Goal Brainstorming

Goal Funnels (see You Need a Goal Funnel) can be overwhelming. So here is another strategy to use to help flesh out your Goal Funnel.

  1. Brain Dump. Spend 15-20 minutes just writing down every possible thing you'd like to accomplish in the next ten years. For example, what are items you want to buy, places you want to visit, skills you want to learn, and experiences you want to experience? Try to get at least 50 things written down.

  2. Group and Tweak. Identify if each item on the list is more of an Emotional Objective (be a good dad) or a Measurable Goal (make $1,000,000).

  3. Emotional Objectives. Match every Measurable Goal on your list to an Emotional Objective. If you don't find a fit, this is a sign that you're missing one. Think about why you want to achieve the goal. For instance, do you want to travel to Machu Picchu because you value being a well-traveled person?

  4. Life Areas. There is no rule here, but I've usually found the sweet spot is around 5-10. You want a balanced life, so each area will hopefully feel about as important as the others. If you have 10-times the goals in one area, that's a sign that you need to split it up or focus on other areas.

  5. Measurable Goals. Finally, go through your Emotional Objectives and see if any are missing Measurable Goals. Every Emotional Objective should have at least one or two Measurable Goals to make sure you've thought through how you plan to accomplish the objectives.

Bonus: Timeframe. Jim Rohn recommends going through your list and putting a 1, 3, 5, or 10 next to each goal to estimate how long it will take to accomplish. If you have too many in one category, that's usually a sign you either need to break down big goals into smaller milestones or think bigger and come up with some long-term goals.