What Really Matters to Me

As the year begins, fasting, goal-setting, and vision boards become buzzwords everywhere. And don’t get me wrong—there’s nothing wrong with any of these. But they don’t really work unless you engage with them intentionally, and in a way that authentically aligns with who you are.

So, before we dive into all the exciting plans and possibilities, I think it’s worth taking a step back to talk about values.

When someone asks, “What are your values?” it can feel like a big, daunting question. But when we unpack it, it’s actually quite simple: what truly matters to you? When everything else falls away, what are you willing to fight to maintain and protect—no matter the cost?

Before we set goals or create vision boards, perhaps the more important question to sit with is: what matters to me?

It’s easy to rattle off a list of things we want to matter to us. But when we look honestly at the lives we live—our to-do lists, our schedules, our priorities—they don’t always reflect what we claim to value. Because at the end of the day, what we prioritise is what we truly value. We make time and space for the things that matter to us.

So if I asked you what you value, would your to-do list reflect that? Do your habits align with maintaining those values? For most of us, the answer is an uncomfortable no. It’s easy to give an answer that sounds right, but much harder to consistently show up in the areas we say matter most.

Before you enthusiastically sit down to write a list of lofty goals, pause with this gentle but important question: What matters to me? Then take it from there. Let your goals be driven by deep purpose and authentic living. Don’t feel pressured to strive for goals that carry no real meaning for you.

Often, the reason we don’t achieve our goals is that they have no true impact on our internal compass. We lose motivation quickly because we aren’t driven by anything deeper than the need to appear successful. But the goals that endure—the ones we actually fulfil—are rooted in deep passions and deeply held values. Those are the goals we’ll fight for. For those, we’ll climb the highest mountains, swim the deepest seas, and fight the gnarliest dragons.

So even if it feels small or insignificant, take a step back. Figure out what truly matters to you. Then let that guide the goals you set, the decisions you make, and the habits you build.