Set & Achieve Your Goals: A Step-by-Step Blueprint

We all have things we want to achieve in our lives.

The entire economy is built around this idea.

Goals are what truly drive us to take action.

Ludwig von Mises (1881–1973), a prominent figure in the Austrian School of Economics, captures the essence of change, sales, and human psychology in this statement:

Every goal begins with uneasiness.

We feel financially insecure and can't afford the things we want, so we aim to make $10.000 a month.

We don’t like how we look in photos or videos.

So, we set a goal: lose 10 kgs or gain 5 kg of muscle to feel more attractive.

But the third condition is crucial: the belief that purposeful action can actually lead to that change.

This is where a goal-setting framework comes into play.

The framework acts as a bridge between uneasiness and the outcomes we desire.

So, how can we cross that bridge smoothly and efficiently?

Over the past decade, I’ve read countless books on goal setting and experimented with various methods.

Today, I want to share the essential goal-setting algorithm that I believe makes achieving goals almost bulletproof.

Try it for yourself and tell me how it works for you.

SMART Goals

We’ve all heard of the SMART framework, the most popular method for setting goals. The SMART framework was first introduced in 1981 by George T. Doran in his paper titled “There’s a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management’s Goals and Objectives.” At the time, Doran was a consultant and former Director of Corporate Planning for Washington Water Power Company.

So, what does SMART stand for?

Specific

A specific goal is clearly defined in both qualitative and quantitative terms. Vague or ambiguous wording should be avoided to ensure clarity. For example, instead of saying, “I want to get fit,” a more specific goal would be, “I want to lose 10 kg.” This gives a clear, concrete objective that anyone can understand and work towards.

Additionally, you want to consider these elements:

• Responsibility: Assign a person (yourself or someone else) who is fully accountable for the goal’s outcome.
• Start Date: Set a start date to trigger action and track progress from that point forward. Without a clear beginning, it’s hard to measure how far you've come or where you're starting from.

Measurable

Measurability means your goal should include clear indicators or metrics, allowing you to track progress effectively. In the Sales world there is a saying: "You can't improve what you can't measure." For example, instead of setting a vague goal like “I want to sleep better and feel more refreshed in the morning,” a measurable goal would be, “I want to achieve an average sleep score of 90% on my Whoop tracker over the next two months.” This way, you can track your sleep performance and know exactly how close you are to achieving your goal.
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Similarly, if your goal is to improve muscular endurance, you could measure progress by increasing the number of push-ups or pull-ups you can do.

Consider the following to ensure your goal is measurable:

• Interim Milestones: Set regular check-ins (daily, weekly, or monthly) to assess whether you're making progress. These milestones help you adjust your plan if needed. Implement a system to consistently check your metrics, whether it's sleep score or your bodyweight.

Achievable

Setting realistic and achievable goals is essential for maintaining motivation. When goals are overly ambitious, they can become discouraging. For instance, instead of aiming to “lose 10 kilograms in two weeks,” a more realistic goal would be “lose 0.5-1 kilogram per week.” This approach is not only more sustainable but also healthier. Breaking larger goals into smaller, manageable steps—like making $2k a month before aiming for $10k—makes the process more achievable and keeps you motivated.

To ensure your goals remain realistic and achievable, consider the following:

• "Eat the Elephant One Bite at a Time": Break large, overwhelming tasks into smaller, more manageable steps.

Relevant

A goal’s relevance ensures it aligns with your life’s mission—something that excites you and makes you want to jump out of bed every morning. It should resonate deeply with your values and long-term vision. For example, quitting smoking will not make you excited to jump out of bed, but framing it as “becoming the healthiest version of myself with unlimited energy to create” could.

Ask yourself, “Why is this goal important to me? How does it fit into the bigger picture of my life?” This perspective ensures that your goals not only motivate you but also align with your life’s mission.

This also means saying NO to irrelevant goals. A good rule of thumb is to focus on a maximum of three goals at any given time. If you try to catch two rabbits, you catch none.

Time-bound

Time-bound goals have a clear deadline or timeframe, which creates a sense of urgency and structure. Without a set timeframe, goals can lose focus and momentum. Instead of saying, “I want to build muscle,” a time-bound goal would be, “I want to gain 5 kilograms of muscle within the next six months by consistently strength training three times a week.” Setting this specific timeframe helps you stay focused and ensures you make steady progress toward your goal.

To keep on track, establish:

• Deadlines: Set a clear deadline for reaching your goal, with regular check-ins (e.g., bi-weekly or monthly) to measure progress and make adjustments.
• Continuous Feedback Loop: Review your training and diet regularly to see if they’re supporting your muscle-building goal, and adjust as necessary if you’re falling behind.
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A deadline will also force you to get creative.

