I set goals. For 1 month, 1 year, 5 year, 10 year and 20 year intervals.

I break them up into categories: things, learning and financial.

I start off with ridiculous goals, things that seem unachievable, at the 20 year milestone and bring them closer to reality as the time interval shortens.

I write them down and display them in my home office where I can view them in plain sight each day. I have been incredibly fortunate in achieving almost everything I've written down at the 1 year interval for 3 years running.

I refine these goals every so often which helps me realign the mental image that I have of myself. I think if you can imagine it vividly and remind yourself of this image then you'll naturally move toward becoming it.

I do the same thing, but one additional step that I like to do is have a few daily habits that I try and do every day (in my case Mon-Fri) that are "connected" to my longer-term goals and ambitions. For example, one of my long-term goals is to learn how to play piano, so I have a daily habit of practicing for 25 mins. Another of my daily habits is to review my goal plan, just to keep it fresh in my mind.

Thanks Ryan for posting. Do you find that the time of the day matters? For example, do you practice on the piano first thing in the morning? I've found that the longer in the day I do something, the more chance I have of not doing it.

fantastic system pistoriusp. How long did it take you to come to this point of the system?

I actually learnt it from Tony Robbins. :) I know a lot of people think that the self-help movement is a load of rubbish, and to a certain extent I agree.

But his guidance has been valuable to me.

I like to put myself into a position where I've got no choice. For instance, I signed up for a Marathon in May and told everyone that I had. Better get training for that then...

Thanks for the post gaius. Makes sense and what I like in your case is that you gave yourself time to do it. Alot different than saying I need to have some big huge thing done tomorrow and setting yourself up for failure. Also, like the idea of letting everyone know and the motivation of "saving face"

This may sound a bit shallow, but the only thing that's ever worked for me is I always ask myself the question: "What is the next step that I can do right now to make me the wealthiest man on this planet?"

This usually leads me down a path of questions that result in me having to teach myself something to build something to solve a particular problem which fulfills a need. I know that this may seem vague, but try it in your own context of life and see what answers it yields you.

"This usually leads me down a path of questions that result in me having to teach myself something to build something to solve a particular problem which fulfills a need." - but better make a quick post to hacker news first.

Did it work for you?

I guess not, unless he is Warren Buffett

Most of my long-term goals fail, or (more often) are redefined, or (still more often) are left in a state of purgatory where "I may complete them someday, but not today". So I don't set long-term goals anymore. Living in the present keeps me focused and productive.

That said, a todo list of small goals is extremely valuable.

Good point palish. sounds like focusing on the small goals keeps everything on track. Maybe you are breaking down the big goals without even knowing and thus, having success. Thank you for posting.

I was deeply, deeply skeptical, but then I read a lot of blogs and comments from people with whom I clearly identified who said it was fantastic and absolutely worked for them.

"Getting Things Done" - the personalised version.

I read the summaries, then some snippets, then a "Zen" version, and thought - actually, this could work for me. I started some of the techniques and kept track of time spent, and lo - time was saved.

I bought the book. Despite the very high "Ginger Factor" in places it communicates well, albeit slowly.

Now I have a GTD system running, and am putting my life into it. It gives me my goals, it lets me review and prioritise my projects and activities, it has delivered my life from worrying about whether I've done things, or whether I've forgotten something.

It helps me set goals, and it helps me see how to achieve them.

More importantly, it helps me keep things in perspective and do what really matters.

YMMV, but it works for me.

Nice post RiderOfGiraffes. Can you give some detail of you GTD system - paper? application? how you turn goals into next actions? etc. Thank you.

I'll write a longer reply later and put it on my web site. For now, as a quick response:

I started with a filing system. I've always had trouble knowing whether to file the car insurance under "Car" or "insurance". My filing system is now undifferentiated. Every item gets a (mostly) unique number, usually YYYMMDD where the date is vaguely relevant. Then I put in a file a line for that item, starting with the ID, and then loads of keywords - anything relevant. Now I can find anything I want quickly by grepping that file.

* Update - that file is now on my home wiki so my wife can also put entries on it and search (using F3).

* Thought - the keywords turn the single mass into implicit "files", each item belonging to as many "files" as it has keywords, and each keyword giving a different "file".

* I do still have a separate filing system for things that have an obvious designation, and are frequently referenced or searched - like CC and bank statements.

Then I implemented the 43 folders idea, and put into that things like bills that needed paying, statements to check, etc.

Thirdly came the single "In box", and everything went into that. From there I try to apply the processing that GTD defines, although I still have some trouble. But now most things have destinations: Bin, Filing, Folders, "Other".

"Other" consists of two places at the moment. One is "Projects to Create" the other is "Read and File/bin". The "Projects to Create" folder is what I yet need to define and make more rigorous.

