10 Inspiring Goals to Set and Achieve in Fall

This week on Her Digital Coffee, we are excited to introduce Giada, a writer and blogger from Purposeful Dreamers. In this guest post, she shares personal ways to set and achieve your goals this fall. Discover Giada’s author bio and ways to connect at the end of this post.

Maybe it’s the back-to-school rush, the return from holidays, or the leaves slowly turning orange that remind us another year is about to end…

Whatever it is, there’s something about September that makes you want to be more productive and finally get your life together—isn’t that right?

If you’re ready to make the most of this season, you’re in the right place! In this post, you’ll find 10 goal ideas for fall to help you get back on track, boost your productivity, and make real progress—so when December comes, you’ll have zero excuses. 😉

Let’s finish the year strong, shall we?

Table of Contents

• Why is fall the perfect season to set new goals?
• 10 Fall Goal Ideas to End the Year Strong
• How to achieve your goals this fall
• Conclusion

Why is fall the perfect season to set new goals?

There are four months before the year is over. Now, the choice is yours: will these be four months of change or excuses?

Perhaps, looking at your New Year’s resolution list, you’ve noticed that you’ve barely achieved any (if none). That’s okay. It’s fine if the year didn’t go as planned so far.

You can still do something about it. You can pivot anytime—any day, any week, any month.

And September? It’s the perfect time to hit the reset button. It carries that fresh start energy—the same you feel on January 1st, your birthday, or the first day of spring.

So, without further ado, let’s dive into the 10 goals you can set to have the most amazing fall season of all!

10 Fall Goal Ideas to End the Year Strong

1) Create new routines New season, new routines—right?

Your routines are the foundation of your success. If you want to know what your life will look like in 1, 5, or 10 years, just take a look at the quality of your daily habits.

Ask yourself: “Are my routines helping me grow, or are my days lacking a solid structure?”

If the word ‘routine’ makes you feel trapped, don’t worry—you don’t need to create a rigid schedule.

My advice is to start with two routines that have the power to transform your days. They are:

• A morning routine, necessary to set the tone for the day
• A night routine, perfect to help you recharge and reset

Invest in your mornings
You’ve probably heard this a thousand times: the way you start your day sets the tone for the rest of it. And it’s true—that’s why most successful people swear by their morning rituals.

So, how do you start your day? Do you grab your phone first thing, or do you have a few intentional habits that energize you?

The best part is that you decide what kind of routine you want for your life—and that can shift with the season too! So, why not opt for a slower and cozier start to your days?

Find what works best for you in this season of life.

Wind-down in the evening
The last thing you do at night also plays a crucial role in the quality of your days, as it affects the way you’ll start the next one.

Be honest: are you scrolling through TikTok or Instagram until your eyes can barely stay open? Or do you give yourself time to relax and actually disconnect?

This fall, create a relaxing night routine that helps you to shut down not just your screens, but also your mind.

Find those rituals that make you feel relaxed, calm, and at peace. End your day on a good note to begin the next one on the right foot—that’s the secret. 😉

2) Start a gratitude jar or journal Fall is the season of gratitude. It’s a natural reminder to slow down and appreciate what we already have.

But here’s the thing: most of us forget the good moments because we’re too focused on what’s missing…

A gratitude practice can change that. So, how can you start expressing your gratitude?

You might want to consider starting a gratitude journal or a gratitude jar. Each day—or week—, write down three things you’re grateful for.

Whether big or small, whatever made you smile deserves to be on that list.

If you start your journal or jar now, by December you’ll have a collection of uplifting entries to remind you how much beauty this year held.

3) Do one thing new every week When was the last time you did something for the first time?

Novelty keeps life exciting and makes it more fulfilling, yet most of us get stuck in routines that make every week look the same.

This fall, challenge yourself to try one new thing every week. It doesn’t need to be big—it could be as simple as:

• Trying a new café
• Styling your clothes differently
• Going on a solo date
• Cooking a new recipe
• Reading a different book genre

Your life will feel more exciting if you find ways to bring that novelty element to it. 😉

4) Prioritize movement As the days get shorter and colder, it’s tempting to stay indoors, curl up under a blanket, and become lazier…

If your past winters looked something like: bed-rotting every weekend because your Monday to Friday is that soul-draining—then this is for you! 😉

Since movement is key to keeping your energy—and mood—up, set a goal of moving your body regularly throughout the fall. It can be any type of movement:

• A 20-minute walk around your neighborhood
• An easy morning jog
• Yoga at the park

Commit to it, and you’ll notice how much better you feel both mentally and physically.

