As we head towards the end of the year, it’s a great time to pause, reflect, and reset your direction. As a business owner, clarity and intention are essential for both growth and wellbeing.
As a Performance Psychologist, Business Mentor and Mountain Leader, I’ve seen how the best results come when strategy, wellbeing and adventure meet. That’s why I use a simple yet powerful framework the ‘Summit Planning Method’ – to help my clients plan their business and life with focus, freedom and balance.
It’s the same approach I use in my own businesses – be it planning corporate wellbeing workshops, coaching programmes or adventure-wellbeing retreats – blending mindset, nature, and strategy to support high performance without burnout.
Why Planning Matters
Even the most ambitious business owners entrepreneurs can drift without a plan. But planning isn’t about control – it’s about creating a map that guides your energy and intention.
It drives results – Businesses and individuals with a clear plan grow faster and adapt better.
It keeps life and work aligned – Your personal wellbeing and your business performance are inseparable — your health and mindset are your greatest assets.
It gives you freedom. Flexible planning brings clarity, confidence, and space to explore new opportunities – in your business and in your life
Step 1: The Summit View — Define Your Vision
Imagine standing at the top of a mountain — what do you see, feel, and hear? That’s your Summit View: your vision for the year ahead.
Ask yourself:
- What truly matters this year?
- Who do I want to work with or impact?
- How do I want my business and life to feel?
I know this myself – Last year, in 2024, I hit a wall. I’d been pouring everything into my business for a few years – long days, constant output, saying yes to too much – and even though I loved what I was doing, I could feel the spark fading. I realised I’d built a business that looked successful from the outside but didn’t feel sustainable on the inside.
So at the start of this year, I made a conscious decision to press pause.
I slowed down, spent more time outdoors, reconnected with what mattered, and rebuilt my routines around rest, reflection and movement. That shift changed everything for me – I stopped chasing growth for the sake of it and started focusing on sustainable performance and wellbeing.
Now, everything I teach – from business and career-change coaching to adventure wellbeing retreats – comes from that lesson: success should feel good, not just look good.
Working with business owners, I often ask clients to start with one simple exercise (borrowed from the incredible Marie Forleo!)
👉 “Wouldn’t it be cool if…” — then list everything that comes to mind – without filtering or holding back. See how many different things you can list (however wild they seem!)
Step 2: The Checkpoints — Set Meaningful Goals
Once you’ve got your vision set (so you know where you’re heading) it’s time to map the checkpoints — the key goals that help you move closer to your summit.
- Choose 3–6 realistic priorities / goals for the year ahead that align with your purpose and capacity.
- Plan them around natural energy rhythms – quarterly or seasonally.
- Protect space for rest, nature, adventure and reflection.
In the 13 years I’ve spent as a business owner, I’ve learnt high-performance and success isn’t just about working harder — it’s about working smarter and balancing progress with recovery.
That’s what I teach in my coaching programmes and adventure wellbeing retreats: performance and wellbeing can (and should) coexist.
Step 3: The Path — Take Consistent Action
The secret to success? Consistency. Big goals are achieved through small, deliberate steps on a daily and weekly basis.
Break each checkpoint into actions that take no more than 30–60 minutes.
When things feel unclear, remember – even if you can’t see the summit (if the clouds roll in and the visibility drops), you can still take the next step.
And celebrate your progress. It’s easy to forget how far you’ve already climbed.
Staying on Track
Even with a plan, it’s easy to get distracted by new ideas or demands.
That’s why accountability, coaching, and community matter.
Through one-to-one and group coaching, and corporate wellbeing workshops events, I help people stay focused, resilient, and connected to their vision – especially when the path gets steep.
Final Thoughts
Planning your year like a hike brings structure without rigidity – combining clarity, momentum, and mindfulness.
If you’d like to experience this process, join my free “Your Best Year Yet” workshop on Monday 24th November at 7pm. You’ll map your Summit View, set your Checkpoints, and plan your Path for a calm, confident 2026.
And if you’re looking for deeper, ongoing support, the Big Sky Business Collective opens in January – a space where business, wellbeing, and adventure meet.
It’s ideal for those seeking strategic business coaching and community-driven accountability — all grounded in evidence-based psychology and wellbeing theory.
Until then, keep putting one foot in front of the other, after all, progress always happens on the path.
Sarah.