Next, I have a collection of lists in my PDA: On-line, Off-line, Email, House, Phone, Work, Today. On these go classic "To-Do" style notes. I don't adhere too rigorously to the "Next Action" mantra, but I do keep it in mind, and my work-style is mutating towards it. Thinking about it is helping, even though I haven't implemented it in its full glory.

Finally, ideas, results of on-line browsing, results from work, etc, all get a separate piece of A6 paper (scrap A4 cut into four) and put in the "In box", and so the cycle begins again.

The hardest part is forcing myself to use the lists as my guide, but the rewards from doing so are reinforcing the action. I am starting to get things done, and I can see that one or two of my projects are being turned into items on my lists, that become actions that happen, which progress the projects. My work-flow is mutating towards GTD, although it may settle on something different that suits me better.

I ought to write this up, but I've been reluctant to create yet another GTD zealot/derivative page.

Comments and questions welcome.

Some more reading around here on HN and checking on other people's recommendations has led me to this:

http://lifehacker.com/software/feature/practicing-simplified...

This actually matches pretty closely what I started with. My system has evolved a little further, and it seems I deal with more paper, but this is a better summary than I otherwise might write.

These are linked to and form a crucial part of it:

http://lifehacker.com/software/geek-to-live/the-art-of-the-d...

http://lifehacker.com/software/top/geek-to-live--empty-your-...

The email advice is especially important to me. I do file things into reference folders, but I have scripts to do the donkey work on that.

I'll occasionally get on a to-do list kick, but the only thing that has consistently worked for me is to find things that are moderately productive while still being a little fun. Then whenever I feel like procrastinating, I do one of those things. It allows me to take breaks from the boring stuff without ever fully stopping.

As an example, this past semester I used this technique to switch between take-home tests (boring) and fun yet productive tasks such as programming assignments that weren’t due for months or (non-school related) reading that I’d been meaning to catch up on.

It seems one of the hardest, but smartest, things to do is get started on something. Sometimes, anything will do. But your idea of having things that are fun (easier to get yourself going) and somewhat productive make for a better change of success. thanks for posting Jacoblk

Setting goals helps me get other things done. It is as if I rebel against myself.

But I am more productive when I set goals.

Nowadays I set hourly 'goals' http://smacklet.com/

interesting about the rebeling part. Really like smacklet, thanks for mentioning it.

Thanks. Please email me if you have questions about Smacklet. I'll add more features like graphs etc if it gets many users :)

I set goals and also use GTD. I have a constant struggle between setting lots of goals, spreading myself too thin, and then coming back to a small set of most criticals goals. Then, the cycle continues - I feel like I am not accomplishing enough, widen my scope, set lots of goals and spread myself thin again.

Over time I accomplish just about everything I set out to do, it would be nice to know exactly where my limits are. I've been getting better, but it is is still imprecise.

Re: - how do you keep focus, avoid distractions, and keep attacking the goal?

Keeping focus researching/browsing often is for me the hardest thing (http://xkcd.com/214/ describes it best). I built this mini-mini-mini webapp for myself called defumble.com to remind me of what it actually was that I set out to find.

Keep them SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-boxed. http://www.topachievement.com/smart.html

SMART reminds me of performance evaluation at my last employer. In theory, it made sense, but in practice, the landscape often changed during the relevant timeframe and one was left retrofitting the goal to actual experience. Further, in practice the grunts were more subject to the SMART regimen. Management was free to (re)write their own definition of success; of course, they almost always succeeded.

If it's not too off-topic, I'd like to ask whether others have developed aversions to "goal management" based on experiences like the above? How did you separate yourself from the process? I hate B.S., and it was a constant struggle to make myself "give up" and "play the game".

I suppose the real answer is to get out of such a job. Perhaps my questions are more rhetorical that literal. However, one can't always immediately change jobs. Further, I wonder to what extent such experiences can negatively influence one's own mindset and behavior. Faced with such a lack of control, does one learn not to plan?

A performance evaluation has a much different context than that of setting your own goals. With performance evals you don't control the criteria for success (as you mention). With setting goals, you do.

If you're constantly retrofitting your goal to the actual experience, IMO it's your responsibility to figure out what went wrong and do something differently. Maybe your goal was too ambitious, maybe there were extenuating circumstances, whatever. But there's no reason to be afraid of yourself and try to sneakily convince yourself you met a (personal) goal when you didn't. There's no reason to be afraid of failing. Just learn and adapt.

Your post wanders around a bit. For example, your last paragraph mentions "the real answer is to get out of such a job", which confuses me. I don't know if you're talking about a job or setting goals. Hopefully this response helps, though.

Thanks for the response. I was debating deleting my comment, as it probably came in part from a poor frame of mind. But I'll leave it, now.

