Questions to Ask Yourself When Setting Goals
Questions to Ask Yourself When Setting Goals
Evidence-informed prompts to set goals you’ll actually keep—aligned with values, scoped to reality, and built for momentum.
1What outcome do I want—and why now?
What outcome do I want—and why now?
Clarifies motivation and timing to prevent aimless goals.
2What does ‘done’ look like in observable terms?
What does ‘done’ look like in observable terms?
Defines success so you can recognize and celebrate it.
3What constraints (time, energy, money) do I need to design around?
What constraints (time, energy, money) do I need to design around?
Builds a plan that fits your actual life.
4What is the smallest step that meaningfully moves this forward?
What is the smallest step that meaningfully moves this forward?
Creates a doable starting point to beat inertia.
5What habit would make progress almost automatic?
What habit would make progress almost automatic?
Leverages systems over willpower for consistency.
6What will I stop or pause to free up capacity?
What will I stop or pause to free up capacity?
Prevents overload by making room for the new.
7Who can I ask for support or accountability?
Who can I ask for support or accountability?
Social scaffolding increases follow-through.
8What metric will I check weekly?
What metric will I check weekly?
Keeps attention on leading indicators, not vibes.
9How will I handle a missed day without losing momentum?
How will I handle a missed day without losing momentum?
Designs recovery to avoid all-or-nothing thinking.
10What risks could derail me—and what’s my mitigation?
What risks could derail me—and what’s my mitigation?
Plans for obstacles before they appear.
11How will I make it fun or meaningful?
How will I make it fun or meaningful?
Intrinsic rewards sustain effort longer.
12What would ‘good enough’ look like next month?
What would ‘good enough’ look like next month?
Prevents perfectionism from killing progress.
13What’s the review cadence to adjust course?
What’s the review cadence to adjust course?
Creates feedback loops to learn and adapt.
14If I only did one thing this week, what would matter most?
If I only did one thing this week, what would matter most?
Enforces priority discipline amid noise.
15What evidence will tell me this goal wasn’t worth it?
What evidence will tell me this goal wasn’t worth it?
Allows graceful exit from sunk-cost traps.
16What will success enable that I care about?
What will success enable that I care about?
Connects outcome to meaningful downstream benefits.
17How will I celebrate small milestones?
How will I celebrate small milestones?
Reinforces progress and keeps morale high.
18What will I remember about this a year from now?
What will I remember about this a year from now?
Elevates perspective to avoid trivial pursuits.
19What’s my two-sentence commitment to myself?
What’s my two-sentence commitment to myself?
Focuses intent into a memorable pledge.
20What will I start today?
What will I start today?
Ends with immediate action to create momentum.
Want to learn more?
Goals That Stick
Want to learn more?
Goals That Stick
Design for Reality
Subtractive Planning
Remove a task when you add a task.
Ritualize Reviews
Weekly 10-minute check keeps goals alive.
Celebrate Early
Reward small wins to train consistency.
Weekly Review
Checklist
Common Pitfalls
Ambiguous Goals
If you can’t picture ‘done’, define it first.
All-or-Nothing
Design a bounce-back plan to avoid resets.