We’re at the beginning of a new year here in 2024.
Many people are talking about goals.
Pretty much every conversation is about:
What you’re going to achieve.
But in the back of my mind, all I can think is:
Am I going to achieve what I say I'm going to achieve?
I also think to myself:
What am I doing?
And WHY am I doing it?
It's easy to say you’re going to do something.
But it's hard to stick to it and do it.
How many times have you started a new year with a goal in mind?
If you’re anything like me, you want to do big things in your life.
But also like me…
There’s a problem you face…
You’re doing too many things at once.
This leads you to...
Doing random things and hoping they work out.
Which leads to…
Feeling empty inside.
What’s worse is…
You lose trust in yourself
Ultimately;
You have to clean up the mess you create.
You end up not completing the promises you make.
That’s the most dangerous position to be in.
If you don’t trust your own word, how can you create the life of your dreams?
If you can’t rely on yourself, then you end up feeling:
Lost - Without a sense of direction.
Stagnant - Without anything to show for your hard work.
And that’s not a place you want to be at.
What you want is
Control and Clarity.
You want:
To know what you’re doing each week.
Time to enjoy life with friends and family.
To live stress-free.
To automate your life.
To make an impact, and do it with ease.
To know WHAT you’re doing and WHY you’re doing it.
Living with control and clarity are signs of the good life.
They’re also signs of an intentional life.
And to win in life, you have to be intentional.
Specifically, you have to be intentional about where you’re going in life.
When you know where you’re going in life, everything happens for a reason.
This is when you start living life on purpose.
The reason most people don’t live with purpose or achieve their goals is:
They have a routine that sends them in a downward spiral.
They don't know how to set their own schedule.
Their routine doesn't fit their ideal lifestyle.
They like to talk about their goals but have no idea what steps to take.
They only work when it’s convenient.
They think they’ll get lucky and figure it out someday.
They don’t want to take advice from other people about how to live their life.
This leaves people in a cycle of frustration.
Which causes them to quit on their goals altogether.
They end up burning out.
Blaming things on bad luck or circumstance.
But I’m here to tell you…
There’s a way out of the cycle.
And it only takes three steps.
Introducing My:
"Goal Crushing System"
(The 3-Step Process To Achieve Any Goal You Set)
Step 1
Set a Goal That Works For You.
Sub-Step 1.1
Think of a Goal YOU Want to Achieve.
The goal needs to come from within.
The goal can be anything you want.
It can be:
Speak fluent Spanish with your friend for 5 minutes.
Play Shape of You by Ed Sheeran on the guitar
Run a mile in less than 8 minutes
Do 20 pullups in 2 minutes
Fix the front right headlight on the car
Action Step 1.1:
Pick a goal you want to achieve this year. (It can be anything you want).
For example, I'll pick:
Do 20 pullups in 2 minutes
Sub-Step 1.2
Make the Goal as Specific as Possible.
Make the goal easy to explain.
The goal should be clear.
When people hear your goal, they should be able to understand it the first time you say it.
WARNING - Don’t make the goal vague, like "I want to run a business."
What does “Run a Business” EXACTLY mean to you?
If you don’t clearly define your goal - you won’t have a clear purpose.
If you don’t have a clear purpose, you’ll get distracted.
If you get distracted, you won’t achieve your goal.
Being vague is the beginning of the vicious cycle.
Don’t be vague.
Be Specific.
Action Step 1.2:
Clearly define your goal (in 1 sentence or less).
For Example:
I will be able to do 20 overhand grip pullups in 2 minutes or less.
Sub-Step 1.3
Don’t Focus on Anyone Else’s Goals
The issue here is that most people focus on other people's goals.
Most people don't think about what THEY want.
Or why they want it.
A lot of people do things because it’s popular at the time.
Don't be like most people.
Be different.
Be unique.
Be yourself.
Pick a goal that you genuinely want to achieve and stick to it.
Action Step 1.3:
Ask yourself...
"Am I doing this goal because I want to do it or becasue someone else told me I should do it?"
What do I want to learn while working on this goal?
If the goal is from someone else, don't do it.
Only take action on goals YOU want to achieve.
For Example:
I'm doing this goal because:
I want to see the type of man I have to become in order to be this strong.
What I want to learn is:
What will my habits look like and what level of discipline will I need to have to reach this goal?
Sub-Step 1.4
Set a Deadline to Achieve Your Goal
The deadline can be whatever you want it to be.
