How Do You Set Goals That Actually Stick in January?

January always arrives with that familiar mix: hope, ambition, and the quiet dread of what “big goals” actually mean when you’re still catching up from December.

Here’s the honest truth: most goal-setting fails, not because we lack commitment, but because we treat goals like dreams in fancy clothes. And in hospitality, where the pace never pauses, that approach doesn’t just wobble… it collapses.

This blog isn’t about shiny resolutions. It’s about setting goals that actually work and what really happens when they don’t, with tools you can use today.

The problem with “January energy”

Best-selling business books and productivity gurus often paint goal setting like this: 

Decide. Commit. Achieve.

Nice in theory. Not reality in a busy restaurant, hotel, or bar.

Studies show that traditional New Year resolutions fail at a high rate (around 80 % within the first month.) Why? Because they’re too broad, too emotionally charged, and not tied to behaviour you can actually measure.¹

In hospitality, that’s even more true:

• You don’t control guest demand

• Your rota changes daily

• Unpredictable shifts eat mental bandwidth

• People are already tired from the season

So if your goals feel vague: “get fitter”, “save money”, “improve service scores” they are. And they’re only setting you up to feel like you’ve already failed by week two.

The better way: Systems over outcomes

Research from behavioural psychology tells us something hospitality leaders intuitively know: you don’t rise to the occasion, you fall back to your systems.

Goals are about outcomes.
Systems are about what you do every day.

For hospitality that means:

• Daily check-ins with your team

• Weekly review of service metrics

• Protected breaks scheduled and respected

• One leadership conversation that matters per week

• A simple reflection at shift end (“What went well?” / “What can improve?”)

These aren’t ambitious ideals. They’re repeatable actions.

James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, emphasises this:

"Focus on the system, and the goals take care of themselves"

This works in hospitality because this is not about you having to be perfect but you do need to be consistent.

How not to fail: three practical shifts

1) Make goals behavioural, not aspirational
Bad: “Improve service scores”
Better: “Coach one team member each shift on our service standard”
Best: “End each day with a 5-minute team reflection on service wins and lessons”

Notice how the best one is actionable every single day?

2) Track progress, not perfection
Progress is something you can see in your behaviour, not just an outcome. It might mean:

• You coached three shifts this week

• You protected breaks for the entire team

• You reduced closes-to-opens by one per week

This kind of tracking builds confidence instead of guilt.

3) Celebrate small wins
Not every victory is headline-worthy. But small wins compound. A team member feeling seen. A section that ran smoother. A guest compliment you actually record. These matter.

What happens if you don’t set real goals?

Goal setting that lacks structure doesn’t only fail quietly, it can also cost you:

• Burned-out teams because no one ever asked, “How are you really holding up?”

• Wasted energy on random ambitions that don’t map to behaviour

• Lower retention because people don’t feel progress

• Less clarity in leadership decisions

• A sense of just surviving, not thriving

In hospitality, when goals fail, culture fails. And culture is what keeps people showing up, not just mechanically, but with pride.

Why starting small makes you unstoppable

Here’s the thing: big goals feel heavy. Small goals feel doable. And when something feels doable, people start it. And once people start doing, something else kicks in: motivation follows action, not the other way around.

In behavioural science, this is called the motivation cycle reversal - you don’t wait to feel motivated to act. You act, and motivation grows.

In hospitality terms:
You don’t wait until you feel confident to coach a team member.
You coach one shift.
Confidence grows.
Standards improve.
Momentum builds.

Small wins become the fuel that actually drives the big picture.

A simple goal template you can use today

Here’s a structure that works in hospitality:

1. What behaviour will you change today?
   (Daily reflection; team check-in; feedback loop)

2. How will you measure progress this week?
   (Number of coaching moments; missed breaks avoided)

3. What support do you need?
   (Peer accountability; protected time; quick dashboard)

4. What counts as success for today?
   (Focus on consistency, not perfection)

This template doesn’t ask for miracles. It asks for intention and action.

The inspiring reality

Goal setting isn’t about never failing. It’s about learning faster than you make mistakes.

In hospitality you don’t just lead service,  you lead people. And people don’t always behave in patterns that fit neatly into spreadsheets or calendars. But they do respond to clarity, presence, and small, sustainable steps forward.

If this January feels like a jumble of fatigue and ambition, you’re not doing anything wrong. You’re just in the real, messy work of leadership and growth.

Keep the goals small. Keep them measured. Keep them humane. And remember this:

Progress is not perfection, it’s consistency.

Talking Hospitality exists to share real experiences, practical learning, and honest conversations that help hospitality professionals lead better, work smarter, and look after themselves and their teams.