icollectangels

Read to see how I’m reaching my goals this year. (and how you can to!)

I know most people post all of their in’s and out’s for the year at once.

But I wanted to try something different.

Instead of listing every goal I have for the entire year, I’m choosing to chunk my goals—one “in” and one “out” per month.

Some people believe that setting many goals at once “plants seeds” for the year ahead. I understand that idea, and to an extent, I agree. However, I also think that planting all your seeds at the same time can feel overwhelming, inefficient, and honestly… unrealistic.

So this year, I’m trying an alternative approach: chunking.

As a teacher, chunking is a really good way to break things down into easier to manage steps or parts for students to fully digest. Chunking is a really good tool for learning and absorbing information that you are trying to take in. The same idea works beautifully with personal goals.

Chunking your goals is:

• Simple
• Efficient
• Adaptive

And most importantly—it’s sustainable.

One reason why chunking may be a better way for you to reach your goals, is that you want your goals to be more adaptive, or change with you. Imagine setting all your goals in January, only to realize by March that some of them no longer align with who you are or what you want. Let’s not waste our precious time this year. Each month becomes a fresh opportunity to focus on what you actually need right now—without wasting time or energy.

Lastly, chunking is beneficial is because it is the simpler, more efficient option. For me, planting all my “goal seeds” at once feels heavy. When something feels difficult or overwhelming, it automatically becomes less efficient. When in reality, I can choose one goal per month, make it manageable, and actually follow through.

How I’m Chunking My Goals This Year

Step 1:

Start by thinking of 2-3 goals.

From those, I’ll pick one based on what fits me best right now:

• The easiest goal
  (Great if motivation is low and you need a quick win)
• The hardest goal
  (Great if motivation is high and you want momentum)
• The most desired goal
  (Great if this goal feels urgent or deeply meaningful)

Step 2:

Once I’ve chunked my goal, I’ll make sure I write it down somewhere. The purpose of this is to remind myself daily, to not forget, and so that each month I can look back and see how far I’ve come because I know that: tracking progress increases motivation.

So, each month, I’ll focus on just two goals—one in and one out.
So here’s an example:

My January Goals

IN: embrace all parts of my “aesthetic” self (i can be a pink, bow-loving, Sanrio-trinket girl, but i also like to be a dark, mysterious, rustic-vintage, leather-journal-owning writer; i can listen to slow, classical music, but also, vulgar rap and rock or pop music.)

OUT: seeing things as concrete, or in black-and-white. I want to see things fluidly, ever-changing, and for all that they are—with all the shades of grey in between.

Step 3:

Determine the action steps needed to achieve the goal.

If my goal is abstract or mindset-based (like not comparing myself to others), the work may look like:

• Daily reminders
• Conscious reframing during hard moments
• Gentle consistency over perfection

If my goal is tangible (like saving for a dream Sonny Angel or a dream car), get clear on:

• The daily or weekly actions required
• The systems that support the goal

Some days I’ll slack off. Some days will be hard. That’s okay.

What matters is returning to the goal—again and again.

Consistency over time trains the mind and habits, making long-term success much more likely.

Step 4:

Commit to your two goals for the month—and continue them for as long as they serve you.

Some goals are tangible.
Some goals are mindset-based.

All goals have a purpose.

That’s it. That’s my approach.

If this resonates with you, I’d love to know. Leave a comment or send me a DM on Instagram if you’re going to try chunking your goals this year.

Good luck—you’ve got this 🤍

– Alyssa