4 Ways MSLs Can Avoid Resolutions Gone Rogue

Every January, we set out with the best intentions: new goals, new habits, and a renewed sense of purpose. For MSLs, this might look like vowing to meet with every KOL on your list, stay ahead of the latest literature, or be better about work-life balance. But come February, many of these resolutions go rogue. Overwhelmed by busy schedules, lost in a sea of competing priorities, or simply forgotten. So how can MSLs turn January optimism into long-term success?

Let’s explore why resolutions fail and, more importantly, how to set yourself up for a year of real progress. Here are 4 ways MSLs can avoid resolutions gone rogue.

Why Resolutions Go Rogue

Before diving into solutions, let’s unpack why goals go rogue in the first place (it’s so important to get to the root cause!):

1. Too Many Goals: Ambition is great, but overloading your plate with too many priorities can backfire. For MSLs juggling travel, KOL meetings, and internal projects, it’s easy to overcommit.

   2. Vague Ambitions: Resolutions like “Be better at strategic thinking” sound good but lack actionable steps. Without clarity, these goals tend to fade away.

   3. No Follow-Through: Setting goals is the easy part. The hard part? Integrating them into your daily routine, especially when the chaos of life takes over.

These missteps are common, but they’re also avoidable. The key lies in transforming your goals into habits and using a clear system to guide you.

4 Ways MSLs Can Avoid Resolutions Gone Rogue

1. Set Goals That Matter

Start with goals that inspire you. As outlined in the 5 Steps to Crush Your Goals system (slider below 👇):

• Focus on what excites you—not what others think you “should” do.
• Be specific. Define what success looks like for you and align these with your metrics. For example, instead of “Improve KOL engagement,” try “Have meaningful conversations with 20-30 KOLs per month.”
• Break goals into manageable chunks: quarterly milestones, monthly plans, and weekly actions.

Use this AI prompt to get started: “Act as an expert MSL coach specializing in goal setting. Help me break my yearly goals into manageable chunks with quarterly milestones, monthly plans and weekly actions that align with my role. [Insert goals].”

This approach ensures your goals are clear, actionable, and personally motivating.

2. Build Flexibility Into Your Goals

The MSL role comes with wildly varying schedules:

→ Conference-heavy weeks

→ Intense travel periods

→ Quieter stretches in the home office.

Conference season, in particular, can mean back-to-back events and completely thrown schedules. Accommodate this variability by:

• Setting range-based goals, such as meeting with 5-7 KOLs per week for 3 out of 4 weeks per month or dedicating 3-5 hours per week for follow-up when not on the road.
• Planning around your known busy periods. Don’t plan for 3-5 yoga sessions per week right in the heart of conference season. It’s not going to happen. Current goal targets for different scenarios.
• Defining habits in a way that allows for flexibility, so you still feel accomplished even during hectic times. Life will happen and you need to plan for it instead of getting discouraged by not meeting your goals.

By building flexibility in, you can adapt without feeling like you’re failing.

3. Make Accountability Part of the Process

Being an MSL can be lonely at times. You’re often working independently, traveling solo, and juggling multiple priorities. Having an accountability system in place can make all the difference. Try these strategies:

• Partner with your “work wife” or “work husband” to help each other stay on track.
• Use tools like ChatGPT to organize your tasks. Ask prompts like, “Help me create a schedule to prepare for travel and my upcoming KOL meetings this week.” or “Help me outline steps to complete my insights report and provide a list of reminders with dates.”
• Make a plan for when you want to quit. It will get rough and you will want to give up. Having a clear plan for what to do when motivation fades can help you push through and stay on track.
• Join a supportive community, like my RISE community for new MSLs, where peers share challenges, successes, and solutions. Regular check-ins can keep you motivated and focused.

4. Make It Fun

Resolutions shouldn’t feel like a chore. Inject some fun into the process:

• Gamify Your Goals: Use AI to brainstorm creative ways to track progress. For example, ask: “What’s a fun way to reward myself for achieving [specific goal]?” or “How can I turn [habit/goal] into a game? Help me develop a point system to track progress and keep me motivated.”
• Friendly Competition: Start a resolution leaderboard with your team to see who can stick to their habits the longest. Add lighthearted rewards to keep things engaging.
• Celebrate Milestones: Make small wins feel big. Whether it’s finishing a major KOL project or completing a literature review, treat yourself to something meaningful. Small steps add up!

Conclusion: 4 Ways MSLs Can Avoid Resolutions Gone Rogue

Resolutions don’t have to go rogue. By setting meaningful goals, accommodating flexibility, building accountability, and adding a dose of fun, you can turn January optimism into lasting success. Remember, it’s not about perfection. It’s about progress.

So, what’s your most rogue resolution from years past? Share it with me! Let’s make 2025 the year MSLs stick to their goals and thrive.

More Goal-Setting Resources:

• Crush Your Goals by Reviewing Daily
• 2022 Strategic Thinking Goal Setting Guide
• 4 Tips to Help You Crush Your Goals

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