The Big Lie About Goal Setting (and How to Actually Achieve Your Dreams)

Good morning,

This is Unlike Others Coaching, the career newsletter that gives you the same feeling as tucking into a freshly made bed after a long work day. We’re your number one spot for tips, tricks, and real-world, tried and true advice to help you advance your career.

Here’s the deal — You give us 5 minutes of your time, and we help you change jobs, land a promotion, or make your next career move.

So, what’s on the agenda for today? I’m glad you asked.

Today we’ve got:

1. Why accountability is the missing piece in most goal-setting frameworks.

2. Common pitfalls that derail even the most ambitious plans.

3. How to combine SMART goals with actionable accountability strategies.

4. This Week’s Quote: A powerful reminder to keep you focused on your 2025 goals.

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Sneak Peek: This week, I’ll share why traditional goal-setting advice often falls short and how adding accountability can transform your dreams into reality. If you’ve ever felt like your goals stay on paper while life gets in the way, this post is for you.

What Everyone Will Tell You To Do In 2025

Yesterday, a big voice with 200,000+ followers on LinkedIn shared their “proven” framework for goal setting.

Their advice?

1. Stop dreaming.
2. Start setting goals.
3. Make your goals specific, measurable, and time-bound.
4. Break them into monthly tasks.

Sound familiar?

That’s because it’s a widely known framework called ‘SMART’ (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timebound) goals with a new label. While their tips are solid, they miss one critical element—the piece that often makes or breaks whether your goals turn into results: accountability.

Let me explain.

Why Your Goals Don’t Stick

We’ve all set ambitious goals for the New Year and failed to act on them.

"Build a personal brand on LinkedIn"
"Land a dream job at a top-tier tech company."
"Increase my total compensation to $500K or more"

Writing those goals down feels amazing. You’re motivated, inspired, and ready to take on the world. 

But then life happens.

Motivation fades.
Your job gets in the way.
You lose track of time and perspective.

Life throws curveballs at you, and things always pop up: unexpected deadlines, family obligations, or just plain exhaustion.

That’s when it happens. Self-doubt creeps in, making you question if your goals are even realistic. Before you know it, those big, bold dreams feel more like distant memories than achievable milestones.

And those beautifully written goals? They stay on the page, or worse yet, in your mind.

They’ll remain there until:

A) You hold yourself accountable
B) Or you have someone hold you accountable

I’m sure you can tell where I’m going with this by now…

How An Accountability Partner Helps

What separates dreamers from doers isn’t just setting goals—it’s having someone hold you accountable for actually following through.

It’s January 16th. We’re only 16 days into January and I’m willing to bet some of us have already failed our New Year’s Resolutions.

But, if you had an accountability partner to help you:

Stay focused when life gets busy.
Push past fear and procrastination.
Navigate the uncertainty of your next step.

Then you’d probably still be on the right path to achieving your goals in 2025.

An accountability partner is there to keep you consistent, remind you why you started, and celebrate your progress—big and small. So yes, set clear, actionable goals. Break them down into manageable tasks.

But don’t stop there.

Find someone who can challenge you, support you (most importantly), and hold you to the promises you’ve made to yourself. That’s how you turn dreams into reality.

How to Make Accountability Work for You

Accountability isn’t just about having someone check in on your progress—it’s about creating a system that ensures you stay consistent, even when life gets busy.

Here are 5 steps to succeed:

1. First, Choose the Right Partner

   • Find someone you trust who will challenge and support you. This could be a mentor, coach, colleague, or close friend. Look for someone who understands your goals and isn’t afraid to give you honest feedback.
     

2. Set Regular Check-Ins

   • Schedule recurring meetings or calls to review your progress. Weekly or bi-weekly check-ins work well to keep momentum without feeling overwhelming.
     
     TIP: Find someone who also has goals for 2025. Use this time to positively benefit each other. They hold you accountable and vice-versa.
     

3. Be Specific About Expectations

   • Share your goals in detail. Break them down into actionable steps and set deadlines. The more specific you are, the easier it will be for your accountability partner to help you stay on track.
     

4. Track and Celebrate Milestones

   • Keep a record of your progress, and remember to celebrate wins along the way—big or small. This reinforces positive behavior and keeps you motivated.
     
     And if you fail? Discuss it, and then figure out how you’ll get back on track.
     

5. Be Open to Constructive Feedback

   • Accountability only works if you’re willing to hear the hard truths. Use feedback as a tool to adjust and improve rather than seeing it as criticism.
     
     Often this is harder to hear coming from someone close to you. Sometimes picking someone you don’t know as well, like from a community works best.

   Motivation Corner: This Week’s Quote
   
   Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated daily.

   Success in 2025 won’t happen in one bold leap—it will come from staying consistent, no matter the challenges. Keep showing up, stay accountable, and trust the process.
   

   

   
   "Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out." — Robert Collier

TLDR

This week’s newsletter discussed why accountability is the key to turning your 2025 goals into reality. We broke down common pitfalls in goal-setting and showed you how to combine SMART goals with simple accountability strategies that stick.

Remember, having an accountability partner can keep you on track, help you navigate obstacles, and celebrate your progress. Don’t just set goals—commit to achieving them.

Achieving your goals is what makes life memorable.

Good luck on your journey this year, and here’s to a transformative 2025!

An Invitation to Stay Accountable in 2025

If you’ve ever felt your goals stay on paper while life gets in the way, you’re not alone. That’s why I’m inviting you to our Group Career Coaching Program—a space where accountability meets community.

Here’s what you’ll find:

• A Supportive Network: Work alongside like-minded professionals who are just as driven to achieve their goals.

• Guided Group Coaching: Access proven strategies to help you stay consistent and on track.

• Accountability that Works: Bi-weekly check-ins to keep you moving forward, no matter what life throws your way.

This isn’t about adding more to your plate—it’s about creating a system that helps you focus on what truly matters in your career.

If this feels like the missing piece for your 2025 goals, I’d love for you to join us. No pressure, just an open door.

And if you do everything we ask of you, and commit to your goals, you’ll end up like Dylan L who landed a new role as a Software Developer just 11 days into January 2025 while working with us since December 2024.

Reply to this email with “I’m Interested” if you want to learn more about our Group Coaching Program for 2025 and we’ll send you the details.

Here’s to your success!

Your Coach,
Regan