Make Them Visible

SMART goals provide a strong foundation, but they overlook some crucial elements, one of them is visibility. A goal that exists only in your mind, without being written down, is unlikely to be achieved. Furthermore, a written goal that isn’t visible is almost as ineffective as one that isn’t written at all.

Your goal needs to be visible at all times for two key reasons. First, according to the principles of externalization, a goal written on paper is perceived by your brain as something tangible and real.

Second, consistently visualizing your goal keeps it fresh in your mind, ensuring that you remain focused on achieving it. This helps your brain continually work on ways to move you toward success.

Sam Ovens, founder of Consulting.com and Skool, recommended his Mastermind students to write down their goals and place them everywhere—on the bathroom mirror, fridge, kitchen counter, or next to the bed.

In addition to making your goal physically visible, it’s equally important to create a vivid mental image of your goal as if it’s already been accomplished. Replaying this image frequently in your mind strengthens your desire and belief in its achievability. The more you visualize success, the more real and attainable it becomes, further driving you toward your goal.
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Expect Obstacles

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In her book The Energy of Money, Maria Nemeth introduces the concept of “Trouble at the Border.” This idea reflects the inevitable challenges you face when trying to move an idea from the metaphysical realm—where your dreams and inspiration exist—into physical reality. As you cross this “Border,” the initial excitement of your idea meets the energy demands of the real world.

At this Border, you may encounter doubts, fears, or obstacles that seem so strong they could halt your progress before you even start. This is normal. Nemeth describes this as inertia, the feeling of being stuck.

Trouble at the Border is inevitable. If you truly accept this truth, you can start to relax and stop blaming yourself. The appearance of obstacles doesn’t mean something is wrong with you or your dream—it’s simply part of the process of turning ideas into reality. Everyone, from great minds like Da Vinci to everyday dreamers, faces this energy shift.

Moreover, if you aren’t encountering obstacles, you may not be pushing yourself hard enough. Obstacles arise when you step outside your current comfort zone or “structure of knowing.” This is where real learning happens. By taking on challenges beyond what’s comfortable, you create opportunities for growth and success—and even miracles.

Identifying People Whose Help You Will Need

It’s crucial to identify not only the challenges ahead but also the people whose help you'll need along the way. No great achievement is reached alone. Surround yourself with mentors, friends, or professionals who can support you and provide the assistance necessary to conquer obstacles and achieve your goals.

Take Action

To achieve your goals, you need a clear next action step. Start by brainstorming 30 different ways to move forward, then prioritize them by asking:

1. What’s the most important thing I need to do, such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?
2. What’s the second most important thing?
3. What is the simplest action step I can take right now?

For example, instead of writing “write this week’s newsletter about goals,” I break it down into smaller tasks like:

• Brainstorm 5 ideas for the newsletter (15 minutes)
• Research relevant content (a lot of time)
• Structure an outline for the newsletter(15 minutes)
• Create the first draft (90 minutes)
• Edit the draft (90 minutes)
• Insert images, quotes, videos, and proofread (60 minutes)
• Post the newsletter (15 minutes)
• Promote (15 minutes)

Time Allocation

Now that you have your game plan, know what obstacles to expect, and have broken your goals down into simple, actionable tasks, it’s time for a crucial step: putting these tasks on your calendar and allocating time to complete them. This is where many people fail—by not dedicating specific time slots to their tasks.

Shipping a newsletter every week is my top priority now. To achieve this, I need to dedicate 90–120 minutes daily to writing—there’s no way around it. This consistent time commitment is key, just as it was when I learned boxing. I scheduled my sessions and rarely missed one.

The key is to allocate time consistently, rather than getting stuck on arbitrary goals. This method worked for me in boxing—90 minutes every week for two years—and yielded great results. I’ve applied the same strategy to swimming and now to writing, where I allocate two hours each morning for focused work.

Iteration

Your first plan won’t be perfect. Don’t wait to eliminate every obstacle or you’ll never start.

Tech startups prioritize reaching an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) quickly to begin refining.

Similarly, accept flaws and adjust your plan as you hit roadblocks. Progress is built through iteration, not perfection.

Every Morning – Write Down Your Goals

Yes, daily.
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As Graham Weaver, founder of Alpine Investors, says: "The most important habit I’ve learned from 30+ years studying self-improvement is writing down my goals every day."
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​This framework, which I borrowed from Weaver, is now part of my daily routine.

I spend about five minutes each morning listing three key things:

1. My North Star: What is my overarching life goal—my genie goal, five-year plan, or ten-year vision? I write down three long-term goals that define the direction I want my life to take.
2. Annual Goals: If I could only achieve three things this year, what would they be?
3. Daily Goals: If I could only accomplish three things today, what would they be?

This simple practice helps me stay focused on both my long-term vision and daily actions, keeping everything aligned and manageable.

You Never Quit

Now that you have all the pieces together, there’s just one final step to make the system truly bulletproof:

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You don't ever give up.

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Thank you,
Ed