presents

HOW TO CREATE

HOLISTICALLY
AMBITIOUS

GOALS
FOR 2014

SCOTT BRITTON

Why am I unhappy?
I accomplished everything
I wanted to...

Dont be this guy.

One of the biggest problems with goal or to-do lists is that they rarely
are accountable to all the areas of our lives that are important to us.
This can put you at risk for unhappiness not only during the pursuit of
these goals, but even after you achieve them!
1

Below is a methodology you can use to create holistically ambitious goals for 2014. You can
use this precisely as outlined or simply as a guidepost. Remember these are your goals so
dont be afraid to iterate on the process!
Have at it

GOAL ESTABLISHMENT
1.

Identify the areas of your life that are most important to you. If you
dont know where to begin, you use any or all of the sections from
the Wheel of Life personal development tool.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Health
Friends and Family
Significant Other
Personal Growth and Learning
Fun and Recreation
Physical Environment (i.e. home)
Career
Money

Heres a visual representation if you

loved art class like me

Physical Environment
(ex: house, car, clothes)

Money

Fun & Recreation

10 9 8

Career

Personal Growth

Health

Significant Other
/Romance
2

Friends & Family

2.

3.

Create high-level aspirations by answering

the following questions for your life:
1.

I want to develop more

a. Financial freedom

2.

I want to become more

a. selfless

3.

I want to learn or get better at

a. Salsa dancing

4.

Id like to spend more time

a. With my family

Take each aspiration and group them into the corresponding areas of
your life that youve defined as important.
Developing more financial freedom -> Money
Becoming more selfless -> Personal Growth (or maybe family and friends)
Learn salsa dancing -> Fun Leisure and Recreation
Spending more time with your family -> Family and Friends

4.

?
5.

Look at all of the areas of your life that youve defined as important and
answer these questions:

Are all of the high level things you want to accomplish there? If not
add some and dont be afraid to get specific

Is there an in-balance and if so, are you okay with that?

Remember the goal is to have holistic ambitions

With each aspiration, try to crystallize the aspiration

into a measurable, completable goal.
Health:

I want to lose weight -> I want to lose 10 lbs and maintain that weight.
Money:

I want more financial freedom - > I want to put away $500 more from
my paycheck every month into savings.

COMPLETION
6.

Determine how youre going to measure or verify your goals (if applicable)
Goal:
I want to lose weight -> I want to lose 10 lbs
and maintain that weight.
Tracking:
On the 1st and 15th of every month
I will record my weight to have a clear picture of where Im at.

7.

Schedule a regular goal review and implementation planning

Remember creating this list is just the first step!
Implementation is what really matters and regularly
charting/planning progress is the easiest way to get
there.
Last year, on the first and 3rd Sunday of every month I
reviewed my goals, updated my progress and planned
how I was going to accomplish the remaining ones. I also
identified goals that were no longer relevant and added
new ones.
Important: Your goals are not meant to be concrete! They
are simply guideposts that should only be on this list if
they are something you continue to want for you life.
Dont be afraid to gracefully bow out of an ambition if it is
no longer relevant to your life.

OPTIONAL
BUT IMPORTANT

Find a way to keep yourself accountable to completing these goals. This can be
as simple as emailing or talking to an accountability partner after youve done
your regular review or as extreme as posting your progress publicly like I did.
Try to strike the balance between what youre comfortable with and what will
motivate you.
If youre really struggling with motivation, tie failure to complete a goal to
losing something that is important to you. Giving money to a friend is a simple
example of this.

HAPPY GOAL HUNTING!

- Scott