It can be:
10 years
1 year
5 months
30 Days
Just choose.
For now, pick a deadline to achieve your goal and keep going.
Personally, I recommend choosing goals that you can finish in 1 month or less (to gain confidence).
Let's say you're brand new to goal setting.
If you set a 10-year goal, how likely are you to achieve that goal?
Probably not likely, because you don't have enough practice.
You need practice.
Practice happens every day.
The only way to stay on track is to become addicted to progress.
In order to become addicted to progress, we need good chemicals (dopamine) to flood our brains.
Dopamine gets dropped into your brain when you accomplish goals.
Long story short:
You need to achieve short-term goals if you want to achieve long-term goals.
If you push your goals too far into the future without practice, it'll be hard to see things through.
You need the feeling of winning on your side.
For now, I recommend setting short-term goals for yourself.
75 days or less to start.
75 days is long enough to accomplish most goals (if you work on them every day).
Action Step 1.4:
Pick a date to finish your goal.
For Example:
I will be able to do 20 overhand grip pullups in 2 minutes or less by March 15th, 2023.
Sub-Step 1.5
Get an Accountability Group
Join a group of people that are going in the same direction as you
Even if the group isn't doing your goal, they can still be likeminded people
Create or join a group that will hold you accountable for what you say you're going to do.
Make sure these people are other accountable people
If they let you slack, that's not a good group.
These are people who are going places in life (just like you).
If you notice people slacking on their word and not putting in the work, you give them a call or text them about it.
They do the same for you.
All you need is one other person to do this with.
The maximum number of people to do this with is 5-7 other people
Action Step 1.5:
Pick a date to finish your goal.
For Example:
I will be able to do 20 overhand grip pullups in 2 minutes or less by March 15th, 2023.
Sub-Step 1.6
Pick a Rule To Follow
You need rules if you want to stay accountable to something.
Without accountability rules, nobody knows what the standard is.
Rules = Standards
Here Are Two accountability Rules I Like:
The 75 Hard Rule
The Seinfeld Rule
The 75 Hard Rulebook:
You have to work on your goal every single day.
If you win the day, there's a reward.
If you miss a day, there's a punishment.
You get to decide on reward & punishment (Get creative).
This is from Andy Frisella's 75 hard mental toughness challenge. I'm doing it right now, and I'm turning into a new version of Kaelan.
The Seinfeld Rulebook:
You can't miss two days in a row.
If you don't work on your goal on Monday, you can't miss it on Tuesday.
The goal is to stay consistent, but don't beat yourself up if you miss a day.
I heard that Jerry Seinfeld wrote a joke per day, and if he missed a day, he couldn't miss the next day.
If you win the day, there's a reward.
If you miss a day, there's a punishment.
You get to decide on reward & punishment (Get creative).
Action Step 1.6:
Pick a rulebook to follow and stick to it.
Pro-Tips
Take imperfect action.
Nobody knows exactly how long anything is going to take.
This will take trial and error.
You need to test and experiment before you can master anything.
You'll be experimenting for a long time, it's a part of the game you're playing.
Learn to get used to it.
It gets easier over time and turns into a fun part of the game.
Step 2
Create Mini-Goals That Guide You To Your Main Goal.
Sub-Step 2.1
Gamify Your Goal
Turn your Goal into a boss that you have to beat
If you turn your goal into a game, you can be as creative as you want.
The goal is to turn your life into a video game.
Then turn yourself into the main character.
Your goal is to keep leveling up.
Think of your life as a Sims Character.
You’re playing a game to see how much you can learn.
The goal is to make Progress.
Don't get stuck trying to be perfect.
You'll get hit a few times, but you'll survive.
Just keep moving forward.
So the first thing to do is:
Turn your goals into a game.
Think of your goal as a Treasure Chest that you get to unlock when you achieve your goal.
Action Step 2.1:
Turn your goal into a game.
You need skills and experience to beat the game.
Draw your game on a piece of paper or a whiteboard.
Sub-Step 2.2
Create a Map
Now that you know what Treasure chest you want, the key is to make a plan.
You need to create a roadmap to the Treasure Chest.
You need to write down the main things that need to get done.
These are the checkpoints you need to reach to get to the treasure chest.
If you hit all these checkpoints, you’ll make it to the treasure chest (Your Goal).
Map your way to the Treasure Chest
Remember This:
You can’t hit all the checkpoints at the same time.
You have to go one step at a time.