I was referring to getting out of a job that imposes such an approach. I've inhabited a number of corporate positions, and the goal-setting and attendant performance evaluation often follows the same pattern. In large part, your manager tells you what your goals are going to be. You may be responsible for "developing" them, or even "collaborating" on them, but you soon learn that what is really expected is to record what the manager tells you.

These goals are based upon: a) Assumptions (often overly aggressive or "rosy") as to what will actually happen; b) What your manager believes more senior management wants to hear.

During the course of whatever timeframe is addressed (typically a half-year or year), several significant variables change. Budget is found, or more typically not. Senior management changes and want to establish a new / its own direction. Estimates prove to be too low, and work in the pipeline takes significantly longer and/or consumes significantly more resources. Unanticipated support needs consume significant time and resources. Etc.

As a result: First, your goals were not really yours. I don't mean just or primarily what you "want" to do. I mean also, they don't adequately reflect or at least consider your expectation of what is realistically achievable or important. Second, the goals, which are -- despite all the corporate speak regarding continuous review and re-evaluation -- typically not visited again until near the end of the timeframe, become woefully out of touch with evolving circumstances.

In my albeit limited observation, higher levels of management seem to be more able to redefine their goals as circumstances evolve. If you are lower on the totem pole, you are at the mercy of your manager. They can agree to redefine things. This leaves the original goal seeming somewhat pointless; all the more so if/when you "fudge" the language of the evaluation to portray a successful outcome, instead of being open about what prevented its achievement. Alternatively, they can use your commitment to blame you, punish you, and/or manipulate you into a further course of action.

The communication occurs largely in one direction. You can't really "own" the goal; instead, it becomes a fence that constrains your behavior, typically towards a very conservative, corporate norm.

Perhaps my own goal management suffers more from personal issues such as possible ADD tendencies and the like. But I've observed in coworkers as well as myself not infrequently a "submissive" and/or frustrated attitude where the largest truly personal goal with respect to the job, however ill defined this goal's pursuit may be, seems to be to somehow leave the job and do something better.

So, I've been largely speaking of formal work goals as defined for a performance plan. SMART immediately reminded me of the heavy emphasis of this approach at my last employer. However, when each component of a goal could be redefined at will, it lost value and left a distinct distaste for the whole, corrupt process.

I think you are speaking more about personal goals. In my apparently long winded fashion, I'm asking whether experiences such as mine in corporate life, have put others off of the whole "goal" terminology. I guess the other question would be whether that environment is irrelevant and that, rather, the negative experience I describe comes from poor self-management.

I probably should not have followed up, as its becoming apparent to me that my post had more of an emotional basis than an intellectual one. I don't want to become the "vents about corporate life" troll, here. (Really, I don't. Note to self...)

But by way of explanation, I'll submit this clarification and then slink off to lick my wounds. ;-)

I write them down, usually, I set my goals for the next day and write them down on a sheet of paper I'll see first thing when I wake up.

I've heard so many times that writing them down (and reviewing them daily) is critical to success. Thanks for the post.

I tend to write down every month large goals that I want to do. For example, I want to become a successful entrepreneur or I would like to win the world karate championships. After that I just focus on every day and see if my day matches my long term goals. I tried to plan too much in the past, I realized my time horizons are defined by now and my ultimate dreams.

Not goal related directly; I've found this lecture by the late professor Randy Pausch regarding time management to be very interesting. I'm not sure I agree with his hands-free phone + bike use tip, but I think his talk has a lot of good points.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTugjssqOT0

I have never set goals. Not on purpose, I just am focused on going forward from where I am now that I let it work itself out. Might sound bad but it has worked so far.

No.

I work my goals in a variety of ways:

* very specific ones (e.g. x number of dollars of biz a month, 25-45 min exercise a day, doing y things for friends every week)

* semi-specific ones (my big thing for 2009 is to be self-sustaining with my web service/products by 2010, & to get healthy because I'm turning - gulp - 25 this year)

* really generic ones -- I used to write goals down as kind of an affirmation exercise. Not "Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better" kinda crap (retch), but "I am a recognized authority, speak at cool conferences, and people laugh at my jokes." kinda thing.

On the latter, they sound totally frou frou Stuart Smiley, but there really is something to stating something out loud / on paper. Not that you have to stare in the mirror and say it every day. But the act of writing it down and thinking about it seems to prime one to recognize opportunities when they come.

I can't tell you how many times I've looked back on my old notes and seen goals written down like that, that I'd forgotten ever writing, but in the mean time, they'd come true. With lots of effort from me, of course, but I think that writing them down and thinking about them guided me & helped me grab opportunities when they arose.

Nit: I'm sure you meant Stuart Smalley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Smalley), not Stuart Smiley.

Right you are, I always mix up the fictional Stuart Smalley with the real Stuart Smiles, who wrote "Self-Help" in 1859.

Great info Ahoyhere. Thanks for posting. Like how you break them down. Also, writting the goals looks to be critical.