I recommend making a copy of this document as it contains a free template you can use to set and maintain your goals.
1. Go to this version of the page: https://pear-station-0fd.notion.site/Setting-your-goals-using-the-OKR-method-template-d4de5d69fb7541968f6152ae77c8a008
2. Click duplicate in the top right corner and create a notion account if you don't have one already
🖥️ I recommend doing this on a desktop.
You now know what goal setting means and have an idea of what are good goals to set. But, how do you define your goals in a way that is simple, achievable, and maintainable? I'll be showing the OKR method used by and popularised by Google, Intel, Netflix, and a legion of other industry leaders. OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results.
What is the OKR method?
You've probably heard about goal-setting methods like SMART before. The downside is they are quite complex and require a great deal of effort and time. OKR's is the lightweight counterpart to that. It's straightforward to set goals with OKRs and they are quick to maintain or adjust.
An OKR consists of an Objective, which tells you where to go, and multiple Key Results, which are the results you need to achieve to get to your Objective. Initiatives are all the projects and activities that will help you achieve your Key Results. We'll worry about initiatives in the next step.
A good example of an OKR:
- Objective: Get fitter than ever
- Key result 1: Lose 3kg's of fat
- Initiative 1A: Start running 5km a week
- Initiative 1B: Only eat sugary products once a week
- Key result 2: Bring avg. resting heart rate down to 60
- Initiative 2A: (same as initiative 1A)
Step 1: Choose which topics you want to focus on this quarter
Feel free to look back at the guide about choosing which goals to set. You're just selecting the topics. Don't worry about how you define and write them down. Less is more here.
Type here:
Step 2: Generate your OKR drafts
Open up the toggles▶️ to learn how to draft your OKRs like a champ.
🎯 Great Objectives are:
- Impactful and ambitious
- Inspiring
- Not measurable
📍 Great Key Results are:
- Specific, measurable and time-bound
- Challenging
- Accomplishing 70/80% of your KR must already feel successful
- Within influence, but not under your complete control.
- Things that are under your complete control are just tasks. E.g. sending out 10 blogs posts. Instead of that, choose a key result like 100 people read my blog post.
Examples of Objectives and Key Results
- Be fitter than ever
- Lose 3KG's of fat
- Bring avg. resting heart rate down to 60
- Be hyper productive
- Average 3h a day of deep work
- Medidate at least a minute every day
- Become more financially independent
- Create 2 new income streams
- Generate 1k a month from passive income
- Be a forever learner
- Spend on average 4h a week exploring or learning
- Be happy sustainably
- Maintain strong relationships with 8 people
- Go green!
- Have 90% of income come from sources that don't harm the environment
You'll notice that almost all of these Objectives and Key Results boil down to habits and habit change. That's also a good way to view the goal-setting process. Just picking and choosing which bad habit to stop and which good one to start over the course of a quarter.
My own for my objective(s) and key results:
Write down your own objectives and key results for this quarter.
- 1 Objective is ideal. The max is 2-3.
- Per objective 1-2 key results is ideal
Type here:
Step 3: Think about how you will measure your OKRs
Equally important to set the right OKR’s is to make make sure you can sustainably keep measuring your key results. For instance:
- If your key results are time-based then it's good to create a log somewhere.
- If they are exercising based then a Fitbit or health app could be your measuring hub.
- And, If they are money based then you might be best off getting a budgeting app.
Think about these things now because you'll have to continually check in and update your progress.
Step 4: Finalise your OKRs by filling in this template
Time to polish things up and fill in the template below. Don't be a perfectionist now. Your first time doing this you won't get it all right. The real value is in learning how to set goals effectively so that you can keep improving each time. Simply replace the placeholder values with your own.
Link objectives to key results by selecting them in the Objective column.
| Key results | Progress | Initial Value | Current Value | Target Value | Time period | Confidence lvl |
|---|
✅ Done! Great job, you're all set!
Head back to the remynder ritual chatbot to do your first check-in