How to Plan 2025 — Making Good: Small Business Podcast

Dec 26

Dec 26 Best Year Ever: A Step-by-Step Planning Guide for 2025

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This might just be one of my favorite episodes yet because we’re diving into planning for 2025 in a way that sets you up for real success.

This isn’t just about dreaming big (although we’ll do that too)—it’s about creating a plan that motivates you and actually gets done.

In this workshop-style episode, I’ll guide you through my step-by-step framework for reflecting on 2024, dreaming big for 2025, and turning those dreams into practical, actionable plans. Whether you’re listening while multitasking or carving out dedicated time for this process, I’ve got you covered.

Plus, I’ll share how to break your annual goals into manageable quarterly focuses, so you can stay motivated and on track all year long.

What’s Included in This Episode:

A simple framework for reflecting on 2024 and setting your intentions for 2025.
The “Destination Postcard” exercise for dreaming big.
How to break down your annual vision into actionable quarterly goals.
Tips for creating a digital vision board that keeps your goals top of mind.
Practical advice for sticking to your plan, including calendar blocking, tracking progress, and building accountability.
How to stay motivated and flexible throughout the year.

Prompts + Exercises from the Episode

Destination Postcard Exercise
Imagine it's December 31st, 2025. You're sitting down to write a postcard to yourself – present day you. You want to paint a vivid picture of where you are, what you've accomplished, and most importantly, how it FEELS.
What does your business look like? What impact are you making? How are you spending your days? What's different from where you are right now?

adapted from Switch by Dan and Chip Heath
MORE / LESS / KEEP Exercise
Considering 6 key areas (work and business, finances, health + wellness, relationships + community, personal growth, fun + adventure), answer the following questions:
- What do you want MORE of in 2025?
- What do you want LESS of?
- What's working well that you want to KEEP doing?
Choose a North Star Goal
This is the ONE thing that, if you accomplished it, would make the biggest difference in moving you toward that destination postcard vision.

Choose one for your business, and one for your personal life.
Break It Down Quarterly
Break your North Star Goals into quarterly mini-goals for each of the quarters in 2025. They should build on one another so that after all is said and done, if these mini goals are achieved, you’ll have reached your North Star Goal.

Q1 Business Goal
Q1 Personal Life Goal
Q2 Business Goal
Q2 Personal Life Goal
Q3 Business Goal
Q3 Personal Life Goal
Q4 Business Goal
Q4 Personal Life Goal
Plan Q1
For each of your Q1 goals, break it down into the smallest possible tasks. Then, assign those tasks to specific weeks in the quarter. Finally block out time in your calendar for these tasks.
Block All Tasks Into Your Calendar
Create a Success System (more info in episode)
Commit to an Accountability Method
Be an Imperfectionist