As the year comes to a close on December 31st—Hogmanay as we call it in Scotland—I find myself reflecting on goal setting and accomplishments. Typically, I would create a vision board for the year ahead, as I’ve done in previous years. But for the first time in many years, I decided not to.

One of the big reasons for this change is my growing awareness of how social media has missold what it means to set and achieve goals. Over the past few hours, I’ve scrolled through countless vision boards online. They look glamorous, with glossy new notebooks, perfectly manicured nails, 5am starts, matcha lattes, expensive gym wear, and more. While visually appealing, these images seem exclusive, expensive, and out of reach for many. They feel like a lot of pressure before the year has even started. Moreover, they appear so curated and predictable—lacking creativity and personal flair.

The more I looked at these vision boards, the more I realised they seem like a quick dopamine hit for December 31st rather than a genuine representation of the journey to achieve meaningful goals. Reflecting on my own accomplishments in 2024, I see how far removed these curated images are from the reality of the process. Two achievements stand out for me this year: securing a secondment at work and passing my driving test. Neither accomplishment required a glossy notebook or perfect manicure—they required work, resilience, and persistence.

Take learning to drive, for example. The process was anything but glamorous. I hated it at times, felt like giving up, cried, and vented to my family regularly. There was no clear end date—it took almost two years. This open-ended timeline frustrated me, but I embraced the mindset that it would take as long as it needed. Reflecting on this, I see a flaw in the Time aspect of SMART goals. The idea that goals should fit neatly into a one-year timeframe feels arbitrary when many meaningful life goals take years to achieve.

My secondment at work offers another lesson. It wasn’t on my vision board because I didn’t know that opportunity would exist in 2024. This highlights a limitation of the Specific aspect of SMART goals. Sometimes, it’s less about having a narrowly defined goal and more about consistently taking positive action. I’ve learned to trust the process and not fixate on the “how” and “when.” Preparation meets opportunity.

I’ve also realised that pursuing big goals often means sidelining other aspirations temporarily. This requires focus and accepting that not everything can happen simultaneously, despite external pressures suggesting otherwise. Knowing when to prioritise and when to pause has been a valuable lesson.

Finally, not all accomplishments come with external validation or applause. One of my proudest achievements this year has been my emotional and mental growth. While it’s not something I can put on my CV or talk about in professional settings, it’s been transformative. Learning to handle challenges with resilience and self-compassion has been huge for me. It’s a deeply personal win that required me to be my own cheerleader.

As I step into 2025, I’m taking these reflections with me. My approach to goals will focus less on societal expectations or perfect aesthetics and more on authenticity, resilience, and trusting the journey. Big goals take time, and the process is rarely glamorous—but it’s always worth it.