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“A goal is a dream with a deadline.” Napoleon Hill



We are creatures of routine and habit, but we also creatures of adaptation and change. Our actions are purposeful because they are always aimed to achieve some goal. Even something as simple as getting up to get a glass of water can be described in terms of an action with intentions to fulfill a desire (such as quenching our thirst).

Often the most successful people in our society are the ones who have the strongest intention behind their actions. They are the best planners. They are visionaries. They have the ability to direct their intentions toward their goals in ways that others are unfamiliar with.

They can see a path from point A to point B and, although it may not be correct from step-to-step, they have the motivation and inspiration to start walking it.

This is the power of foresight, which is an essential ingredient to all happiness and success. It’s our ability to see into the future and determine what steps are the best to get there.

Of course, the future is filled with uncertainty. Life can be very unpredictable. So whenever we try to achieve any goal, we must be willing to adjust our “game plan” in the face of new experiences and new information.

Because of these uncertainties, it can sometimes be difficult to plan for the future. In fact, in psychology there is a cognitive bias known as the planning fallacy which illustrates our inability to predict just how long it will take us to complete a task or achieve a goal. Most people underestimate how easy it is to achieve a goal so they aren’t adequately prepared to accomplish them.

Despite these limitations in our planning abilities, it is essential that we write down our plans (even if it’s just a “rough draft”) so that we have a starting point and a vision to build from.

Writing down your goals is a real and tangible way to start making your dreams a part of reality. By thinking and writing about your future, you are growing these intentions in your brain and making them stronger.

One exercise I like to do at least once per year is creating a “Progressive Timeline” for my goals.

A “Progressive Timeline” allows you to zoom in and zoom out on your ambitions in life, giving you a more complete picture of both your short-term and long-term goals..

I call these timelines “progressive” because they begin by focusing in on a single day and then they zoom out to a scope of ten years or more. This is a really interesting way to expand your awareness from what you can accomplish in a single day to what you can accomplish over the course of many years.

I recommend a minimum of 5 items for each point on your timeline. This should give you enough flexibility to touch on various aspects of your life. Later in this post, I will expand on what you can do to improve your “progressive timeline” and make it more effective.

For now, check out an example of my “Progressive Timeline” below!

My Progressive Timeline

Last Updated: January 3, 2020

Goals Within A Day

Coaching session with client.

Continue writing new “Digital Wellness” project.

Get groceries for the week.

Answer any new emails.

Share a couple articles on social media.

Goals Within A Week

Finish writing and rehearsing new project.

Write a new article for The Emotion Machine.

Send copies of my book to a few friends.

Start a new online education course.

Make a new song for my music project.

Goals Within A Month

Find at least one new coaching client.

Edit and arrange first new album for music project.

Release first album on Spotify/Bandcamp/Soundcloud/etc.

Promote new album (friends/social media)

Write new article for The Emotion Machine.

Go on a date with someone new.

Goals Within A Year

Start writing a second book.

Save $$$$$ money.

Go to at least 2-3 music shows.

Start a new relationship with someone I really like.

Expand my business network and social circle.

Goals Within Five Years

Publish second book.

Start some type of “Self Improvement Workshop” – do more public speaking

Expand my coaching practice and continuing finding new clients.

Create another album (or two) for music project.

Perform some music shows live to an audience.

Goals Within Ten Years

Get married and start a family.

Dedicate more time to volunteering or working for a non-profit organization.

Continue my creative pursuits (including The Emotion Machine and music project)

Write my first screenplay.

Travel to a new country I’ve never been to before.



Improving Your Timeline

First write down your own “Progressive Timeline” and save it somewhere.

Once you create it, you can always go back and update it. As I said in the introduction, even the best visionaries rarely see the whole path in its entirety; rather, they need to constantly be willing to adapt and change.

In a week, you may realize that you had forgotten a key goal of yours. In a year, you may change your mind about pursuing a goal. Remember, nothing has to be set in stone.

Being dedicated is one thing, but being too stubborn to change your ways in the face of new experiences and new information is a different story. Know when to quit your goals and redirect your energy toward new ones.

This is a great exercise to re-visit at least once per year. The simple act of writing gives you greater clarity of what your goals are.

The best feature of the “Progressive Timeline” is that it gets you to start thinking about how your present connects with your future, especially as you start zooming out from Day → Week → Month → Year → Decade. The more you can bridge that gap, the stronger your vision is.

Try it out for yourself!



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