Action Step 2.2:
Create the map that you'll follow to get to your goal.
For Example:
Here's the map I'm following to be able to do 20 pullups in 2 minutes or less.
How to create your own map to your goal.
Go to ChatGPT
Tell ChatGPT your goal
Tell ChatGPT your deadline
Ask ChatGPT to make a plan for you to achieve the goal.
Go to the next step. 👇🏽
Sub-Step 2.3
Set a Deadline for Checkpoint #1
Create a deadline for when you’ll finish checkpoint #1 (from Sub-Step 2.2)
Pick a date to complete Checkpoint 1.
For Example:
Saturday - January 13th, 2024 at 5 PM
You’re making an educated guess here.
Choose something quick and get to work.
My advice is to use Parkinson’s law to your benefit.
Parkinson’s Law says:
“Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.” If something must be done in a year, it’ll be done in a year. If it must be done in six months, then it will.” - The Personal MBA
Make a challenging deadline for yourself to get to checkpoint #1
Think of this like setting a new personal record.
Set a time that forces you to try hard (so you can win big 😉)
For Example:
If you think a checkpoint will take you 1 month to get to;
Set a deadline of 3 weeks.
Questions to ask yourself:
Can you make it to checkpoint #1 in 3 weeks?
What do you need to do in 3 weeks to get to checkpoint #1?
Your goal is to focus on:
Getting to checkpoint #1.
You'll gather data and feedback while you’re traveling to your first checkpoint.
Later, you’ll use that data and feedback to refine your approach when walking to checkpoint #2.
All the information you gather up to checkpoint #1 will be experience points you can use when traveling to checkpoint #2.
If you don’t set a deadline, you’ll just roam around the game without any aim.
It’s like playing the Spiderman video game.
You can roam around New York City all day.
But when you’re playing the story mode, you have to complete missions.
Spiderman can’t swing around the city all day when he needs to beat a bad guy up.
It’s the same thing for you.
When you create your map, you need to set a time limit to finish the map.
There needs to be a deadline for when you’ll make it to each checkpoint.
You won't get anything done if you don’t set a deadline.
You’ll waste time:
Talking on the phone
Scrolling Instagram
Binge watching TV
etc.
The distractions will lure you into their trap.
If you don't set a deadline for checkpoint #1, you won't finish what you started.
Action Step 2.3:
Pick a date to complete Checkpoint 1 on your map.
For example
Saturday - January 13th, 2024 at 5 PM
Pro-Tips:
Only focus on one checkpoint at a time
Take imperfect action.
Nobody knows exactly how long anything is going to take.
This will take trial and error.
You need to test and experiment before you can master anything.
You'll be experimenting for a long time, it's a part of the game you're playing.
Learn to get used to it.
It gets easier over time and turns into a fun part of the game.
Step 2 is where Hero’s are born.
Step 3
Create Systems That Work For You.
Sub-Step 3.1
Identify the Correct TASK to do
Remember, at this point, you’re experimenting.
You probably won’t pick the right task the first time.
You just need to pick a task to do.
Make an educated guess at this step.
After you finish a task, you can Reflect and Analyze that task (to determine the next task to do).
We’ll cover How to Reflect and Analyze in Sub-Step (3.3 and 3.4).
Action Step 3.1:
Pick your first task to get to Checkpoint 1.
For Example:
Start with day one of the Armstrong Pull-Up Program
Sub-Step 3.2
Write the Task Down
Write the task on a sheet of paper.
I use the Monk Manual for this step.
It doesn’t matter what you use, just make sure to write it on paper. (Not a computer)
”Writing by hand boosts your creativity and improves your memory” - Vanilla Papers
Action Step 3.2:
Write your first task on a sheet of paper (preferably in a journal like the monk manual - to keep you on track)
For Example:
Do day 1 of the Armstrong Pullup Program and write down how many pull-ups you did.
Sub-Step 3.3
Put the Task in the Calendar
Schedule time in the calendar to do your task.
Go to your calendar app and pick a date and time that you will do the task.
It could be right now.
It could be in 2 hours.
It could be in 2 days.
Whatever it is, pick a date and time.
For Example:
Tuesday, January 9th from 8:00 AM - 8:45 AM PST
This is where the rubber starts to meet the road.
When you schedule a task in the calendar, it becomes real.
Don’t be the person who misses appointments.
When you set the calendar invite, make sure you show up.
This step requires GUTS!
This step will test your character.
