The New Year Is Here: Set Goals Bigger Than Yourself and Follow Your Gut in 2026

The new year is here.

We are setting ourselves up for new resolutions. New goals. New achievements. Thinking about where we want to go and who we want to be in 2026.

Do better. Do more of what works. Reach a certain number. Do certain things. Become better.

The list continues. It always does this time of year.

But as a restaurant owner, you have something most people do not have. You have two babies to feed and take care of. Two lives to nurture into the new year.

Yourself. And your restaurant.

Your restaurant is not just a business. It is your team. Your customers. Your community. Your suppliers. Maybe your investors. All of these people depend on you and what you build.

This game is not for the easy-minded. This is not for people looking for simple answers and comfortable paths.

This is for those who can build. Who can create. Who can connect.

If that is you, then let us talk about how to approach this new year in a way that actually matters.

Why Generic Goals Are Pointless

Let me be honest about something.

Generic goals are pointless.

People set certain numbers. I want to hit this revenue target. I want to lose this many pounds. I want to save this much money.

Then they do not reach it. And they give up.

Or they start strong. They eat healthy for a couple of days. They work hard for a couple of weeks. Then they slowly drift back to normal. Back to the same habits. Back to the same results.

By February, the resolution is forgotten. By March, it is like they never made it.

This happens every single year to millions of people. And it will happen again this year to millions more.

Why?

Because the goal has no emotional connection.

A number on a page means nothing to your heart. A target without meaning has no power to pull you through the hard days. A resolution made because you feel like you should make one will not survive the first real challenge.

Goals Need Emotional Connection

Every goal has to connect to something deeper.

It has to connect to the overall mission you have set for yourself. The vision of who you are becoming. The future you are building that matters to you at a level beyond logic.

When a goal has that connection, everything changes.

Missing it is not just disappointing. It is painful. It feels like eating glass while staring at the stars. You can see what you want. You can almost taste it. But you are suffering because you are not there yet.

That pain is fuel. That pain keeps you going when the easy-minded people quit.

When your goal connects to your mission, you do not need motivation. You do not need willpower. You have something stronger. You have meaning.

The restaurant owner who wants to hit a revenue target just because it sounds good will give up when things get hard.

The restaurant owner who wants to hit that target because it means freedom for their family, because it proves they can build something real, because it represents becoming the person they know they can be—that owner will find a way.

Same goal. Completely different likelihood of success. The difference is emotional connection.

What I Wish for You in 2026

Before I share my own journey, let me tell you what I wish for you this year.

I pray that every restaurant owner reading this has a 2026 filled with gratitude. With success. With enjoyment. With thankfulness.

I wish you health. Real health that gives you energy and vitality for decades to come.

I wish you wealth. Not just money, but the freedom and options that wealth provides.

I wish you relationships. Deep connections with family, friends, team, and community that make life meaningful.

I wish you peace. The inner calm that comes from living right and being at ease with yourself.

I wish you honor. The respect that comes from doing things the right way, even when no one is watching.

I wish you courage. The strength to take risks, to try new things, to pursue what matters even when it scares you.

I wish you integrity. The alignment between what you believe and how you act.

I wish you humility. The wisdom to know you do not have all the answers and the openness to keep learning.

Being good to others. And others being good to you. Doing good in this world. Growing as people. Supporting each other. Staying truthful.

Understanding that there is good and bad in every person, but holding on to the good. Being safe. Being healthy. Being happy to live this life in this world.

Live like you will live forever.

That does not mean being lazy. That does not mean coasting.

It means taking care of yourself to the point where nothing can bring you down. Where you just keep going no matter what. Where your foundation is so strong that challenges become opportunities instead of defeats.

This is my wish for you. This is what I hope 2026 brings to every restaurant owner who reads these words.

My Journey: What Each Year Taught Me

Let me share something personal about my own journey.

2023 showed me.

It showed me what was possible. It showed me the industry I was entering. It showed me the problems restaurant owners face and the gaps that exist in how they are served. It showed me who I wanted to help and why.

