New Year, Real Goals | Episode 570

New Year, Real Goals | Episode 570

Good morning, this is James from SurvivalPunk.com, and today we’re doing something way less flashy than predictions, doom charts, or crystal-ball nonsense. We’re talking about goals — real ones — and why the new year is actually a useful checkpoint if you don’t screw it up.

This episode isn’t about manifesting or pretending you’re a different person because the calendar flipped. It’s about taking an honest look at where you are, where you’re going, and how to stop sabotaging yourself every time you slip up.

Why Predictions for 2026 Are Mostly Garbage

I originally thought about doing a “predictions for 2026” episode. Then I tried. And honestly? It was dumb.

Most predictions are just:

• repeating last year’s problems

• slapping a new date on them

• pretending that makes them insightful

Housing will still be expensive. Inflation will still exist. Systems will still be annoying. I’m not Nostradamus, and neither is anyone else making confident claims about the future.

Instead of pretending we can predict the world, it makes more sense to focus on what we can control — ourselves.

New Year’s Resolutions Get a Bad Rap (Sometimes Fairly)

A lot of people hate New Year’s resolutions, and I get why. Gyms fill up. People go hard for two weeks. Then they disappear.

But the problem isn’t the timing.
The problem is how people think about failure.

Most folks treat one bad decision as permission to completely go off the rails:

• “I screwed up my diet today, might as well restart Monday.”

• “Missed one workout, guess I’m done.”

That mindset is poison.

The correct move after a bad decision isn’t punishment or indulgence — it’s simply making the next decision a smart one.

Small Goals Beat Big Dreams Every Time

Big, vague goals kill motivation.

“Lose 50 pounds.”
“Prep for total collapse.”
“Get rich.”

Those don’t move you day to day.

What does work is breaking goals into tiers:

• short-term goals you can hit quickly

• mid-term goals that build momentum

• long-term goals that give direction

If your goal is to lose weight, losing five pounds this month is powerful. It’s achievable. It gives you a win. That win fuels the next one.

The same applies to prepping. Thirty days of food is a real goal. It’s attainable. And once you hit it, you don’t feel like you’re wasting money prepping for something that never happens.

Prepper Burnout Comes From Chasing Fantasy Scenarios

A lot of burnout in prepping comes from aiming at events that may never happen.

Total collapse. Instant grid-down forever. Mad Max overnight.

Historically, those are rare. What’s common are slow squeezes, personal crises, financial stress, health problems, and temporary disruptions.

When you prep for realistic problems with achievable milestones, you:

• see progress

• stay motivated

• actually use what you prepare

That’s how prepping stays sustainable instead of turning into a hobby you abandon out of frustration.

Personal Check-Ins Matter (Even When They’re Uncomfortable)

The start of the year is a good time to ask hard questions:

• How did last year actually go?

• What worked?

• What didn’t?

• What am I avoiding fixing?

For me, that meant reassessing health, diet, and long-term habits. If something is causing chronic pain, fatigue, or dependence, it’s worth stepping back and reevaluating instead of just pushing through it.

Goals aren’t just about adding things. Sometimes they’re about removing the stuff that’s dragging you down.

How to Tell If You’re Actually Making Progress

Progress needs feedback.

If you’re trying to build muscle and the scale goes up and your strength goes up, that’s probably muscle. If the scale goes up and nothing else improves, that’s likely fat.

If you’re saving money, you need check-ins. If you’re behind, adjust. If you’re ahead, reinforce what’s working.

Without checkpoints, goals turn into wishful thinking.

Final Thoughts

The new year doesn’t magically change you — but it does give you a clean moment to reassess. Goals don’t need to be dramatic. They need to be clear, measurable, and broken into steps.

Stop waiting for Mondays.
Stop waiting for perfect conditions.
Make the next decision the smart one.

That’s how real change actually happens.

This is James from SurvivalPunk.com.
DIY to survive.

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ABLEGRID Smart Bathroom Scale for Body Weight, Digital Body Fat Scale with LED Column Trend Display, BMI,Muscle Mass,Body Type, Accurate Home Weighing Scale for People with APP-Free Mode, 400lb

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