Chances are, the scariest part of using Goal Crushers – next to interacting with the interface – is operating with the goal hierarchy. We are so focused on the day-to-day activities and our TODO list, that in the end we tend to forget the questions “WHY AM I DOING IT?” and “WHAT FOR?”.
In this short article, we are bringing a couple of examples of how one can work with the goal hierarchy of the application. These are not here to copy-paste them (however, if they resonate with you, you can), but to help you to see it in practice:
Let’s start with the four levels of goals we have.
Two of them are abstract:
- Vision – On the top of the hierarchy, Visions are the most ambitious dreams that do not even have to be realistic.
- High-level goals – These are realistic, but big, ambitious goals that require a significant effort to achieve. Typically describing various milestones that indicate you are going in the right direction in achieving your Vision.
Two of them are concrete and clear:
- Weekly: What do you need to do this week, to move the needle on either directly your Vision, or on one of your high-level goals?
- Daily: What do you need to do today to move closer to your weekly goal(s)?
For now, you can have as many Visions and as many High-level goals as you want, but you can only have up to 3 weekly and 3 daily goals! This is to keep you focused, and make sure you are only capturing goals, that you would not do otherwise. 🙂
Now, let’s see some examples, where you can see it in practice
The Writer example
VISION: To be a New York Times Bestseller writer.
High-level: My next book can be found on Amazon before the end of the year.
High-level: To become masterful at telling stories.
Weekly: [By the end of the week…] Chapter 5 is sent out for review.
Weekly: [By the end of the week…] 3 great stories – of various arcs – are analyzed.
Daily: [By the end of the day…], the arc of chapter five is drafted out.
Daily: [By the end of the day…], I know exactly what are the requirements to start selling on Amazon.
Daily: [By the end of the day… ] I have reflected on the analysis of The Little Prince.
It’s interesting to see, that without having the full chain in place, what does reading and then analyzing The Little Prince do with becoming a New York Times Bestseller Writer. Those layers in-between are making it clear.
VISION: To play tag with my grandchildren on a hike in the Alps at the age of 80.
High-level: To be physically super fit at any time.
High-level: To keep my mental health top-notch.
High-level: To have a social network that energizes me.
High-level: To keep my brain fit and young.
Weekly: [By the end of the week…] To keep going down in weight.
Weekly: [By the end of the week…] I have completed a perfect Busy Dad Training week.
Daily: [By the end of the day…] To have that meditation retreat registration form sent.
Daily: [By the end of the day…] All my burpees are done for today’s Busy Dad Training.
Daily: [By the end of the day…] I can name at least 1 case during the day when I wanted to add milk to the coffee, but I did not do it.
In this one, you see that you have a lot of high-level goals, yet not everything is pushed forward today or even this week. That is absolutely OK. 🙂 It’s also OK, if you have Daily or weekly goals, that have nothing to do with any of your high-level goals – life happens, and this is a tool to help you better cope with it. 🙂
Visions do not need to be aspirational, they can be somewhat closer to reality as well – they still work:
VISION: I am a guy, who is able to do a pull-up anytime.
High-level: I have the core strength to pull off a pull-up.
High-level: I have the back strength to pull off a pull-up.
High-level: I have the shoulder strength to pull off a pull-up.
High-level: I have the shoulder mobility to pull off a pull-up.
Weekly: [By the end of the week…] I have a recording of at least 3 of my training sessions from this week analyzed by me, and next week’s training plan is in place.
Daily: [By the end of the day…] I can not hold a glass of beer with my left hand (thanks to my training).
See, on this one, you have plenty of areas to focus on, yet, the “amount” of items for the week and the day is.. well. 1-1. That is the main difference to TODO apps – we do not care about the activities too much, the focus here is on what we are trying to achieve. And, of course, at a different layer, activities that take you there are essential – but those are just that… activities. 🙂
And finally, something you probably want to avoid:
VISION: To be a New York Times Bestseller writer.
High-level: Read a book about how to become a New York Times Bestseller.
High-level: To become masterful at telling stories.
Weekly: [By the end of the week…] I have finished my training on how to write good stories.
Weekly: [By the end of the week…] I have ordered a book on the various story arcs.
Daily: [By the end of the day…], I have done research on the best books on story arcs.
Daily: [By the end of the day…], I have finished JK Rowling’s interview on how she made it.
Daily: [By the end of the day… ] I have reflected on the analysis of The Little Prince.
This is the thing we are trying to avoid. Here, seemingly you have a very ambitious vision in place, high-level goals, weekly, dailies… But something is wrong, right… What is the fundamental thing you need to do to become a bestseller writer? WRITE about something… And that is not happening here, only “preparation”, “getting ready”, and “collecting information”. Chances are, you will see something similar with your swim buddies. Let them know what you observe, that way they can course correct 😉
Now, a case may happen – to a friend, or even to you -, where you do not have a Vision, especially at first. Here is what you can do:
VISION: I am a man of Vision
Weekly: [By the end of the week…] I have my first iteration of my next Vision set up.
Daily: [By the end of the day…] I have read at least one article on how to come up with a vision, and selected the method I am going to use throughout the week.
See? Your vision may be just to have a vision. And that’s OK.