#55: How to Set Better Golf Goals in 2025 (and my 2025 goal revealed)

As we approach the new year, it's the perfect time to talk about goal setting - but not in the traditional sense. In today's episode, I'm sharing a detailed, personal, and transformative approach to setting and achieving your ultimate golf goals. Through my own journey of going from a ~24-handicap to confidently declaring my commitment to becoming a 5-handicap by the end of 2025, I'll walk you through the mindset shifts, identity changes, and deliberate actions required to create a clear and actionable roadmap for success. I'll share how I've aligned my goals with my identity, prioritized process over outcome, and leveraged mental and emotional resilience to stay committed—even when motivation runs low. This episode is packed with actionable insights, relatable stories, and practical advice that will help you achieve breakthroughs on the course and in life. In today's episode, you'll learn: Why your identity is the foundation of achieving your golf goals. How to reverse engineer your goals into clear performance and process goals. The power of a deeply personal "why" to fuel your commitment. How mental and emotional training are as vital as your swing. Why progress often lags effort—and how to stay consistent through it. The role of deliberate practice in accelerating your improvement. How aligning your habits and actions with your goals transforms your game and life. Get ready to unlock your potential, redefine your approach to goal setting, and take your game - and life - to the next level. Get your pencils ready and start listening. Tickets for the Mental Game of Golf Summit are live! Make Playing to Your Potential A Habit: Unlock the mental tools and proven strategies to make playing to your potential a habit at The Mental Game of Golf Summit. Learn more and secure your ticket here . P.S. If you're interested in learning more about how mindset coaching and hypnotherapy can help you get unstuck from the proverbial bunker of poor performance on the course and in your business, click here to schedule a coaching discovery call with me. Key Points: The Importance of Identity Change: Achieving your goals requires transforming your identity. You must align your habits, beliefs, and self-talk with the golfer you aspire to become. The Role of a Strong 'Why': A deeply personal and emotionally charged reason behind your goals serves as the anchor that keeps you motivated through challenges and setbacks. Process Over Outcome: Focusing on daily and weekly process goals—small, actionable steps—creates a roadmap that keeps you consistent and aligned with your ultimate goal. Prioritize Mental and Emotional Training: Success in golf is about more than technical skills. Developing emotional resilience, mental toughness, and the ability to access your potential on demand is crucial. Goal Clarity Simplifies Decisions: Clear, well-defined goals act as a filter for decision-making, helping you focus on what truly matters while eliminating distractions. Progress Takes Time and Trust: Results often lag behind effort. Trust in your process and stay consistent, even when visible progress isn't immediate. Golf as a Reflection of Life: The game of golf mirrors life, offering opportunities to grow, confront fears, and become the best version of yourself both on and off the course. Key Quotes: "A goal isn't just about achieving an external result; it's about becoming a better version of yourself in the process." "If what you were doing today was enough to achieve your goal, you'd already have achieved it." "Your why is the emotional fuel that will sustain you during the inevitable grind of the process." "By aligning your habits and actions with the identity of the golfer you aspire to become, you'll improve your game a hell of a lot faster and enjoy the process of becoming the best version of yourself." "The best golfers are those who can access their potential on demand, especially under pressure." "Golf and successful golf are about so much more than the swing; it's about managing emotions, staying resilient, and playing with intention." "Your goal should make you pause, feel nervous, or even afraid—it means you're pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, which is the sweet spot for growth." Subscribe to the More Pars Than Bogeys Newsletter. This newsletter helps double-digit golfers overcome the emotional and mental hazards of their minds so that they can shoot more pars than bogeys. Each week, I'll provide insights, principles, and strategies to help you deter distractions, find your focus, manage your emotions, and cultivate boundless confidence so that you can play to your potential. Subscribe now . Use Hypnosis to Shoot Lower Scores: Are you curious to learn how hypnosis can help you shoot lower scores? Snag my free hypnosis audio recording today to help you play your best round tomorrow. Download it here . Schedule a 1-1 mindset coaching discovery and strategy call with me - click here . For feedback, questions, or to take me out for a round of golf, shoot me an email or connect with me on social media: Instagram: @thegolfhypnotherapist Twitter: @parsoverbogeys Time Stamps: 00:00: Introduction to Goal Setting in Golf 03:06: Personal Journey and Mindset Shift 05:48: Defining Goals and Commitment 08:58: The Importance of Goal Setting 12:08: Identity Change and Goal Achievement 15:01: Framework for Goal Setting 18:01: Ultimate, Performance, and Process Goals 21:12: Consistency and Progress Tracking 23:49: Holistic Approach to Golf Improvement 27:06: Mental and Emotional Goals 29:58: Understanding Your Why 33:12: Unveiling 2025 Goals 35:49: Detailed Action Plan for 2025 38:56: Final Thoughts and Call to Action