Personal goals · Side projects
How to turn a goal into actionable tasks
If a goal feels too big to start, write down the outcome and completion criteria first, then choose one action to take next.
1. Write down the outcome and completion criteria
Write one sentence explaining why you want to achieve this goal. Connect child tasks to that purpose so you can revisit the reason for each small task.
Example: Show my work to create new collaboration opportunities
- Goal
- Publish a personal portfolio
- Completion criteria
- Publish a page with an introduction, three featured projects, and contact details, then check it on a phone
2. Break the goal into tasks with tangible results
Turn the results required by your completion criteria into child tasks. For each task, specify what needs to exist before you can call it done.
- Choose three featured projects and draft a description of each
- Write an introduction and contact details
- Arrange the content on one page and publish it
- Check the text, images, and contact details on a phone and fix any issues
3. Choose one action to start now
Make the first action small enough to start immediately. In this example, choose one featured project and write one sentence each about the problem, what you did, and the result.
Draft the description of one featured project
Completion criteria for this task: a saved draft describing the problem, what I did, and the result.
4. Separate new ideas from the work to do now
If you have several goals, compare the tasks and choose what matters more now. Keep new ideas outside active priority and decide separately whether to add them to the work you will do.
If you want to add a blog to the portfolio, check whether it is needed for the completion criteria you set. You can save it as an idea to consider after publishing.
5. Record your time and completed results
Record the time when you start and stop working. When you finish, check the result against the completion criteria and save something you can revisit, such as the published URL or a written draft.
When you return, review your saved record and choose one task to continue with.