Half way there… or are you?
A mid-year check-in on what’s working, what’s not, and what’s next
Well here we are. Somehow, slightly astonishingly and mildly terrifyingly, we’ve arrived at the halfway point of 2025. Six months gone, six months to go.
And because I can’t resist, this is the moment where I hear Bon Jovi singing “whoa, we’re halfway there…” in the background. (Sorry, couldn’t help it.)
For me, this part of the year often drifts by. There’s a bit of summer downtime, things go quieter, and before I know it, it’s September. I sit down, blink, and suddenly I realise I’ve got very little of the year left to work with.
And I’ll be honest, I’m not always great at checking in at the midpoint. I tend to wait until the final weeks of the year to ask myself whether I’ve done what I set out to do. Which is far too late for any meaningful adjustment.
But this moment – this halfway marker – is an opportunity. A chance to say: yes, we’re halfway through the year, but are we halfway there, in terms of the things we wanted to create, change, achieve or experience this year?
Why do some of us avoid a mid-year check-in?
I’ll speak for myself first: I avoid it because I’m a bit afraid of what I’ll find.
Sometimes it’s because I suspect I’m behind. Sometimes it’s because I know I set the bar a bit too high in the first place, or didn’t leave enough space for the unpredictable messiness of life and work. Other times, it’s because I haven’t stopped to notice what has gone well, so I’ve built up a story in my head that I’m not making progress, when actually, maybe I am.
And sometimes, let’s be honest, there are things I haven’t done. I’m off track. And facing that feels uncomfortable.
That combination – fear of being behind, disappointment in our progress, or frustration with our earlier goal-setting selves – makes it easier to just keep going without pausing.
Perhaps you never quite get around to it, because you’re so focused on the upcoming break that it never happens. Or perhaps it just isn’t your thing, you prefer to be on to the next thing rather than reflecting on the past.
Whatever the reason, avoiding the check-in doesn’t change the reality, it just delays us seeing it clearly.
Why it’s worth it
The halfway point isn’t just a reminder of what we haven’t done – it’s a chance to recognise what has worked. To spot what’s moving forward, what’s gained momentum, and what’s worth celebrating.
It’s also our moment to adjust, to notice where the plans aren’t working, where we might need to refocus, rethink, or let go of something that no longer fits.
And to me, that’s the most important part: recognising that sticking blindly to a plan doesn’t make you effective. Reassessing and re-setting when the context has changed is essential.
The second half of the year gives us enough time to make meaningful progress, but only if we approach it intentionally.
This might be the moment to:
Acknowledge your progress and build on it
Adjust your goals because the situation has changed
Stop doing something that no longer matters, or is draining your energy
Refocus on what success really looks like for you, now, not what you thought it should look like back in January
Six months is plenty of time to achieve something meaningful, but only if we allow it to be.
A short mid-year reflection
If you want to do a quick check-in for yourself, here’s a simple set of questions to work through. You can do this in your notebook, on a walk, or in a conversation with a trusted colleague or a friend.
One. Looking back: what’s the story so far?
What have I achieved in the first six months?
What’s worked well, and why?
What have I learnt – about myself, my work, my leadership?
What’s felt frustrating, stuck or disappointing?
Two. Where am I now?
Are my original goals still relevant and motivating?
What’s changed in my context that I need to take into account?
What feels most important to focus on next?
What’s taking energy or attention away from what matters most?
Three. Looking forward: what’s next?
What do I want to achieve or move forward in the second half of the year?
What will that take, practically and mentally?
What support, resources or changes might I need?
What will I stop, start or continue doing to make that happen?
You don’t need to get it perfect. But pausing long enough to ask these questions – and acting on what you find – might just give you a second half of the year that feels far more intentional, and far less reactive.
So, you’re halfway through. But are you halfway there?
Now’s a good time to check. I’d love to hear what you’ve learnt from your reflections, and what your plans are for the second half of the year. Leave a comment or hit reply and let me know.
Re-stack
I enjoyed this Substack from Kathleen Smith last week, which is on the same theme of mid-year reflection. She explores it from the perspective of looking at where we’ve been putting our energy so far this year, and where we might want to redirect it.
Have a read, and do subscribe to The Anxious Overachiever if you enjoy her work.
Meme of the week
I thought this was absolutely beautiful when I read it this week. And a good reminder that whatever the ups and downs of 2025 so far, it all shapes us, and reminds us what we’re capable of.
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See you next week!