Reflect on your goals and write them down. Create a progressive timeline for what you want to accomplish within the next day, week, month, year, and decade to get a clearer picture of your future.
Do you know were you want to go in life?
Where would you like to be in one year, five years, or a decade? If you don’t yet know the answer to these questions (or at least have a rough idea), it can be difficult to decide how to best move forward in life.
Unfortunately, most people walk through life without a clear idea of where they want to go or how to get there. They usually just end up wherever the winds of circumstance blow them, instead of carving out their own path.
Often the most successful people in life are the ones who have the strongest vision of the future.
They can see a path from point A to point B…all the way to point Z, and – although it may not be exactly perfect from step-to-step – they have the motivation and inspiration to start walking it. They know their map of the future is imperfect, but it’s often better than having no direction at all.
In general, it’s healthy to think about the future and ask ourselves what we really want from it. This is the power of foresight – an underrated ingredient to all happiness and success – which describes our ability to see how our current patterns influence our future results.
One of the best ways to think about the future is to write about it, especially something as simple as writing down a list of your goals and ambitions.
The act of writing automatically makes our thoughts more real and tangible. Instead of just ideas bouncing around in our heads aimlessly, writing turns them into something concrete that we can physically point to.
When you write about your goals, you take the first step in transforming your ideas into a reality – it strengthens your focus and intentions to build a better future.
One exercise I do every single year is to create a “Progressive Timeline” for my goals. Here’s how to do it.
Create A Progressive Timeline To Better Envision Your Goals
The main idea behind this exercise is to focus on your goals within a single day then gradually zoom out to goals you want to accomplish within the next week, month, year, and decade.
This is an insightful exercise to see how your short-term goals feed into your long-term goals. It helps bridge the gap between what you can do today and where you want to be 10 years from now.
Here’s an example of my “Progressive Timeline” below – make sure you do one of your own!
Download: Goals Timeline (PDF)
My Timeline
Last Updated: January 7, 2024
Goals Within A Day
- Finish new article.
- Edit chapter of book.
- Respond to emails.
- Research new article.
- Work on new music.
Goals Within A Week
- Finish new worksheet.
- Start new article.
- Coaching sessions with clients.
- Complete reading/editing 50% of book.
- Brainstorm new course (already have an idea!)
Goals Within A Month
- Record first podcast episode (new series).
- Finish reading/editing book.
- Finish character cards and visual brainstorming for book.
- Finish another new article (keep pace).
- Finish first music composition of the year.
Goals Within A Year
- Finish final manuscript for book.
- Create book pitches and sign a deal by end of year.
- Finish new self-improvement course.
- Keep creating content for TEM (articles, worksheets, podcasts).
- Work on screenplay (no deadlines, just keep it moving).
Goals Within Five Years
- Publish new book.
- Create soundtrack for a TV show or film.
- Start creative agency (for writers/artists).
- Complete screenplay and find a production company.
- Get married.
Goals Within Ten Years
- Start a family.
- Become more active in a non-profit organization.
- Travel around Europe.
- Still work on The Emotion Machine.
- Direct my own movie.
- Make a dent in the world.
This is the newest version of my timeline, but it often changes from year to year depending on what my current values and priorities are. Keep in mind it’s okay to quit goals when you want to refocus your energy on new things.
It’s natural for goals to change as you re-visit them, so remember that none of this stuff has to be set in stone. The main purpose is to get your mind thinking more about the future.
I recommend choosing a minimum of 5 items for each point on your timeline – this gives you enough opportunity to touch on multiple aspects of your life.
In my timeline, I focused a lot on professional and creative goals, but you can apply this same format to any of the core areas of life whether it be health, relationships, work/financial, education, spirituality, or mental health.
You’ll also notice that many of these goals are connected across my timeline…
A daily goal such as “working on a new music track” is directly related to long-term goals such as “finishing a new album,” and “finding opportunities for collaboration.”
Ultimately, your daily routine is the starting place for building a better future. Don’t hesitate to look at your long-term goals and ask, “How can I take a small step in that direction today?”
The answer to that question is the key to all success.
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