When to Pivot, When to Persevere: Resetting Your Goals Mid-Year

As we approach the year's halfway mark, the opportunity for self-reflection is an exciting, albeit intimidating, prospect for many. This time of year often marks a natural pause and creates an invitation to reflect on where we've been and where we are headed.

Six months ago, we may have set ambitious intentions and goals or made big promises to ourselves that now feel rather scary. However, we now find ourselves in a unique position, far enough into the year to recognise any patterns that have come up for us and we also have an idea of what might feel good for us moving forward.

This mid-year moment carries a certain emotional weight. For some, it brings pride and momentum; for others, it can stir feelings of frustration or self-doubt. Most importantly, whatever it reveals, it presents a valuable opportunity, which is the chance to realign with intention.

It often feels like January comes with pressure to reinvent. In contrast, June or July offers a gentler clarity. We are not dreaming blindly; we can now respond to reality. We might have tested ideas, hit some challenging roadblocks, and experienced highs and lows. Now, we get to ask leading questions to ourselves: What's working? What's not? What matters most now?

Instead of viewing this midpoint as a judgment of how "on track" we are, we can frame it as a pivot point. An opportunity to decide what the second half of the year should look and feel like, based not on obligation but on personal growth.

Obligation or pressure to stick to goals can become extremely challenging when the reality of change, or even daily life, settles in at this midway point. Letting yourself be stifled by an obligation to a goal that no longer aligns with you will only set you up for more delays and difficulties by the end of the year. This is where the opportunity to assess whether it is time to persevere or pivot becomes so important.

Setting goals often stems from a place of clarity or, at the very least, a snapshot of who we were and what we understood then. However, as the months progress, so do we. Our circumstances change, our values develop, and life can unveil new information that we could not have anticipated in January. What once felt urgent may now seem misaligned. What once inspired a feeling of excitement and action may now just drain energy from us.

It's important to recognise that this isn't a failure of discipline; it's a natural by-product of growth.

Sometimes, we cling to goals that no longer serve us because letting go can feel like admitting defeat or failure. We may fall into the trap of the sunk cost fallacy, convincing ourselves that time, energy, or resources already spent provide sufficient reason to persevere, even if the goal has lost its relevance in our lives.

Alternatively, we might fear being seen as inconsistent or "giving up," especially if we've publicly shared our ambitions. Pride, perfectionism, and external expectations can all cloud our judgment when deciding what is truly best for us.

This is where an understanding of what realigning goals is in response to. It is not a response to weakness but a response to renewed wisdom. Revising a goal doesn't mean you're indecisive. It means you're paying attention. It means you're courageous enough to admit that your path has shifted and that you're committed to a life that reflects your current values, not outdated ones.

When to Persevere

·      If the goal still deeply resonates with your personal values

·      The progress has been slow, but it is meaningful

·      Obstacles faced are temporary setbacks, not fundamental issues

·      You still feel motivated despite any setbacks

When to Pivot

·      The goal no longer aligns with your vision or life circumstances

·      It was based on outdated assumptions or external pressures

·      Any progress made is draining rather than energising

·      You are not working on the goals because you simply don't want to engage with them

How to Reset with Intention

To reset with intention, you may want to conduct this simple reflection exercise to work out what is still working for you, what isn't and what changes could make all the difference for the rest of the year.

Some questions you might want to ask yourself are:

·      What have I learnt so far?

·      What still matters to me?

·      What do I want the next six months of my life to feel like?

·      What's the smallest meaningful step I can take today?

If we were all completely honest with ourselves, the loudest voice in the room isn't always supportive, and it can often be your own inner critic.

Sometimes, it may whisper, "You should've stuck it out," or "Changing your mind means you failed." But the truth is, you can change, evolve, and choose a new path when the old one no longer fits. That is one of the most exciting parts of being a human.

Rather than succumbing to that critical voice, consider asking yourself: What would I say to a friend in this situation? Chances are, you offer them understanding, encouragement, and the benefit of the doubt. You are worthy of that same compassion.

Self-trust is the foundation of sustainable growth. Your goals need not make sense to anyone else if they resonate with you. True alignment doesn't stem from proving yourself to others; it develops from turning inward and determining what feels honest, healthy, and authentic.

Growth isn't linear, and it doesn't have to be rigid. Whether you persevere with a goal or pivot in a new direction, both paths require courage and self-awareness. The path of perseverance builds resilience, while when you take a chance to pivot, you create alignment. Trust that each decision, when made with intention, is shaping a version of you that is wiser, braver, and more attuned to what truly matters to you.

 This post is part of our Monthly Rhythm for June, The Mid-Year Reset. Each week, we will share a new post to guide you through your Mid-Year Reset.

Our schedule for this month is detailed below:

Week one:

Reflect: Where Have You Been?

This week, we will reflect on the first half of the year, focusing on celebrating, releasing, and observing.

Week two:

Reset: Redefining Alignment

 In the second week, we will start to focus on reassessing our goals, our energy levels, and our current alignment.

Week three:

 Recommit: Taking Aligned Action

 This week is our opportunity to recommit to our aligned goals, focusing on clarity, understanding, and flexibility.

 Week four:

 Integrate: Sustainable Momentum

 In our final week, we are looking at how to build those sustainable habits that will create momentum that can be carried throughout the rest of the year.

If this sounds like a bit of you, please follow along for future posts and Monthly Rhythms!

We are also posting lots more content on our Instagram, @theredecollective. Hope to see you there 🫶🏼