This guide will help you set meaningful goals and track your progress toward achieving them. > [!tip] New to the MakeTimeFlow Goals System? > **Start with [[Getting Started with Goals]]** - it explains how all the pieces (Flourishing Map, Success Stories, KPIs, Habits, and Review Rhythm) work together to help you level up. > > **Choose your path:** > - 🆘 **Feeling overwhelmed?** Start with weekly wins and build from there (15 min) > - 🎯 **Not getting what matters done?** Start with quarterly goals (30 min) > - 🚀 **Want the full system?** Comprehensive setup with Flourishing Map (60 min) ## Understanding Goals in MakeTimeFlow **Your Goals ARE Your Success Stories** In MakeTimeFlow, goals are rich, narrative **Success Stories** that describe what you want to achieve: - **Weekly Success Story**: What you want to accomplish this week - **Quarterly Success Story**: Your 12-week vision across four life domains (Self, Work, Family, Community) - **5-Year Vision**: Your long-term aspirational future These narrative goals are comprehensive and written in meaningful, human terms—not reduced to numbers or checkboxes. ## Measurement Tools: KPIs and Habits To support your Success Stories, you can optionally use two measurement tools: > [!info] Start with Your Flourishing Map > Before choosing KPIs, explore your [[Flourishing Map]] to understand which of the 6 domains need attention. This helps you choose the right KPIs. **KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)** - Track your 3-5 most important quarterly outcomes: - Choose from 6 Flourishing Domains, scored 0-100 - Updated quarterly (baseline → goal) - [[Habits and KPIs|Learn more about KPIs]] **Habits** - Test new techniques through short experiments: - 1-2 week experiments to test new approaches - Decide to keep, modify, or abandon after testing - [[Habits and KPIs|Learn more about Habits]] **Important**: Not everything in your Success Stories needs to be measured. KPIs and Habits are SELECTIVE tools for your most important outcomes or new experiments. ## Quick Start Create your first Success Story in 5 minutes: 1. **Choose your time horizon**: - Weekly: This week's focus and outcomes - Quarterly: 12-week vision across life domains - 5-Year: Long-term aspirational direction 2. **Write your narrative goal** (Success Story): ``` "This quarter I want to establish sustainable work rhythms, deepen my relationships with my kids, and launch the new product feature while maintaining my health and energy." ``` 3. **(Optional) Choose 3-5 KPIs to measure most important aspects**: - Achievement: Product launch progress 50 → 75 - Relationships: Quality family time 40 → 80 - Engagement: Deep work sessions 60 → 85 4. **(Optional) Test Habits to support your story**: - Morning family breakfast routine (2 weeks) - 90-minute deep work blocks (2 weeks) ## Success Stories Read how others have used this system: ### [[David's Story - Leading with Balance]] David, a tech executive, balanced rapid career growth with being present for his family: - Used quarterly goals to build better work boundaries - Created morning routines for family time - Set 5-year goals for both career and family leadership [[David's Story - Leading with Balance|Read David's full story →]] ### [[Sarah's Story - Growth While Leading at Home]] Sarah, a former management consultant, grew her skills while running a household: - Used short-term goals to experiment with family systems - Built a part-time consulting practice through quarterly goals - Maintained professional development through targeted learning [[Sarah's Story - Growth While Leading at Home|Read Sarah's full story →]] ### [[Sam's Story - Engineering with Purpose]] Sam, a senior software engineer, aligned technical growth with social impact: - Created experiments to test new technologies - Built open source tools for nonprofits - Balanced skill development with real-world impact [[Sam's Story - Engineering with Purpose|Read Sam's full story →]] ### [[Maya's Story - Discovery and Excellence with Balance]] Maya, a research scientist, found rhythm between intense work and recovery: - Used short sprints for focused research - Built in recovery periods for creativity - Maintained long-term career development [[Maya's Story - Discovery and Excellence with Balance|Read Maya's full story →]] ### [[James's Story - Art and Structure]] James, a professional artist, balanced creative freedom with sustainable practice: - Created systems for consistent output - Built periods for pure experimentation - Developed business skills alongside artistic growth [[James's Story - Art and Structure|Read James's full story →]] ## Dive Deeper **Getting Started:** - [[Getting Started with Goals|How It All Works Together]] - [[Flourishing Map|Explore the 6 Drivers of Life Satisfaction]] - [[Review Rhythm|When to Review Your Goals]] **Understanding the System:** - [[Scientific Evidence|Research Behind the System]] - [[WOOP Method|Setting Yourself Up for Success]] - [[Habit Formation|Building Lasting Change]] - [[Time Horizons|Choosing the Right Timeline]] - [[Goal Categories|Understanding Categories]] - [[Score System|Measuring Progress]]