Set Your Goals Like a Traffic Light
Hang on, stay with me.
I recently received a great question about how I set goals worth hitting – and then stick to them – so I sat down to map out what works for me.
A commitment to loving the process has led to huge transformation.
Since 2020ish:
100 pounds lost
raising 3 kids & being a present and cool dad
3x'ing consulting success from year 1 to 2 and convincing me of the wild idea to launch Creative Taxi 🚕🫧 (worth it)
becoming more aligned with the right people and the right purpose in my career and community
doubling all my 2025 goals that *actually* mattered (not money)
I'll never tell you what to do, but yeah, I'm sticking with my strategy for 2026, if that's a worthy endorsement.
If I were to describe my way of goal-setting and planning for next year, it takes about a month in total and looks like a traffic light. 🚦
Think of your goals at three different levels.
🔴 RED: Long-Term Goals
(think 5–10 years into the future and write down your dream vision)
This should make you STOP. Is that big expense worth it? Does that action move you closer to or further from your ultimate goal? This should be something that excites you, maybe even scares you a little.
Allocate a small portion of resources here (let's say 10%).
🟡 YELLOW: Medium-Term Goals
(3–12 months from now, where will you be?)
This should make you THINK. Don’t spend too much time here, but get after it if it’s important to you. Some days you can work on these goals, others you can't. But if you chip away long enough, the bigger goal becomes a series of greenlights.
Allocate a strategic portion of resources here (~30% of your focus).
🟢 GREEN: Short-Term Goals
(what's most important in the next 30–90 days?)
This should be your primary focus – where you GO each week. Some greenlights (not all) should be easy wins. Celebrate. Feel good about yourself, but also get shit done.
Allocate the largest portion of resources here (~60%).
The key is to allocate your time, energy, and money across these levels in a mix that feels right to you, ensuring you're always making a little bit of progress.
Then, check yourself each week: do your daily actions match your goals? 🏁✨
