need it), it’s so much easier to stay focused and motivated.

That’s why I encourage you to find an accountability partner, join a group, or work with a coach. If you’re looking for support, check out the “How I Can Help” section below—I’d love to help you create your plan and achieve your goals this year.

Conclusion

To achieve your goals in 2025, start with these four essentials: clarity, a plan, the right mindset, and the resources to make it happen. Once you have these in place, you’ll be amazed at how much progress you can make—and how good it feels to finally move forward with purpose and confidence.

Take the first step today: write down your goals, map out your plan and next three actions, and commit to one mindset shift. And if you need help along the way, you know where to find me.

Here’s to making 2025 your most successful year yet!

How I Can Help

If you’re ready to learn more about creating a successful online course, coaching or mentoring program, here are some ways we can work together to bring your vision to life:

1. Subscribe to The Raw News

If you're not already receiving it, get weekly tips, tactics, and inspiration delivered straight to your inbox to help you build your online coaching program. Sign up here.

2. Join My FREE Facebook Group

Become part of a community of aspiring coaches, mentors and course creators in the Online Course & Coach Accelerator group. Here we share resources, answer questions, and provide feedback to help you grow. Join us here.

3. Sign Up for my Impact & Income Accelerator Workshop

If you’re ready to level up, my Impact & Income Accelerator Workshop shows you how I built a profitable, scalable online course business in my spare time. Sign up here.