Locking In On What Truly Matters: Finding Focus For The Rest Of The Year

The Real Meaning Of Locking In 

Last week, I was talking with one of my close friends, and she mentioned how her entire social media timeline is filled with challenges and people talking about “locking in” for the rest of 2025. Every year there’s a new trend, whether it’s The Great Lock In, 75 Hard, The Winter Arc; there’s always something about focusing on yourself and your goals. And honestly, I get it. This is a great time to check in with yourself and your goals. The seasons are changing, people are staying in more, and life feels a little less chaotic than summer. 

My friend said something that really stuck with me. She sent me a video of a girl saying that for the next four months, she’s not going out, she’s working out twice a day, eating clean, reading her Bible, reading 30 minutes a day, not spending money, hitting 10K steps daily, journaling for 30 minutes, waking up at 5 AM, and the list went on. My friend’s response was, “This doesn’t even align with the life I want to live.” And she was right. She’s in a place where she loves her body, so fitness isn’t her top priority. Plus, she’s a teacher so waking up at 5 AM isn’t realistic or even beneficial for her schedule.

After we hung up, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I don’t know how many times social media has made me feel like what I wanted wasn’t enough. I’m not saying you shouldn’t lock in on your goals, you absolutely should, but it doesn’t have to look one specific way. Everyone’s priorities are different, and that’s where honesty with yourself comes in. The “great lock-in” isn’t one-size-fits-all. You have to tailor it to your needs and your life.

I was talking with another friend about how we have to realign our identities, our wants and desires, outside of what the world tells us we should want. It’s so easy to conform and try to be a chameleon to fit into what everyone else is doing, especially when it seems to be working for them. But the truth is, success doesn’t have one formula. Some people thrive waking up at 5 AM, while others don’t need to. Discipline looks different for everyone.

Now, I’m not saying the people on social media are wrong, some of their advice is great. But before you jump in, identify what your actual priorities are. Once you know what you want, you can tailor your habits and consistency to match that goal. For example, my friend doesn’t need to work out twice a day or get 10K steps to move her life forward. For her, consistency might look like working out two to three times a week, and that’s enough. Consistency isn’t about frequency; it’s about sustainability. Depending on your life, your version of consistency will look different, and that doesn’t make you lazy or unmotivated. You can still be locked in by creating habits that truly align with your life.

There are definitely habits that a lot of successful people have that we can learn from and implement into our daily lives. Waking up early is one of them. But again, it has to fit your lifestyle. For example, my workday doesn’t start until almost noon, so my version of “waking up early” is 6:45am. That gives me time to do everything I need before my day officially begins. Challenge yourself and stretch toward your goals, but don’t make them unrealistic, because that’s how you end up feeling like you’ve fallen short or started something you can’t maintain. Progress doesn’t have to be extreme to be effective. Reading for 10 minutes is better than not reading at all. Start small, stay consistent, and before you know it, your time, discipline, and habits will grow naturally. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s steady progress that fits your season.

I’m not saying don’t challenge yourself for the last quarter of the year, I’m saying your challenge needs to make sense. I’m all for maximizing these last four months and doing everything your heart desires. But tailor it to you. The truth is, you won’t find clarity scrolling through social media. You find it by assessing your current life and dreaming about the one you want.

If you’re wondering how to lock in and focus on what matters to you, start by remembering that you’re running your own race. Figure out what you want outside of other people’s influence, and be okay if what you want looks different. Then, reverse engineer it. Ask yourself: What will it take to get there? Break your long-term goal down into small daily habits that move you forward. These are the habits I challenge you to lock in on for the rest of the year.

Once you know what matters, say no to everything that doesn’t align with it. Simple? Yes. Easy? Not always. It takes real dedication to your “why.” On the days you don’t feel like it, pull on that why, it’ll keep you going.

The truth is, yes, there are only four months left in the year, but so much can happen in four months. That’s over 120 days. Go back to the goals you set at the beginning of the year or make new ones to finish strong. If you start now, you’ll already have momentum when the new year comes. And if your body or spirit needs rest, that can be your lock-in, too. Resting isn’t falling behind. Don’t let social media make you feel like you have to operate from scarcity or burnout. Move with abundance. Expect great things to happen in these last four months, because they can. This can still be the most transformative season of your year if you choose to make it so.

At the end of the day, it’s you versus you. Don’t let social media make you feel behind or like you need to do all the things. Lock in but lock in on what truly matters to you.