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As I transition from my early 20s to my mid-20s, I’ve realized the importance of being more mindful and strategic in how I set my goals. While I’ve always been intentional, I now want to structure my goals in a way that benefits my habits and long-term growth.
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Today, I’m sharing my personal approach to goal-setting, breaking down the differences between goals, targets, and systems, and showing you exactly how I’ve planned my 2025 goals. I’ll also give you practical tips on how to integrate these into your weekly habits to make them more achievable.

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Goals vs. Targets vs. Systems

• Goal = The Big Picture

A goal is the overarching vision of what I want to achieve. For example, a goal could be moving to a new country or traveling for leisure.

• Target = The Breakdown of the Goal

A target is a specific, measurable task that moves me closer to my goal. If my goal is to travel, my target could be saving a specific amount of money every month to fund my trip.

• System = The Roadmap

A system is the structure I put in place to achieve my targets and ultimately reach my goal. In the travel example, my system would be to automate my monthly savings and track my progress regularly.

I’ll be sharing more concrete examples as we dive into my own 2025 goals and how I break them down into quarterly and monthly action plans.

👉🏼 If you’d like to access my free 2025 Goal Planner, you can download it through this link.​

I’ve created this planner on Notion, but you can use it with any tool that works for you, whether it’s a physical notebook or a digital platform.

I personally prefer simple, easy-to-use templates that I can revisit anytime to track my progress, and that’s exactly how I’ve designed this planner!

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How I Structure My 2025 Goals

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When setting my goals for the year, the first thing I did was write a personal note to myself. This note is a reminder of what I want to accomplish and keeps me motivated.

2. Choosing a Theme for the Year

Before diving into specific goals, I like to choose a theme—a word or phrase that summarizes my focus for the year. This theme serves as a guiding principle that keeps me aligned with my vision.

My 2025 theme is:

• Growth (both personally and professionally)
• Bold Steps (taking action instead of overthinking)
• Consistency (especially in content creation)

3. Summarizing My Top 3-5 Goals

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with a long list of goals, so I recommend summarizing the top 3 to 5 key goals that are most important.

Here’s an example of one of my main goals for 2025:

• Goal: Get a better-paying job (not necessarily in a finance company, but using finance as an example for clarity).
• Why this goal? I want to increase my income and expand into a new career industry.

4. Using Notion to Track My Progress

I’ve set up my Notion planner in both Gallery View (for a more visual representation, like a vision board) and Board View (to track progress in different stages: Not Started, In Progress, and Completed).

​Access this template for free.​

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Breaking Down My Goal Into Actionable Steps

A big goal can feel overwhelming, so I break it down into actionable steps to make it more manageable. For example, my goal of getting a better-paying job is divided into concrete action plans:

1. Organize my CV and portfolio to reflect my skills and achievements.
2. Build relationships with hiring managers in my target industry.

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The Importance of Targets and Systems

Why I Plan in Quarters Instead of Months

Instead of setting monthly goals, I prefer to structure my progress in quarters (3-month periods). Here’s why:

1. Three months is a realistic timeframe to track consistency.
2. It allows me to adjust strategies without feeling rushed.
3. It provides clarity on whether my approach is working.

For example, instead of saying, "I’ll apply for 20 jobs this month," I create a quarterly system that makes job applications more strategic and intentional.

Target 1: Building a Network of Hiring Managers

Since my big goal is to get a better-paying job, my first target is to connect with at least 10 hiring managers in quarter one.

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System to Achieve This Target

To reach this target, I follow a structured system:

1. Find potential hiring managers through LinkedIn post comments.
2. Engage with their content consistently to build familiarity.
3. Reach out via direct messages and request informal coffee chats.

Even if I don’t land a job immediately, this system ensures I build valuable connections that can help me in the long run.
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Final Thoughts: Why Systems Matter More Than Outcomes

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that systems are more important than immediate results.

1. Even if I don’t achieve my goal within the set deadline, the systems I put in place will still benefit me in the long run.
2. If I consistently connect with 10 hiring managers each quarter, by the end of the year, I will have a strong professional network that could open new doors.

So, as you plan your 2025 goals, focus on setting intentional systems that will lead you to success—whether it happens in 3 months, 6 months, or beyond.

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I explained all these in detail in this 17 minute YouTube video with actual examples on what I’m doing to hit my big goal (getting a better job) in 2025!

✨ With extra points on how I network on LinkedIn for relationships, future referrals, and opportunities

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With love,

Gigii