It’s that time of the year again.

The time when we start reflecting on the past year and planning for the future. I know you have big dreams for next year. Maybe you are finally going to start that business or get laser focused on your health goals. Most of us begin the year with the best of intentions, but few actually move our lives forward. Change is harder than you think. You have been same for many years.

The life you have today is a direct reflection of your thoughts, habits, systems, and community. To see a different outcome in the future, you must have different thoughts, habits, systems, and communities. Today, I am deviating from my usual positive spin to share a cautionary tale. If you do these 10 things in 2026, you are guaranteed NOT to achieve your goals.

1. Keep your goals in your head. Every successful person will tell you; written goals the key to progress. No matter how good you think your memory is, if you do not write your goals down, you will forget them. The pull of your current life is too strong to overcome with occasional passing thoughts of a preferred future.

2. Review your goals seldom. Only 1% of people set and achieve their goals in any calendar year. The 1% have written goals that they review regularly. Out of sight, out of mind. If you are not looking at your goals at least weekly, the parts of your brain that help you identify resources and opportunities are not being activated.

3. Think the same thoughts. Experts say 90-95 % of our thoughts are the same every single day! The bible says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). If you want to uplevel your life, first you must uplevel your thoughts – your thoughts about yourself, your ability, and capacity for growth.

4. Don’t expand your network. You become a combination of the 5 people with whom you spend the most time. No shade to those currently in your inner circle, but if you want to go higher, your circle needs to widen to include mentors, coaches, and contemporaries who are already excelling in the area you are pursuing. Leveraging the knowledge and experience of mentors and coaches is a short cut to success.

5. Don’t ask yourself high quality questions. The quality of your questions determines the quality of your life. Asking yourself high quality, deeply probing questions is essential to your growth. The more you ask, the more you learn about yourself and your deepest desires, hidden talents, or repressed fears. Knowing yourself is the first step to achieving your dreams.

6. Spend hours doom scrolling or binging Netflix. The average American spends 2 hours a day scrolling social media and an additional 2 hours watching TV. On average, we are losing 4 hours a day or 28 hours per week! That’s a full day gone. I’m not suggesting you give up social media or Netflix, but I am encouraging you to engage with them on your terms by setting boundaries around the amount of time you will spend and the type of content you will consume.

7. Spend large amounts of time with people who do not support your goals. There’s an old saying, “You can’t soar with the eagles if you hang out with the turkeys”. In other words, you can fly if you spend your time with negative, unsupportive people who are content to live mediocre lives. You need positive, affirming spaces that will challenge and encourage you to aspire to your full potential.

8. Settle for less than you desire. You deserve every good thing this world has to offer. Somewhere along the way, we get conditioned to believe we are not worthy of the best, that we should be content to settle for good enough. There is no one on earth more worthy than you. Don’t diminish your dreams. Reach for the stars.

9. Speak negative words over your life. You are created in the image and likeness of God. God created the whole world with his words. Your words are very powerful. Use your power wisely. Commit to always speaking blessing and positivity over your life and your circumstances.

10. Don’t learn anything new. We are created with the capacity for lifelong learning. One of the fastest ways to grow is learning new things. Expand your mind by reading books, listening to podcasts, or engaging with new communities. Stay curious about yourself and your world. There is always something new to learn, that’s one of life’s greatest gifts!

I hope this list gives you a clear picture of the things you need to steer clear of to make 2026 your best year yet! Key take away: Success requires new thoughts, habits, systems, and communities.