Why to Set Goals (and How to Achieve Them)
I recently shared a goal-setting framework I love on X, and the response was so positive that I wanted to share and expand on it here.
Let’s talk about how I like to set goals, and some of the first things I like to think about when it comes to actually achieving them.
Why I Set Goals
Studies show that those who set goals achieve more.
If those goals are specific, measurable, and challenging, they are even more successful. The full breakdown of the popular “SMART Goals” framework is:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-Bound
I’m less into the Attainable and Relevant parts personally. Who says what’s attainable? And if you want to achieve it, I say it’s relevant!
I do think time-bound is important. I didn’t mention it above the acronym simply because it’s a default for me. If I set a goal, I set a date.
Studies also show that writing goals down increases your chances of success even beyond simply setting them.
There are more best practices, but first, let’s get into the way I like to set mine.
More Than One Target
When setting goals for myself, I used to use the popular framework of “floor and ceiling goals.”
The idea is to set a minimum (floor) goal and a higher bar (ceiling) that you hope to clear.
This way, you get the chance to aim high without risking the loss of motivation that failure can bring.
For Example
Let’s say you want to spend one hour in the gym five days a week, every week, for the next year.
If you made that your goal, the first week you missed, you’d have failed. For some people, that might mean giving up entirely.
If, instead, you set a goal of:
Floor: At least 20 minutes of physical activity five days/week
Ceiling: One hour in the gym five days/week
Or
Floor: Five days of one hour in the gym at least 30 of the next 52 weeks
Ceiling: Five days of one hour in the gym at least 45 of the next 52 weeks
You’d be more likely to stay on track.
MTO
In the last year, I was introduced (and switched) to the MTO framework, developed by Jack Canfield.
Instead of a floor and ceiling, you set Minimum, Target, and Outrageous (MTO) goals.
While it accomplishes similar things, I like this framework better for a few reasons, the most important one being that it encourages you to think bigger.
Minimum should be the least you can accomplish and still consider it a success. It should be realistic and attainable with a reasonable amount of effort.
Target is more challenging than the minimum goal and requires consistent effort and dedication.
Outrageous is a stretch goal that requires extraordinary effort and perhaps a bit of luck. It pushes you to think beyond your usual limits.
You don’t even need to see the clear path to hitting the outrageous goal to put it down on paper!
With that in mind...
My $100 Million Goal
With my Beyond The Game program launching at the end of this month, I’ve decided on the following MTO goals for myself:
Minimum: $15,000,000
Target: $50,000,000
Outrageous: $100,000,000
These are goals for the amount of poker profit (including other gambling income – sports, staking, etc.) I want program members to net, combined, between August 1st and the end of 2025.
(Note: This is not "tournament winnings." This is Profit.)
I decided on this goal because, in order to hit it, I'm going to have to both grow the program and help the members succeed as much as possible.
(Enroll to Beyond the Game by 11:59 PM (PT) on July 30, and you’ll also get a free year of Run It Once Elite ($1,400 value). Click here to read more about the program, testimonials from past students, and to sign up!)
I Set My Goals. Now I’m Done?
Setting goals, while actually making achievement more likely, isn’t the end of the road. Obviously, you need to put in work.
This post isn’t going to tell you the work required to achieve your specific goals, but I’ll touch on a couple of other things that will make it more likely you’ll achieve them once they are set!
Each of these topics could be expanded into an entire post, but let’s give you the quick, actionable checklist instead:
1) Chunking Down
Most goals worth striving for are big enough that they can be broken down into much smaller milestones and steps.
Do this! One of the common ways people fail is that they don’t know what the very next step is. That friction leads to inaction.
Make the first to-do after setting your goals be breaking them down into steps.
2) Tracking
Creating a system for tracking your progress towards your goals is extremely valuable.
In my past iteration of Beyond The Game, when I asked members what had the most impact on their success during the program, goal tracking systems came up as often as anything else.
It sounds simple, but it’s very effective. Track your progress!
3) Accountability
I’m sure I’m not the first person telling you about accountability when it comes to goals.
Again, it’s simple: Find a partner, or group, or any way to make yourself accountable to someone else as you put in the work towards your goals.
Note that accountability can serve as a way to track your goal progress publicly. If you tell your buddy each day whether or not you went to the gym, you’ve tracked it!
4) Find the Meaning
Usually, you’ll know why you set a certain goal.
But do you really? Do you know, and think about, all of the benefits that will come with its achievement?
Here is an exercise that helps with meaning. There are many versions of this, and to be honest, I’m making this version up right now:
Write down your goal.
Ask yourself: What will achieving that do for me?
Write down 5 answers.
Now, for each of those answers, ask yourself: What will getting that do for me?
Write down one answer for each.
And, for each of those answers, ask yourself: What will getting that do for me?
…and then continue if it feels right!
So, an example of this would be:
Goal: Get a promotion at my job by 2026
What would that do for me?
Allow me to buy a house.
What would that do for me?
I’d get to set up my dream workshop in my garage.
What would that do for me?
I’ll be able to work on projects around the house.
And what would that do for me?
It will make me happy, calm, confident, and proud.
Keep this list of the meaning achieving your goal will bring nearby. Set a calendar reminder to read it each week.
Ready To Go!
Alright, now you’ve got:
A reason to set goals
A framework for setting them
Systems to keep you on track
Meaning to keep you motivated
What are you waiting for? Get after it!
(Unless you’ve already signed up for Beyond The Game: Expanded. We’ve got a few steps to go through together first!)
