Jumpstart Your Growth, Your Business, and Your Impact in the New Year

As we step toward 2026, it’s tempting to think big — but the best goals aren’t always the loudest, flashiest, or most overwhelming. They’re the ones that give you clarity, strengthen your relationships, help you focus on what truly matters, and move your life and work forward with purpose.

Here are 26 goals — grouped into the GRIP framework (Goals, Relationships, Importance, and Planning) — that can help you build a year of momentum, focus, and growth.

G – GOALS

Set clear, meaningful targets that stretch you without overwhelming you.

1. Choose a January “stretch goal.” Something big enough to excite you and small enough to finish.

2. Adopt the “3 Things” Ritual. Pick 3 quick, meaningful tasks each day that moves you toward your biggest goal. (For Example: Chambers measure memberships, so I have a "Do 3 Things" practice on my daily to do list & calendar to do 3 things to connect with a potential new member. It maybe an email, a call, a drop in, a letter, a followup...but they take less than a minute most times and they lead to sales!)

3. Improve one skill or outcome by 1% every day. Compounding improvement beats intensity.

4. Attend the Breakout Leadership Conference on March 31. Start the year with learning and inspiration.

5. Read one leadership or personal-growth book each quarter. (Maxwell, Sinek, Lencioni, etc.)

6. Join a mastermind or accountability group. Growth accelerates with community.

7. Pick one habit to build for 12 weeks. Track it, measure it, celebrate it.

R – RELATIONSHIPS

Strengthen the connections that help your life, business, and community flourish.

8. Attend at least one Chamber networking event every month. Show up — even when you don’t feel like it.

9. Collaborate with another local business once this year. Joint promotions amplify both audiences.

10. Mentor someone younger in your field. Your experience could change someone's trajectory.

11. Send handwritten thank-you notes each month. Customers remember gratitude.

12. Invest intentionally in one meaningful personal relationship. More calls, more connection, more presence.

13. Reconnect with someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. Repair old bridges or rebuild new ones.

I – IMPORTANCE

Prioritize what fuels your health, purpose, and long-term success.

14. Put your health on the calendar. Walks, workouts, stretching, sleep — schedule what matters.

15. Explore AI to automate repetitive tasks. Save hours, reduce stress, and work smarter.

16. Choose one area of your business to make “friction-free.” Ordering, communication, processes, website.

17. Establish a weekly “think hour.” No screens. Just thinking, planning, and creative problem-solving. (Hint: Block it in your calendar)

18. Simplify one major area of your life. Finances, home, schedule, commitments — reduce noise.

19. Set one bold relationship-building goal. A family trip, monthly date night, or dedicated time with kids.

20. Say “no” to something that drains you. And “yes” to something you’ve been avoiding.

P – PLANNING

Build systems, structure, and strategy that keep you moving forward.

21. Create or update your one-page strategic plan. Simple, clear, and actionable.

22. Block a monthly “CEO Day.” Step out of the weeds and into big-picture thinking.

23. Declutter one space each month. Digital, physical, emotional — all clutter drains energy.

24. Automate one business task per quarter. Billing, scheduling, reminders, communications.

25. Track your key metrics weekly or monthly. What gets measured gets improved.

26. Redesign your morning or evening routine. Make it intentional, consistent, and energizing.

Final Word: Choose Your Focus

You don’t need all 26. You don’t even need half. Pick five — one or two from each GRIP category — and build your year around what matters most.

And if you want a head start on 2026, join us Wednesday for Jumpstart 2026: How to Plan a Great 2026 in 26 Minutes. Your best year doesn’t happen by accident — it happens by design.