As CTO of a rapidly growing tech company, David was used to setting and achieving ambitious goals. But when his second child was born, he realized he needed a more comprehensive approach to goal setting—one that would help him excel at work while being the father and husband he wanted to be. ## The Challenge "I was great at quarterly OKRs and hitting business targets," David explains, "but I was treating family time as whatever was left over. I needed to be as intentional about my role as a father and husband as I was about my role as a leader." ## Using the Goal System ### Starting with the Long View (20-Year Goals) David began by setting 20-year goals to envision the life he wanted: ``` Family Legacy (Relationships): Create strong, lasting bonds with children and grandchildren baseline:40 goal:90 in 20 years ``` His WOOP analysis: - **Wish**: Be remembered as both a great leader and wonderful father - **Outcome**: Adult children who want to spend time with family, successful company with positive impact - **Obstacle**: Tendency to get absorbed in work challenges - **Plan**: If I find myself working late repeatedly, then I will schedule "dad days" to rebalance ### Setting Direction (5-Year Goals) With his long-term vision clear, David created 5-year goals: ``` Mentorship Impact (Achievement): Build a leadership team that embodies balanced success baseline:35 goal:85 in 5 years Family Traditions (Relationships): Establish consistent family rituals and adventures baseline:30 goal:80 in 5 years ``` ### Quarterly Focus David uses quarterly goals to make steady progress: ``` Team Development (Impact): Implement "lead by example" work-life balance practices baseline:40 goal:75 end of quarter Family Dinner (Relationships): Have engaged family dinners 4x/week baseline:25 goal:70 end of quarter ``` ### Short-Term Experiments He runs regular experiments to find what works: ``` Morning Routine (Balance): Exercise and breakfast with kids before work baseline:20 goal:60 in 4 weeks Meeting Boundaries (Productivity): End all meetings by 5pm baseline:30 goal:70 in 2 weeks ``` ## Key Strategies ### 1. Time Blocking David uses his calendar intentionally: - Blocks 6-8am for exercise and family breakfast - Ends work by 5:30pm three days a week - Schedules one "dad day" per month ### 2. Habit Stacking He built new habits on existing routines: - Added kid's storytelling to his daily reading time - Combined exercise with father-son time - Made family dinner a time for deeper conversations ### 3. Regular Review David reviews his goals weekly: - Sunday evening planning session - Monthly family council with his wife - Quarterly adventure planning with kids ## Results After one year with the system: ### Career Impact - Promoted to Chief Innovation Officer - Team engagement scores up 40% - Successfully launched three major initiatives ### Family Growth - Present for 90% of family dinners - Established weekly family adventures - Created memorable birthday traditions ### Personal Development - Reduced work hours while increasing impact - Better sleep and exercise routine - More energy for both work and family ## Lessons Learned 1. **Integration Over Balance** "I stopped trying to 'balance' work and family as opposing forces. Instead, I looked for ways to integrate them—like bringing my daughter to appropriate work events or sharing leadership lessons with my son." 2. **Experiments Matter** "The short-term experiments were game-changers. They let me test new approaches without overwhelming myself. Some failed, but each taught me something valuable." 3. **Measurable Matters** "Setting actual numbers for family time made me treat it as seriously as business metrics. It felt strange at first, but it worked." ## David's Tips 1. "Start with your 20-year vision. It changes how you see today's trade-offs." 2. "Use your calendar as a commitment device. Block family time first." 3. "Run experiments to find what works for your family. Every family is different." 4. "Share your goals with your team. It gives them permission to have balance too." 5. "Review and adjust regularly. What works changes as your kids grow." ## Example Week ### Monday - 6:00-7:30 Morning routine with kids - 8:00-5:00 Leadership meetings - 5:30-7:30 Family dinner and stories ### Tuesday - 6:00-7:00 Exercise with son - 8:00-5:30 Strategic planning - 6:00-8:00 Family time ### Wednesday - 6:00-7:30 Morning routine with kids - 8:00-3:00 Key meetings - 3:00-8:00 Dad day activities ### Looking Forward David continues to refine his approach: "The goal system helped me see that being a great leader and a great father aren't in conflict—they reinforce each other. The skills of patience, listening, and strategic thinking serve both roles." --- [[Goals|<< Back to the Goals Guide]] [[Sarah's Story - Growth While Leading at Home|Read Sarah's Story Next >>]]