Should I pick an anchor goal?

If your goal list is severely under-highlighted

If you’ve made a list of really good goals for 2025 and find yourself 4 months in with nary a dent made, it might be time to pick an anchor goal.

Let me be the first to say, I am not the biggest fan of anchor goals.

Instead, I like to make 10 solid goals with an assortment of mini goals or back-burner “ideas” (i.e., more goals). Then I like to pretend that I’m motivated 100% of the time with no bouts of sickness or laziness or a family or house to tend to, and plan my time accordingly.

Plans go up in flames by February 13¹, and I stare at my list of goals, wondering what annoying Energizer bunny set this ambitious plan. But still, I love goals, so I don’t question it and instead plead ignorance, thinking “ok, but this month, this month I make it happen.”

And then—hide your shock—things don’t change.

So it’s time.

Time to wave my white flag and look at cold, hard facts and a very under-highlighted goals list and wonder if that anchor goal isn’t such a bad idea to begin with.

Maybe. But first, you probably want to know what an anchor goal is.