5) Take on a creative hobby Even with outdoor movement, you’ll still have plenty of time to spend at home. Instead of mindlessly scrolling, why not start a creative hobby?

If you don’t know what hobby to try, answer this: “What activities did I enjoy the most as a kid?”

To get you inspired, here is a list of creative hobby ideas you could pursue in the fall:

• Writing
• Painting
• Soap making
• Scrapbooking
• Crochet
• Reading
• Candle making
• Sewing
• Drawing
• Origami
• Puzzles
• Jewelry making
• Cooking
• Calligraphy
• Video editing
• Baking
• Pottery
• Knitting
• Watercoloring

Remember: you don’t have to be productive all the time. Sometimes, the best way to recharge is to do something fun and creative—just for yourself.

6) Do monthly reviews The days go slow, but the years fly by—right?

The truth is that most people start the new year with the best intentions and finish it full of regrets and excuses.

That’s where monthly reviews come in. At the end of the each month, take 20 minutes to reflect on these three simple questions:

• What gave me energy this month?
• What drained my energy instead?
• How can I improve next month?

This small ritual will help you stay mindful, intentional, and aligned with your goals.

RELATED POST: The Monthly Reset Routine You Didn’t Know You Needed

7) Get started on that project Four months left. That’s enough time to make real progress on something big—if you start now.

I’m talking about that big plan, passion project or goal you set at the start of the year and forgot about… Maybe you want to:

• Start a blog
• Launch an Etsy shop
• Open a YouTube channel
• Train to become a yoga teacher
• Write a book

Start today and, by December, you’ll be amazed at how far you’ve come.

8) Plan something fun Work, bills, errands… add grey, rainy days to the mix and you’ll have the perfect recipe for burnout!

To avoid the cold weather affecting your mood, make it a goal to plan something fun every week.

Life isn’t supposed to be all stress and worries—it can also be joyful and fun! But, while in the earlier days it was easier to turn everything into a game, adulting strapped you from that mindset… So, you’ve got to make an effort to come back to it.

When you’re planning your weeks, don’t stop at jotting down your to-do’s, appointments and responsibilities. Add something fun that can bring you joy.

9) Join or build a community While the colder temperatures might lead you to spend more time indoors—and alone—, don’t forget that social time is extremely important (even in winter!).

This fall, consider joining a club or community that matches your interests: a book club, a gym class, or even an online community.

Can’t find one? Create it yourself! Don’t wait for connection—be the one who brings people together.

10) Commit to regular self-reflection Finally, fall is the perfect time to turn inward. Journaling is a powerful way to do this.

Decide if you want to turn your self-reflection sessions into a daily, weekly, or monthly ritual, and ask yourself those hard questions—they will lead you to the greatest insights.

P.S. Not sure where to start? Grab your FREE 50 Self-Discovery Prompts

How to achieve your goals this fall

Choose one area of improvement
One of the biggest mistakes people make when setting goals is aiming too high.

With only a few months left in the year, you’ve got to realize that you cannot do it all—or, at least, not at the same time.

So, ask yourself: “What’s the one area of my life I want to improve the most between now and December?” Maybe it’s…

• Relationships → Expanding friendships, improving your romantic relationship, or focusing on family time
• Finances → Increasing your income, boosting your savings, or sticking to a budget
• Career → Developing new skills, improving the relationship with your colleagues, or finally starting that side hustle
• Personal growth → Reading more, journaling, or doing the inner work
• Time management → Improving your focus, becoming more productive, and using your time wisely

What area requires action now?

Set a SMART goal
Once you’ve picked your area of focus, it’s time to define the outcome you want to get.

A vague goal like “I want to improve myself” sounds nice, but it won’t get you anywhere. That’s why you need the SMART framework:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time-bound

For example, instead of saying “I want to write a book”, a SMART version would be: “Every morning after breakfast, I’ll write 1,000 words so that by the end of the year I’ll have a full draft of my book.”

With a clear outcome in mind, you’ll know what steps you must take to actually achieve your goal.

Create an action plan
Finally, you must create a solid action plan—a map of all the steps that will take you from where you are to where you want to be.

Using the book example, your action plan could look like:

• Designing a new morning routine
• Measuring how much time each step takes you
• Waking up earlier, sticking to 15-minute intervals
• Using a habit tracker to measure your progress
• Creating a “what if” plan for days when things don’t go perfectly

This way, your goal isn’t just a wish—it becomes a reality!

Get your 90-Day Goal Action Plan to achieve all your life goals

Conclusion

There you have it: 10 goal ideas perfect for fall, plus a simple strategy to follow through. The rest is up to you 😉

Now go make it happen—I believe in you. You’ve got this!

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