Goal Setting in 2025: Why Our Family is Trading Resolutions for Bingo
I've always loved New Year's Eve. There's something magical about that transition moment - that clean slate feeling as the calendar flips over, full of possibility and promise. Like most people, I start January filled with grand ambitions, only to watch them slowly unravel. By February, the resolve starts slipping. March brings the familiar shame of abandoned goals, followed by pretending those resolutions never existed in the first place.
2025 Bingo Card (Sign Up For Link Below)
Making Bingo Work
What makes Goal Bingo different is how it transforms goal-setting from a daunting task into an adventure. Whether you're a fourth grader dreaming of mastering your first cartwheel or a grandparent wanting to learn TikTok dances (much to your grandchildren's delight), the framework scales to fit any age and aspiration. The key is keeping it fun and personally meaningful.
Take something like "Skills to Learn" - instead of a generic "learn something new" resolution, you might decide to:
Master baking sourdough bread
Learn three new card tricks
Finally figure out how to fold a fitted sheet
Or consider "Acts of Kindness" - rather than vaguely promising to "be a better person," you might:
Write that thank-you note you've been meaning to send
Help your neighbor with their garden project
Leave encouraging notes in library books
These aren't just tasks to check off; they're opportunities to create moments that matter.
The Power of Reflection
What's particularly exciting about this approach is how it encourages reflection along the way. Instead of just doing things for the sake of doing them, each goal becomes an opportunity to think about why it matters. When you're considering a new skill to learn, you might ask yourself:
"How will I know I've mastered it?"
"How can this add value to my daily life?"
These questions transform simple activities into meaningful growth opportunities.
Making It Your Own
The beauty of Goal Bingo is its flexibility. While our hot dog adventure was a family goal, Goal Bingo works best when each person creates their own card with personally meaningful goals. This individual approach creates some wonderfully motivating friendly competition - who'll get the first bingo? Who'll complete an entire row? And who'll achieve the coveted "blackout" by completing all 25 squares?
Each person's card should reflect their own aspirations and interests. Your third grader might include "Learn to do a cartwheel" and "Read a chapter book by myself," while you might opt for "Master sourdough bread" and "Learn basic car maintenance." A teenager might add "Get my driving permit" while grandpa includes "Finally figure out TikTok." The important thing is keeping it fun and personally meaningful.
To help you get started, I've created some resources:
A printable Goal Bingo card template where you can fill in your own goals
"The Goal Bingo Explorer's Guide: 25 Ways to Make 2025 Remarkable" - a comprehensive guide full of prompts and reflection questions to help you choose meaningful goals
Looking Ahead
As we approach 2025, I'm excited to see how this experiment unfolds. Will we complete every square? Maybe not. But I have a feeling we'll accomplish more than we would with traditional resolutions, and we'll definitely have more fun doing it.
The real win isn't in getting five squares in a row - it's in creating a year filled with intentional moments of growth, discovery, and connection. And if we happen to try some interesting hot dogs along the way, well, that's just a bonus.
I'd love to hear what squares would make it onto your Goal Bingo card. Sometimes the best way to approach a new year isn't with stern resolve, but with playful intention and a willingness to celebrate the small wins along the way.
