"In mid-August, social media started buzzing with posts about "The Great Lock In." As the name suggests, it's built around the Gen Z slang for fully committing or hyperfocusing on a task, goal, or activity. From now until the end of the year, the idea is to "lock in" and to get your life in order and your goals checked off before 2026."
"According to the Know Your Meme website, the trend began with creator @shmeat27, who last month posted NBA highlights captioned: "The type energy we bringing to the great lock in aug-oct 2025." That video has nearly a quarter of a million views and has since inspired a wave of similar content. "The great lock in of August to December 2025 can make generational change for your life," another creator posted."
Summer is ending and back-to-school season coincides with a push to finish goals before 2026. Social platforms populated with posts labeled 'The Great Lock In' promote committing or hyperfocusing on tasks from August through December. The meme traces to creator @shmeat27, whose NBA-highlights post referencing 'great lock in aug-oct 2025' gained significant views and inspired imitative content. Creators framed the period as a chance for generational change and renewed discipline after summer slack. The trend resembles 2024's Winter Arc, repackaging seasonal self-improvement momentum. Reactions vary from earnest commitment to playful hype across platforms like X.
Read at Fast Company
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