2024 gave me.

It gave me experience. It gave me clients. It gave me lessons from success and failure. It gave me the foundation of skills and relationships that everything else would be built on.

2025 taught me.

It taught me how to scale. How to work smarter. How to build systems. How to use AI to multiply what we could accomplish. It taught me that the limits I thought existed were not real limits at all.

We grew the marketing agency to a point I could not have imagined a few years ago.

We can now easily expand beyond Indian restaurants. We can work with all kinds of restaurants. Fast-casual. Casual. Fast-fine dining. Fine dining. The principles are the same. The execution adapts.

And with AI increasing our productivity by ten times, I can finally build what I have always wanted.

My Dream for 2026

In 2026, I get to build my first startup company.

It has been a dream of mine to get into the tech world. To build something that scales beyond services. To create technology that solves problems for thousands of people at once.

This year is it.

While giving our clients the best support possible, me and my team have become the best at this game. Nobody can beat us in restaurant marketing. Unless the client refuses to do certain things—but that is a different conversation.

With that confidence as a foundation, and with AI increasing our output dramatically, I have the space to pursue something bigger.

I am not sharing this to brag. I am sharing this because I want you to see what becomes possible when you commit fully to a path.

Three years ago, I could not have imagined being here. I did not have the skills. I did not have the resources. I did not have the track record.

But I had a mission that connected emotionally. I had goals that meant something beyond just numbers. I had the willingness to keep going through every challenge.

And now doors are opening that I could not have even seen before.

The same can happen for you.

Setting Goals Bigger Than Yourself

Here is my challenge to you for 2026.

Set a goal bigger than yourself.

Not just a revenue target. Not just a number of locations. Not just a metric that sounds impressive.

Something that matters at a level beyond your own success.

Maybe it is building a restaurant that transforms your community. That provides jobs and opportunity to people who need it. That becomes a gathering place where meaningful moments happen.

Maybe it is creating wealth that allows you to support causes you care about. To give generously. To make a difference beyond your own life.

Maybe it is building something your children can inherit. A legacy that outlasts you. A proof that your life meant something.

Maybe it is proving something to yourself. That you can do hard things. That you can build something real. That you are capable of more than you ever believed.

Whatever it is, make it bigger than just you.

Goals that are only about you run out of fuel when things get hard. Goals that connect to something larger have infinite energy because they matter beyond your comfort.

Take That Next Step

There is something you have always wanted to do.

Something sitting right at your heart. Something you think about late at night. Something that excites you and scares you at the same time.

Maybe it is opening a second location. Maybe it is completely reimagining your concept. Maybe it is building a personal brand. Maybe it is writing a book. Maybe it is starting something completely new.

Whatever it is, take that next step this year.

Not next year. Not when conditions are perfect. Not when you feel ready.

This year. Now. With whatever resources you have.

The conditions will never be perfect. You will never feel completely ready. There will always be reasons to wait.

But life does not wait. Time passes whether you act or not. The only question is whether you will look back and be proud of what you did with it.

Follow your gut more in 2026.

Your gut knows things your logical mind cannot articulate. Your gut has been telling you something for a long time. Maybe it is time to listen.

The Restaurant Owner's Two Resolutions

As we enter 2026, remember that you have two resolutions to make.

One for yourself.

What do you want to become this year? What health do you want to have? What relationships do you want to build? What peace do you want to find? What version of yourself do you want to grow into?

One for your restaurant.

What do you want to build this year? What team do you want to develop? What customers do you want to serve? What community do you want to create? What legacy do you want to establish?

Both matter. Both deserve your attention. Both will require sacrifice and commitment.

The easy-minded look for one simple resolution. One thing to focus on. One goal that feels manageable.

But you are not easy-minded. You are a restaurant owner. You juggle complexity every day. You can hold both resolutions and pursue both paths.

Personal growth and business growth are not separate. They feed each other. As you become better, your restaurant becomes better. As your restaurant grows, you grow with it.

