As we step into a new year, many of us are doing what we have been taught to do for decades: setting goals. More revenue. Better health. Career growth. Stronger relationships. Goals are not wrong but they are often incomplete.
At Lillian Ngala Network, we believe the future belongs not to those who simply set goals, but to those who live in alignment.
Traditional goal setting focuses on what you want to achieve. Values-based planning starts with who you are becoming. It asks deeper questions: What truly matters to me? What kind of leader, professional, parent, or individual do I want to embody? What values do I refuse to compromise, even when the pressure is high?
When goals are disconnected from values, they become exhausting. You achieve them, yet feel empty. You chase them, yet feel misaligned. But when your plans are rooted in your core values, clarity replaces confusion, and progress feels purposeful rather than forced.
At LNN, our philosophy is simple but powerful: alignment precedes achievement. We encourage our community to define success not only by milestones, but by integrity, sustainability, and inner coherence. This means planning your year around values such as purpose, growth, service, balance, and impact, then allowing goals to emerge naturally from that foundation.
Values-based planning does not abandon ambition. It refines it. It ensures that your professional goals do not cost you your well-being, that your leadership journey does not erode your humanity, and that your success remains meaningful long after the applause fades.
As you plan this year, I invite you to pause before writing your goals. Reflect on your values. Ask yourself whether the life you are building truly aligns with who you are and who you are called to become.
At Lillian Ngala Network, we are committed to walking this journey with you, equipping you with tools, conversations, and guidance that support not just achievement, but alignment.
Because when your life is aligned, your goals stop feeling heavy and start feeling inevitable.
Warm regards,
Lillian Ngala Network Team