As I started mapping out my goals for 2026, I caught myself wondering: What might I be missing? What should I not forget? I have a goal-setting tool I use every year, and it’s been incredibly valuable for bringing structure and clarity to what I’m working toward. But even with a strong process in place, I found myself asking a deeper question: What else should I be thinking about?

How could I tap into wisdom beyond my own perspective? What would Simon Sinek remind me of? How would Jocko Willink challenge me? If Jesus were standing here, what would He say? That question led to an unexpected answer—one that was closer than I realized.

Earlier this year, I used ChatGPT to build a “personal board of directors,” made up of voices I deeply respect: Jesus, Jocko Willink, Simon Sinek, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and others. (If you’re curious how I did it, you can read about the process in this OrangeBall Insights blog post.) 

With that virtual board already in place, I brought them a new question: “Goal setting for the new year… What should I be thinking about? And what should I NOT forget?”

Here’s what they told me to be thinking about…

  • Identity Before Goals – Before you set goals, remember who you are and whose you are. Goals without identity become idols. Goals anchored in identity become worship. Ask: Does this help me become more the man God designed me to be? – Jesus
  • Discipline Creates Freedom – You want a better year? Tighten the screws. Look at the disciplines that slipped and the ones that carried you. Build systems, not wishes. Don’t set goals you’re not willing to bleed for. Discipline equals freedom. Again. – Jocko Willink
  • Energy + Time Optimization – Design your year like a high-performance system. Look at which inputs gave you the highest energetic ROI last year. Double those. Remove anything stealing joy or momentum. Build rhythms. Make life more predictable so you can be more creative. – Rob Dyrdek
  • What’s Possible? (Dream Bigger) – Set one goal that scares you. And one that requires teammates. And one that requires a new version of you. Life’s short—get more memories in the year. Don’t stack only practical goals. Add something unforgettable. – Jesse Itzler
  • Are You Asking the Right Questions? – Before you decide what to do, ask Why now? Why this? Why you? Goals are effective only if they serve your deeper purpose. Revisit your Why. Let it lead. – Simon Sinek
  • Optimize Your Mind and Body – Your brain and body are the machines that produce your outcomes. Set goals around sleep, sunlight, training, breathwork, and stress modulation. Build protocols you can repeat. Consistency beats intensity. – Dr. Andrew Huberman
  • Control vs. Noise – Write down everything outside your control—and everything within it. Goals belong only in the second list. Focus there. Everything else is distraction. – Marcus Aurelius
  • Belief Systems First – You must determine the dominant thoughts you’ll allow this year. What you believe determines what you act on. Rewrite limiting beliefs now, before they sabotage January. – Napoleon Hill
  • Winning Happens in the Quiet Work – The world sees trophies. You see the range at 6 a.m., the missed cuts, the grind. Set goals with quiet humility and relentless work—none dependent on praise. – Scottie Scheffler
  • Mindset + The Inner Game – You become what you think about. Guard your mind like the treasure it is. Your goals should shape your inputs, not just your outputs. – Jim Rohn + Earl Nightingale
  • Radical Ownership + No Excuses – Your goals must be written in ink, but your excuses? Burn them. When it gets dark, and it will, the mission must be bigger than your discomfort. – Chadd Wright
  • Creative Practice + Stillness – Leave space. Creativity shows up only where you’ve created room. Don’t overschedule. Make time for ideas without agenda. – Rick Rubin

And, here’s what “they” said I should NOT forget…

  • Your Marriage Is a Mission Field – Don’t set business goals so big that they crowd out your wife. If your marriage thrives, your life thrives. Everything else is downstream.
  • Your Empty-Nest Season Is an Opportunity – This is a chance to reinvent—your rhythms, your time, your marriage, your business, your faith.
  • Legacy Over Accomplishment – What will your kids remember about you next year? What will your team? What will God?
  • Simplicity > Complexity – Too many goals = none achieved. Choose the ones that matter most—your “vital few.”
  • Systems Beat Motivation – Motivation will fail you every single time. Systems won’t.
  • Health Is the Foundation – No energy = no creativity, no leadership, no progress. Make health a first-tier category, not a sub-goal.
  • You Need a Misogi – One thing this year that changes you. Everything else is just improvement. This one is transformation.
  • Build Room for God to Move – Leave space for surprise, provision, and blessing. Don’t write a plan so tight that the Holy Spirit has no place to breathe.
  • Don’t Drift – Drift is the enemy. If you don’t set direction, the world will set it for you. Wake up intentional.
  • Review Weekly – Your goals don’t fail for lack of clarity—they fail for lack of consistent review. Sunday night: reset, realign, recommit.

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WHAT NEXT?

My next question for this group: “How do I apply this tactically within my week, built on processes and some structure?”

Subscribe here and stay connected with me here so you don’t miss my next blog where I share their response…

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Reflecting back, and setting goals forward…

We’re in that time of year when everyone is starting to reflect. With one year winding down and another on the horizon, reflection seems to be more top-of-mind for all of us. With that, I have two tools to share. First is my free 2025 Year in Review worksheet, a great way to dive into the lessons you’ve learned this year, personally and professionally.

Second, as we’re all thinking about our goals for the new year, I have a set of goal setting strategies to share, as well as a goal setting worksheet I use every year to set my own vision and direction. We’ll guide you through committing to a few goals backed by purpose, clarity, and a proven process, which turns ideas into outcomes.  You can find both of those here.

Here’s to making the most of every opportunity the new year brings our way! – John