What are you hoping for this year? Is hope enough or do we need action?

Build momentum through action

I hope you all had a bit of a break, spent time with people you love and are feeling good about another year ahead. As the year wound down and the new year came in, it was amazing to see people being philosophical about 2025 online and what they felt they had achieved. Some were happy with their year. A few were very grateful and other people said they achieved nothing! They didn’t lose weight, didn’t get things done they wanted to, generally life just got away from them, and they weren’t feeling great coming into 2026 and were wondering how they could turn things around.

In Australia, I think New Years Resolutions or goals (or intentions, whatever you like to call them) for the upcoming year might actually be easier to plan or achieve (potentially for longer than say a few weeks) because the sun is shining and people are on holidays and we are generally happier when both of these things happen. A friend sent an amazing sunset photo on New Years Eve and we don’t get them like this in winter. For people living in the northern hemisphere (and I have many readers and close friends from up there, thank you and hello) it has to be harder when your days are short and the weather is cold and at times a little bleak.

Sunset in summer

 So, what do you want to achieve for 2026?

It can be little or big, many things or one thing, but what is it and what ACTION/s are you going to take so that at the end of the year you will be someone looking back and thinking, yes, I set out to do that and I did it! Some older people I talk to say, well why should I bother, I have achieved everything I wanted to. I find that hard to believe that everyone has achieved EVERYTHING they want to. Research has shown that people with a purpose in life live longer (bonus) and feel better about themselves (double bonus). I have also conducted research with thousands of older adults who tell me they do set goals [1] and there are so many moving parts to successfully ageing [2]. So, I set this challenge to you (regardless of your age or time of life), what do you want to achieve this year?

Action - You can do this!

If you’re a little stumped and unsure, here are some areas that may pique your interest and help you to come up with something you would really like to achieve.

Health – it is so important, without good health, be it physical, mental or emotional it is tough to even get out of bed, let alone want to achieve something. Although for those struggling to get out of bed, there is your goal or purpose for the year. I digress. Health starts with you, especially if you live in a country that has national prevention programmes. Are you and your family and friends up to date on all of the prevention requirements? For me at my age I do regular breast screening, cervical and bowel screening, see a dentist and optometrist at least yearly and regularly see my GP. Other prevention programmes could include lung screening, abdominal aortic aneurysm screening, diabetic eye screening, type 2 diabetes screening, or a cardiovascular risk assessment. It really depends where in the world you are living and what is recommended for you. Your health is important, please make sure you are up to date with all of these, it could save your life.

Finances – Do you still have a mortgage? In Australia, around 55% of adults aged 60-64 have a mortgage and this has increased dramatically over the last three decades. It may be a goal for you over the next year or years to get rid of it. The best way to do this is to set a “real plan” and action it. Talking about it is one thing, doing something is another, and the way banking is automated these days it can work in your favour with the set, forget and watch it reduce action.

Another financial goal that is way more fun could be a holiday. Is there somewhere you have ALWAYS wanted to go? If so, make a plan on how you are going to do it. Be a ninja or an elite athlete about it and break it down into small actions on what you need to do to make it happen. When you finally get there the satisfaction you feel will make it all worth it.

Holiday destinations

Home – Home comes up a lot in research with older people and it makes sense. If you are still paying rent or a mortgage while receiving the government pension that is incredibly challenging. Many 70-75 year olds in Western Australia are returning to work (part-time) to try and make ends meet. Those not having to include house/rent payments are already ahead. My biggest piece of advice to younger people (apart from looking after their health) is to buy a house you can afford and pay it off as fast as you can. The stress it removes allows you to concentrate on other more enjoyable things. Anyway, back to your home. Are there renovations you want to do and have been thinking about for years? Last year was a major house renovation year for me and I feel so incredibly grateful for the changes we made, the time it now takes to clean the bathroom genuinely brings a smile to my face. Is this where you want to concentrate your efforts or perhaps it is in the garden and making that a little easier to maintain. Or do you want to build, move or are you genuinely happy with your house and garden – if so good on you, enjoy it.

Family and friends – I speak a lot about family and friends and connection and how important it is for us all. Do you now have a little more time and are thinking volunteering could be fun. There are so many opportunities to join a group of like-minded people, be it in the outdoors, doing hobbies, or in a shed building things. Find something you enjoy if you feel this is missing in your life currently.

Work – left to last because although it is important, especially for younger people, it’s not everything. A wise person once told me very few people care about what you did for a job when they come to your funeral. The things they remember about you are how you made them feel, the time you spent together and the experiences you had together. I really hope if you are working you are doing something you love and enjoy, if not, consider working towards taking the plunge to find something you do love, even if it starts as a side hustle.

I would love to hear what you are trying to achieve this year or what your intention is. Feel free to drop a comment below or send me an email. 

• If you have a purpose, intention or goal, write it down and put it somewhere you can see it every day.

• When writing it down, add in the first action you will take to work towards achieving your goal. You will not achieve it unless you act, take the first step, it will be very satisfying.

• If you don’t want to write it down, then talk to a friend about it. Someone you respect a lot and you know will hold you accountable (and not someone that will make fun of you on this, that is not a true friend).

• Life isn’t easy, it’s not meant to be, I get much greater satisfaction when I achieve something I have worked hard at rather than something that came easily, there is little fun in that.

• While on this journey to achieving something this year still be kind to yourself if you find you slip up or get sent a curveball. When you can get back to it, you just go through the steps again, replan, and try again.

• You can do this, and don’t give me any talk about age, it’s simply a number (you’re never too old).

Live the good life!

References

[1] Burton, E., Chonody, J., Teater, B., Alford, S. 2024. Goal setting in later life: An international comparison of older adults’ defined goals. BMC Geriatrics, 24;443. DOI: 10.1186/s12877-024-05017-x

[2] Burton, E., Teater, B., Chonody, J., Alford, S. 2024. What does it mean to successfully age? Multinational study of older adults’ perceptions. The Gerontologist; 64(10): gnae102. DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnae102