🎯 Action #0006
One hundred goals. That is something that I hope you have right in front of you as a result of the previous week’s action.
Having goals is one thing, making them a reality is a completely different one. What I find lacking with most “goal list” exercises is that the work done becomes a one-off event that is to be easily forgotten and brushed aside.
At best, you will come back to it years later and try to figure out where did it all go wrong. Let’s avoid that, and start taking action right away!
P.S. Last week’s exercise is a strong pre-requisite for this week, but it is possible, although highly discouraged to just wing it.
⚡The Action
Choose your goals for the next five years, four months, three weeks, two days, and one hour. Start executing.
🤔The Why
Humans are complicated. One thing that I virtually guarantee is that if you ask ten people what their top five life goals are - their answer will differ from their own reply six months down the line.
Now, I don’t blame them, for we change more than we care to admit, and so do our goals.
That said, clarity and persistence are key in reaching your dreams. First, you must be confident that where you are going is in fact your path, and second - you must be adamant on your way.
This week’s exercise is an attempt to give you a tool to achieve both.
🧐The How
This exercise is taken from, albeit modified, The Bullet Journal Method.
If you have your 100 goals from last week - keep them in front of you and treat them as your “goals menu”.
Divide a piece of paper into two columns: Professional Goals & Personal Goals
Divide each column into five cells, and label them from top to bottom: five years, four months, three weeks, two days, one hour.
The final table should look something like this.
Enter up to three goals into each cell.
Select and mark the most important goal in each cell with a star (or another sign).
Begin executing your one-hour goals.
Come back to your goals throughout the first three weeks.
Set a calendar invite or an alarm for 30 days.
Re-do the exercise, without checking back on your previous 5-4-3-2-1 exercise.
Compare and contrast. Learn what is most important to you, and where you are consistent or discordant.
💖Personal Application
On the personal side of the exercise, the key learning point for me was the fact that it is at all possible to actively pursue improvements in this area. Ask yourself - how often have you had a "meeting with yourself” or a values audit meeting with your partner? How often did you actively sit down to put together your family goals? How often did you agree on a plan with your better half on how to achieve some of your shared goals?
This exercise can act as a catalyst for these discussions and for a more precise outlook on your personal goals. Remember though - some of the best things in life are unplanned and spontaneous, so don’t overdo it.
💸Work Application
Not sure how this will go for you, but when I started doing this exercise, my five-year goal was never the same for the first five months of the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise.
Doing this, and re-doing it monthly - helped me realize what it is that I truly want out of my professional (and personal) life. It gave me stability, direction, and purpose.
Now, when I wake up, I know exactly what my long-term goal is and realize that everything I do must be geared towards achieving it. This is powerful for organizations, it is your BHAG - the big hairy audacious goal and this tool helps you find a good one.
📚Resources & Bibliography
Bullet Journal Method - Book
Example Template
BHAG
100 Goals Exercise - Action #0005
Reddit - On Wanting Different Things @ Different Stages in Life
My Discord Community
My Telegram Community
How To Use This Newsletter
Best,
Dmitri Sarle