How to design a year that aligns with your values, and fires you up
Make your goals feel energizing, and your actions feel meaningful.
Most people make plans and set goals for their year—only to feel uninspired, stuck, or unmotivated a few months later. Why? Because more often than not, those goals aren’t designed around what actually matters to them, and they don’t have a system to follow through.
Here’s the truth: When you align your year with your core values and have an easy plan to follow, everything changes. Your goals feel energizing, your actions feel meaningful, and instead of forcing motivation, you naturally want to show up. 🙌
In this post, I’ll walk you through a step-by-step framework to design a year and set goals that feel aligned, exciting, and deeply fulfilling. Ready? Let’s go!
Step 1: Get clear on your core values (your life design compass)
Before you set goals, you need to understand what drives you. Your core values are the compass that will guide every decision, action, and priority for the year ahead.
🔹 Quick exercise: Identify your top 3-5 core values
Ask yourself:
What moments in my life have made me feel truly alive?
When have I felt the most fulfilled?
What qualities do I admire most in others?
From those moments, identify what repeat words, emotions, and patterns arise. Choose 3-5 that resonate deeply with you, and circle them. Those are your core values clues!
Some examples of core values: Adventure, Growth, Creativity, Freedom, Connection, Impact, Authenticity, Joy, Balance.
💡 Want to go deeper? Grab the free Clarity Kickstart - it’s an easy exercise to help you get un-stuck in just 10 minutes.
Step 2: Reflect & Reset: what’s working, what’s not?
Before designing a new year, take an honest look at the last one. You don’t need to dwell on the past, but you do need to learn from it. This reflection is what separates people who repeat the same cycles from those who create real, lasting change.
Write down what you did last year. Circle what fueled you and cross out what drained you. This makes it crystal clear where to focus your time moving forward.
💡 Want to go deeper? Inside The Play Big Playbook, I take you through a guided year in review and Energy Audit Framework—two powerful, repeatable tools to instantly see where your time and energy are best spent. It’s one of my favorite exercises for getting unstuck and moving forward with purpose!
Step 3: Set goals that energize you (and ditch the ‘shoulds’)
It’s easy to set goals that look good on paper—but do they actually excite you? The key to staying motivated isn’t discipline—it’s alignment. Your goals should feel like an invitation to something amazing, not a chore.
Instead of vague goals like “get in shape” or “grow my business,” align them with your values:
💡 For example:
If your core value is Adventure → Instead of “work out more,” set a goal to hike in 3 new places this year.
If your core value is Connection → Instead of “network more,” set a goal to host a monthly dinner with like-minded people.
👉 The key? Your goals should light you up just by thinking about them. If they don’t, rework them!
💡 Want to go deeper? Inside The Play Big Playbook, you’ll learn how to use the Values-Driven Goal-Setting Method that helps you create goals you’ll actually follow through on—because they’ll be rooted in what truly matters to you.
Step 4: Build systems for success
Biggest mistake? Setting goals without a plan to actually make them happen. Here’s how to set yourself up for success:
✅ Create a visual reminder → Write down your core values & goals somewhere you’ll see them every day. Out of sight = out of mind.
✅ Break it down → Turn each goal into small, actionable steps. (Example: Instead of “write a book,” break it down into weekly writing sessions.)
✅ Schedule it → If it’s not in your calendar, it’s not real. Block out time for your most important actions each week.
✅ Check in quarterly → Life shifts! Every 3 months, review what’s working and adjust where needed.
Want to go deeper? Inside The Play Big Playbook, I show you how to create your unique Big Three Framework for the year and a Visual Touchstone so you have a plan, and an anchor to make those goals fly.
Step 5: This is your year to Play Big 🚀
You don’t need more goals. You need the right goals—and a plan to make them happen. That’s where The Play Big Playbook comes in.
Designing a values-aligned year isn’t about perfection—it’s about intention. You’re not here to follow a rigid plan. You’re here to create a life that genuinely excites you. That’s exactly what The Play Big Playbook is designed for. It’s not just a course—it’s a proven system to help you move from stuck to unstoppable.
Inside, you’ll:
✅ Gain total clarity on what you actually want
✅ Set bold, values-driven goals that feel right for YOU
✅ Create a real action plan to bring it all to life
✅ Stay accountable with tools to track your momentum & adjust along the way
The next step is yours. If you’re ready to stop planning and start playing big for real—let’s do this. Let’s make this year your most aligned, exciting, and purpose-filled one yet.
