Doable Goals That Don’t Collapse by February

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Using Napoleon Hill’s 6 Steps

(with a mental-health-friendly twist, adapted for 2026)

If you’ve ever made a New Year’s goal that sounded inspiring on January 1 and felt personally offensive by January 17, you’re not broken-you’re human. Most goals fail because they’re vague, emotionally expensive, and not attached to a plan you can ‘actually’ live with.

This year, we’re doing something different: doable goals-the kind that reduce anxiety, build confidence, and create momentum. We’re using Napoleon Hill’s 6 Steps as a simple framework, translated into real life (where you have responsibilities, stress, and a brain that occasionally chooses chaos).

Step 1: Decide exactly what you want

Hill’s first step is clarity. In mental health terms: name the target behavior or outcome, not just the vibe.

Instead of “I want to feel better,” try “I want to reduce my anxiety spikes from daily to 3x/week by practicing a 3-minute reset.”

Examples of “exact” goals:

• I will sleep 7 hours at least 4 nights a week.
• I will take a 10-minute walk 3 days a week.
• I will use a coping skill before I react in conflict 2 times per week.

Doable Goal Filter: If you can’t measure it, your brain won’t trust it.

Step 2: Decide what you will give in return

Hill calls this the “price.” In therapy language: what are you willing to trade?

Common “prices” that actually move the needle:

• 15 minutes less scrolling at night
• One difficult conversation you’ve been avoiding
• Saying “no” to one extra commitment
• A consistent bedtime 3 nights/week
• Asking for help (yes, that counts as a price)

Reality check: Your goal will cost something. If you don’t choose the cost, life will choose it for you.

Step 3: Set a clear deadline

A goal without a timeline becomes a “someday project,” and someday is a liar.

Pick a deadline that fits your nervous system:

• 30 days for habit traction
• 90 days for meaningful change
• 6 months for deeper lifestyle shifts

Tip: If deadlines trigger you, call it a checkpoint. Same power, less rebellion.

Step 4: Create a specific plan

This is where motivation stops being the boss. Your plan should be small, scheduled, and boring enough to succeed.

Use this simple structure:

• When: What days/times?
• Where: What location or cue?
• What: Exactly what action?
• If-Then: What’s my plan when life happens?

Example plan:

• When: Mon/Wed/Fri at 7:30am
• Where: In my car before work (or at the kitchen counter)
• What: 3 minutes of breathing + write one intention
• If-Then: If I miss the morning, I will do it at lunch

Mental health upgrade: Make the plan smaller than your ambition. You can always scale up.

Step 5: Write it down

Hill insisted it must be written. Your brain treats written goals as real-not as “nice thoughts.”

Use this fill-in format:

• My goal is:
• The “price” I will pay is:
• My deadline/checkpoint is:
• My plan is:
• If-Then plan:

Step 6: Read it aloud daily (with emotion)

This is the identity-wiring step. Reading it aloud isn’t magic-it’s repetition, priming, and commitment.

Say it once a day for 30 days. OUT LOUD. Yes, it can feel awkward. Growth often does.

Try this script:

“In 2026, I am practicing consistency over perfection. I am building a life that supports my mental health. I will follow my plan even when I don’t feel like it, because my future self deserves stability.”

For extra impact, add one sentence about why it matters. Your nervous system responds to meaning.

The 2026 Doable Goals Menu (Pick One Category)

Choose one to start. Your brain is not a buffet tray.

Emotional regulation

• Practice a 3-minute reset 4x/week
• Name emotions daily using a feelings list
• Use a “pause phrase” before responding in conflict

Relationships

• One honest conversation per week
• One repair attempt after conflict
• One boundary per month (“I can’t do that, but I can do this…”)

Anxiety and stress

• Schedule worry time (10 minutes/day)
• Reduce caffeine after noon 4 days/week
• Grounding practice before bed 5 nights/week

Depression and motivation

• One “minimum viable day” routine (shower, food, sunlight)
• Two social touches per week (text/call/coffee)
• 10 minutes of movement 3x/week

A Quick Example (Fully Built)

Goal: By March 31, 2026, I will reduce my evening anxiety by practicing a 5-minute wind-down routine 4 nights/week.

Price: I will stop scrolling at 9:30pm and plug my phone in across the room.

Plan: Sun–Thurs at 9:30pm: phone away, tea, 4-7-8 breathing x 3 rounds, jot 3 lines in a journal.

If-Then: If I miss 9:30, I do the 2-minute version in bed.

Daily read: I follow through because peace is built, not wished for.

Closing Thought

Your goal for 2026 isn’t to become a different person. It’s to become a supported person; someone with a plan, a rhythm, and a nervous system that doesn’t feel like it’s on call 24/7.

If you want help choosing a goal that fits your life and your mental health, we can help. Consistency is easier when you’re not doing it alone.

Wishing you the best 2026!

Written by:
Debee Gold, LCSW