Make both resolutions. Commit to both fully. Watch how they reinforce each other throughout the year.

Live Like You Will Live Forever

I want to leave you with this thought.

Live like you will live forever.

This is not about ignoring mortality. It is about playing the long game. It is about building things that last. It is about taking care of yourself so thoroughly that you can sustain whatever you start.

The restaurant owner who burns out in three years did not live like they would live forever. They sprinted when they should have built for a marathon.

The restaurant owner who is still thriving twenty years later understood something different. They paced themselves. They protected their health. They built systems instead of just working harder. They created something sustainable.

Live like you will live forever. Build like you will be doing this for decades. Take care of yourself like your future depends on it—because it does.

And within that long-term mindset, pursue your dreams with everything you have. Not frantic desperation. Sustained intensity. The kind that can last.

This is how empires are built. One day at a time. One year at a time. With a vision that extends beyond any single resolution or goal.

Join the Restaurant Growth Challenge

If you want help making 2026 your breakthrough year, we should talk.

We have spent years building systems that help restaurant owners grow. We understand the challenges. We know what works. We have seen hundreds of restaurants transform.

And with AI multiplying our capabilities, we can do more for you than ever before.

The Restaurant Growth Challenge is designed to show you exactly what is possible. We look at where you are. We map out where you want to go. We show you what the next thirty days could look like.

The call is free. No pressure. Just clarity.

We want to work with restaurant owners who have goals bigger than themselves. Who are ready to commit fully. Who understand that this game is not for the easy-minded.

Is that you?

https://www.anthconsulting.com/restaurant-growth-challenge#calendar-652ZsXHqbhZk

Set goals bigger than yourself. Follow your gut. Take that next step.

2026 is waiting. Make it count.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do most New Year's resolutions fail?

Most resolutions fail because they lack emotional connection. A number on a page means nothing to your heart. When goals connect to your deeper mission—to who you are becoming and what truly matters to you—they have power to pull you through hard days. Without that connection, people give up at the first real challenge.

How do I create emotional connection to my goals?

Ask why the goal matters beyond the surface level. Keep asking why until you reach something that moves you emotionally. Connect the goal to your identity, your family, your legacy, or your deepest values. When missing the goal would feel like eating glass while staring at stars, you have found the emotional connection.

What does it mean to set goals bigger than yourself?

Goals bigger than yourself connect to something beyond your own success. Building something for your community. Creating wealth to support causes you care about. Leaving a legacy for your children. Proving you can do hard things. These goals have infinite energy because they matter beyond your personal comfort.

Why do restaurant owners have two resolutions to make?

Restaurant owners must care for themselves and their business—two lives that depend on each other. Personal resolutions address your health, relationships, peace, and growth. Business resolutions address your team, customers, community, and legacy. Both matter. Both deserve attention. They reinforce each other when pursued together.

What does live like you will live forever mean?

It means playing the long game. Building things that last. Taking care of yourself so thoroughly that you can sustain whatever you start. It is not about ignoring mortality—it is about pacing yourself for a marathon instead of burning out in a sprint. Sustained intensity instead of frantic desperation.

How has AI changed what is possible for restaurant marketing?

AI has multiplied productivity dramatically—for us, about ten times. This means we can do more for clients, faster, with higher quality. It creates space to pursue bigger goals while maintaining excellent service. AI is not replacing the human elements of strategy and creativity—it is amplifying what humans can accomplish.

How do I know if I should pursue that dream sitting at my heart?

If something has been sitting at your heart for a long time, your gut is telling you something. The conditions will never be perfect. You will never feel completely ready. The question is whether you will look back and be proud of what you did with the time you had. Follow your gut more in 2026.

What should I do if I have failed at resolutions before?

Past failures do not determine future success. The difference is not willpower—it is emotional connection. This time, connect your goals to something that truly matters. Make them bigger than yourself. Create conditions where giving up would be more painful than continuing. That changes everything.