Quote:

"Any goal can be achieved if you break it down into enough small parts." - Brian Tracy

Recap:

Yesterday, you used the “2 List Method” to prioritise your biggest goals in life.

Lesson:

Today, you’re going to transform those big, daunting goals into smaller, manageable pieces.

A goal is like a mountain: beautiful and awe-inspiring, yet the peak can seem so distant and unreachable. The summit can seem so impossibly far away that it’s difficult to ever imagine yourself reaching it.

The key, then, to scaling this metaphorical mountain isn’t a Herculean leap to the top, but rather, dividing the ascent into a series of manageable steps.

By segmenting a large goal into smaller time frames, such as quarters and weeks, you create a ladder of mini-goals. With each rung on this ladder bringing its own set of advantages:

1. More Immediate and Tangible Results: When you break down a goal into smaller, time-bound objectives, they suddenly feel more accessible. A quarterly or weekly goal is right there in front of you, not far off in the distance. This proximity keeps your motivation levels high because you can see the progress you're making more clearly and frequently.
2. Easier to Adjust: Life often throws curveballs, and long-term plans can be derailed by unforeseen circumstances. By setting shorter-term goals, you allow yourself the flexibility to adapt and recalibrate. If one week or one quarter doesn't go as planned, you can easily adjust your strategy for the next one without losing sight of your ultimate goal.
3. Clearer in Focus: Breaking down a large goal forces you to be more specific and realistic about what you can achieve in a given timeframe. This clarity helps in creating a focused action plan. Instead of a vague ambition, you have a concrete list of tasks and milestones.

So, let’s take a look at how you can use quarterly and weekly planning to break your goals into more bite-sized pieces.

Quarterly Goals:

Let's start by revisiting the yearly goals you outlined on Day 4.

Consider each goal and think about what a significant, yet achievable, milestone would look like in the next three months. The idea here is to divide your year-long goal into four equal, manageable parts. Each quarter should represent a step that is substantial enough to feel like progress, yet realistic enough to be achievable within a three-month period.

Imagine your yearly goal as a four-chapter story, with each quarter representing a chapter that contributes to the overall narrative.

For instance, if your goal is to write a book, your first quarter might involve completing the research and outlining the chapters. The next quarter could be dedicated to writing the first few chapters, and so on.