If you don’t show up at your appointed time, you tell yourself that you’re not an accountable person.
If you reschedule, you tell yourself that you recognize the task, and you're mature enough to reschedule the appointment.
If you show up to do the task at the appointed time, you tell yourself that you're the type of person who keeps your word.
Action Step 3.3:
Put your task into the calendar to bring it to life.
For Example:
Monday, January 15th at 5:45 PM
Do Day 1 of Armstrong Pullup Program
Sub-Step 3.4
Set a Timer for the Task
Set a 45-minute timer for the task.
Setting a 45-minute timer gives you a deadline.
If you do the task without a timer, you might get the work done, but you’ll burn out.
Think of this like lifting weights.
You have to take a rest when you work out.
Your mind needs a mental break too.
“Performance declines after 45-50 minutes and short breaks allow people to maintain focus on a task without losing quality.” - Leaders Edge
Action Step 3.4:
Set a 45-minute timer to get to work on your task.
Sub-Step 3.5
Do the Task
This step is simple.
Show up and do the work.
You already know what you need to do.
And it’s already in the calendar.
Now do the work.
Nobody has the formula for doing the work.
Doing the work is the part that most people don’t want to do.
This step blocks 99% of people from achieving their goals.
People would rather:
Watch TV
Scroll Instagram
Text their friends
etc.
It’s a simple concept, but it’s the step that will get you to your checkpoint.
Think of this like our Spiderman video game example in sub-step 2.3.
When we have a mission to complete, the only thing that matters is completing the mission.
It doesn’t matter how ugly it gets.
You know what you’re supposed to do and where you’re supposed to go.
So get it done.
I can’t give you a formula for this step.
Everyone’s “Work” looks different.
This is custom to you.
Just Do It - Nike
Action Step 3.5:
Get to work on your task!
Attack it with MASSIVE ACTION!
Sub-Step 3.6
Reflect on The Task
When you finish the task, write:
What you did.
What you learned.
Questions you have.
How to improve.
*This step is still a work in progress for me.*
This step will get better as time goes on.
Currently, I reflect on my tasks in 3 different ways:
On a sheet of paper, I’ll brain-dump everything.
In the Monk Manual, I’ll write my learning lessons.
In Notion, I’ll write the lessons I learned from a task.
The easiest way is to write on a sheet of paper.
Action Step 3.6:
Set a 10 minute timer
Write down everything that comes to mind (braindump)
Answer these questions
What task did you do?
What did you learn from the task?
Questions you have about the task (or process).
How to improve for the next task.
Sub-Step 3.7
Analyze The Task
At this step, ask yourself:
How can I make this task more efficient?
How can I do this task FASTER next time?
Could someone do this task for me?
If yes, how would I train that person?
What task do I need to do next?
Action Step 3.7:
Ask yourself the questions from this step.
Sub-Step 3.8
Repeat until you achieve your Checkpoint.
By this point:
You have a clear goal.
You have checkpoints to help you reach that goal.
You finished Task 1.
You have experience points that will help you decide the next task to do (Task 2).
Action Step 3.8:
Repeat Sub-Steps 3.1 to 3.6 until you reach Checkpoint #1
Sub-Step 3.9
Review Your Checkpoints
When you make it to Checkpoint 1, review your progress.
(Brain-dump everything that comes to mind here)
Ask yourself:
What did I learn while getting to Checkpoint 1?
What came up that I didn’t expect?
How can I get to checkpoint #2 faster?
How can I make this task more efficient?
Could I teach someone how to get to checkpoint #1 if my life depended on it?
If yes, what map would I give that person?
Action Step 3.9:
Document your journey. (How YOU did it - Like I'm doing here).
Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you complete every checkpoint on the map and achieve your goal.
Conclusion.
And there you have it.
The 3-step process to achieve your goals.
Remember this one thing:
Nothing worth having comes easy.
If it were easy, everyone would achieve their goals.
This process will test your willpower and discipline.
Either you show the world what you’re made of, or the world shows you what it’s made of.
This process works.
But only if YOU work the process.
Don’t do this for 5 days and then quit.
This is going to take consistency if you want it to work for you.
As you keep going, you’ll find things that work better for you as an individual.
If you find something that works better for you, USE IT!
Make this process your own.
This is customizable.
It’s going to get better over time.
If you want to
Accomplish Your Goals…
Follow this 3-step process:
Kaelan Moss - MinuteAdmin - Out ✌🏽
