
Assessing my Long Term Trajectory, Crudely
In another article, I discuss how I align my short term actions with my long term goals using a series of “productivity journals.”
But I left the hardest part out: Before you can align your short term actions with your long term goals, you have to honestly assess your current trajectory.
Your day-to-day actions, intentional or not, are leading you somewhere.
Changing directions requires that you know where you’re currently headed.
Looking down to see where your feet are planted right then and there is far more difficult than closing your eyes and imagining where you want your feet to be.
Go Easy on Yourself
First, the purpose of seeing where your feet are is not to beat yourself up. This is hard work. It challenges the boundaries of our mental models and requires serious grit. Even if it’s an entirely private process, it feels like we’re pants-less in front of the world.
How It Works
First, let’s visualize the causal process from here (your short term actions) to there (your long term goals.) That is: What are the steps between what you do (the “cause”) and how life unfolds (the “effect.”)
Causal Process of Personal Trajectories
Intentions create objectives.
Objectives decide actions.
Actions cause short term outcomes.
Outcomes, over time, create a long term trajectory.
Time for Some Algebra
Although we should strive to improve our self-awareness, none of us are self-aware enough to know all of the above. We’re often unaware of our intentions and operate on instinct or just emulate what others do. For similar reasons, we do not know our objectives; our true motivations are often hidden or amorphous.
The best we can do is identify our actions and outcomes, and from them surmise intentions and objectives, and ultimately our trajectory.
The Crude Method
- Divide a piece of paper into three columns (or use a whiteboard or computer program — it doesn’t matter.) In the left column, write the most time- and energy-consuming actions you regularly take in the context of your work and career, or in pursuit of those (e.g., going to school.) Also include exercise or any side projects which you attend to once a week or more. Do not include hobbies unless they are part of some larger pursuit.
- In the middle column, write out the expected outcomes of these action. Maybe it’s “keep job” or “get promoted” or “get good grade.”
- Extrapolate the actions five or so years into the future. Where does it lead you? Write this in the right column.
Is this where you want to go?
When I did this, I realized my actions were not leading me where I wanted to be. I knew I had to make a change. So I did.
And so can you.
For more information on how to change directions, check out productivityjournals.com and howtomanagegoals.com, or read Long Term Person, Short Term World, available on Amazon.

