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- Effective Halftime
Happy 4th of July to those celebrating today! But whether you’re lighting fireworks or not, today marks a milestone for all of us: we are now officially closer to 2050 than to the year 2000. Wild, right?
We’re also past the halfway point of 2025 - closer to the end of the year than the beginning. And that means it’s time for my favorite (and most important) reminder: the biggest mistake I see in goal-setting is that most fail to recalibrate. We pour energy into crafting the perfect year, but forget that even the best plans need mid-course corrections. This week is your halftime break... your moment to pause, regroup, and reset for a stronger second half.
Tip of the Week: The first half may not have gone to plan, but you’re still in the game. Take this moment to reset your goals and design a smarter second half.
THE THEORY
We all fall for the Planning Fallacy. Psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky defined the “Planning Fallacy” as our tendency to overestimate how much we can get done - even when we know better. We think this quarter will be different. We forget about interruptions, burnout, or, let’s be honest… vacation. A solid mid-year review helps us replace idealism with realism.
Plan A is great, but Plan B (and C) can still win. Sahil Bloom popularized the ABC goal method, adapted from marathon training. You set a Plan A (the stretch), a Plan B (the achievable), and a Plan C (the minimum effort still worth celebrating). If you aimed for the stars and hit the mountaintop, you still made it higher than most. Rather than giving up on big goals, adjust your altitude. You’re still climbing.
Don’t just chase goals... assess capacity. Revisiting your goals is important. But ask yourself a deeper question: What’s my capacity right now? Not just your schedule, but your energy, focus, and motivation. Sometimes Q3 is about recovery, not acceleration. Sometimes it’s about pushing because the systems are finally working. Let your own self-awareness about your real capacity shape your second-half strategy.
MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS
The halftime locker room speech matters. I played basketball competitively growing up, and halftime was always electric. Coaches don't usually focus on the scoreboard, they focus on adjustments. That’s exactly the mindset we should all be having right now. Whether it is inspirational like a Ted Lasso or a wakeup call like the Saudi Arabian Coach about to pull a historic win against Argentina in the World Cup, these halftime checks are always effective.
HOW TO PUT THIS INTO PRACTICE
Step 1: Reflect. As mentioned here, take 12 minutes to look back before you move forward:
Open your calendar, photos, and a spreadsheet with columns: Week, High, Low.
Scan each week quickly — note a highlight and lowlight.
Spot patterns in what energized or drained you.
Celebrate the wins, learn from the lows.
Ask: What should I double down on? What should I drop?
Step 2: Run a RAG Check. If you’ve set goals, run a quick Red–Amber–Green review:
Green: On track; maybe even raise the bar.
Amber: Needs tweaking; adjust scope or support.
Red: Off track; rethink or replace.
Step 3: Recalibrate for Q3. Whether your goals are red, amber, or non-existent, now’s your chance to reset:
Reassess your actual capacity, not your ideal one.
Lower or drop goals if needed. Plan B is still progress.
Tighten your systems (calendar, Weekly Reviews, routines).
No goal? Set just one simple one and review it weekly.
Bonus: Involve Others. Do this with a partner, friend, or your team. Shared reflection builds buy-in and keeps everyone aligned.
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