Setting goals is the easy part. Maintaining focus on those goals through June and July when life gets busy is where most people fail. Mark Mason shares a simple but powerful lesson he learned while putting away the Christmas tree: do not store your goals the same way you store your ornaments.
Video: Maintaining Focus on Your Goals
You can also watch this video directly on YouTube.
The Christmas Ornament Problem
Mark noticed something while packing up Christmas decorations. His wife has these organized ornament containers with individual compartments. You carefully put each ornament away, close the lid, and store it until next December. Clean and tidy.
Goals work the same way for most people. You write them down in a notebook, a Word document, Evernote, or whatever tool you prefer. Maybe you even use a dedicated goal journal. Then you put that tool away and get busy with life. By June or July, you have completely forgotten what you wrote down in January. When December rolls around again, you pull out your goals and find a list of things you forgot about and never accomplished.
The Solution: Built-in Accountability
The fix is building a system that keeps your goals in front of you all year long. Mark uses three methods:
- Weekly review process — a dedicated time each week to look at goals and assess progress
- Mastermind group accountability — regular check-ins with peers who know your goals and will ask about them
- Structured programs — courses and communities designed to maintain focus over time
The specific tool matters less than the habit. Whether you use a paper planner, a digital system, or a combination, the critical element is a recurring trigger that forces you to look at your goals regularly.
What Has Changed Since This Episode
Mark recorded this in December 2015 as he was planning his 2016 goals.
Goal tracking tools have improved dramatically. In 2026, apps like Notion, Todoist, and dedicated goal-tracking platforms make it easier than ever to set recurring reminders and build review habits. Many people now use OKR (Objectives and Key Results) frameworks borrowed from corporate settings for their personal businesses. The underlying principle Mark describes, regular review and accountability, remains the critical factor regardless of the tool.
The accountability partner model has gone mainstream. Mastermind groups, accountability pods, and coaching programs have proliferated. Online communities on Discord, Slack, and dedicated platforms provide the kind of peer accountability Mark recommends. The barrier to finding accountability partners has dropped significantly.
Key Takeaways
- Writing goals down is necessary but not sufficient for achieving them
- Without a system for regular review, goals get forgotten by mid-year
- Weekly reviews, mastermind groups, and structured accountability keep goals top of mind
- The goal at the end of the year should be excitement about progress, not disappointment about forgotten commitments
Listen and Subscribe
Listen to Late Night Internet Marketing on Apple Podcasts or subscribe at latenightim.com/internet-marketing-podcast/.
