1. CHOOSE - Start by questioning your goals. “Many of us relentlessly pursue goals... without pausing to ask ourselves whether we should.”

2. CHOOSE - Next, figure out how to choose the right goals. “We derive meaning in our lives from the pursuit of a challenging and worthwhile goal.”

3. PLAN - Then, make a plan. Endless frameworks have been created to this end, but there’s no need to get fancy. “Every good plan begins with information. I couldn’t decide how to proceed if I didn’t know what I needed to do.”

4. PLAN - Consider using the SMART Goals framework. “Before the crab rangoons, my goal had been simple: get better. But what does that mean? Was it being able to talk normally? Was it being able to walk into a room without someone asking what happened to my face? It was too vague and monolithic of a goal. Eating a rangoon was a simple goal. I knew what was required.”

5. PLAN - Or take the framework a few letters further - create SMARTER Goals. “It’s at the point where the pen or pencil meets the page where a thought is then transformed into a working and verifiable idea.”

6. PLAN - Or experiment with other framework options until you find one that fits. “I’ve always thought that goal setting was practical and important, I just didn’t think it was for me.”

7. MOTIVATION - After coming up with a plan, you must implement it consistently. So, what do you do when that initial excitement wears off? “All emotions, including motivation, leave and return.”

8. MOTIVATION - Prepare to feel uncomfortable. Consistency isn’t very exciting, and both your mind and body will resist. “I had created a habit of having these Moments of Discomfort, or what I now call MODs, and had allowed the emotional, psychological, and physical discomfort they put on my body to allow them to shape my action.”

9. MOTIVATION - If you're struggling with overwhelm, try simplifying and creating space. “The ultimate result of setting goals and habits is that we ensure consistent progress through everyday commitment, while at the same time, allowing space to open up so that we can live, in the present, in a more fulfilling and happy way.”

10. MOTIVATION - Acknowledge your own hard work. “By keeping an “I did” list, you change your to-do list into something positive. You feel more content and in control instead of anxious and consumed by self-pity of all the things you have to push to tomorrow.”

11. REFLECT - Once you've achieved a goal, take a step back before setting another. You might have learned something useful. “When you focus on the practice instead of the performance, you can enjoy the present moment and improve at the same time.”

12. REFLECT - Could less obsessing create more fulfilment? “Goals feel good because they give our lives meaning and predictability. But I wonder if that predictability comes at a cost.”

13. REFLECT - Could pursuing a goal provide you with something other than a sense of achievement? “To me, goal setting is one of the most important steps to staying active and engaged in life. If I don’t have a personal goal, I feel bored or overwhelmed by other people’s demands.”