From Wishful Thinking to Concrete Results: How OKR Transforms New Year’s Resolutions
A practical guide to creating and executing your OKR to achieve your personal goals
The new year is right around the corner, and it’s the perfect time to imagine the kind of person we want to be in the upcoming year. But how can we actually turn that vision into reality?
Many of us make resolutions when the new year begins, filled with determination to learn a foreign language, read more books, lose weight, and save money. We convince ourselves that this time, it will be different.
However, before even giving it a real try, we often find ourselves easily giving up or forgetting our initial resolutions. The gyms are packed in early January, but it doesn’t take long for the enthusiasm to fade away. It’s a recurring pattern, year after year.
And then, we start blaming ourselves for not having enough willpower, and our confidence takes a hit. As time goes by, we begin to think, “It won’t work this year either.”
But here’s the thing: the problem lies in our approach. If we truly want to achieve something, we need to adopt scientific and proven methods. Hoping for things to magically happen through sheer determination is not a rational approach.
That’s why I want to introduce you to OKR and show you how to use it for your new year’s resolutions.
OKR in action: My story of growth and achievement
I, too, used to make all sorts of cliché resolutions in the past, only to feel frustrated when my plans didn’t go as smoothly as I had hoped.
But then, I started working as a project manager and discovered the world of ‘project management.’ I quickly realized that making a firm resolution alone wasn’t the key to project success. Instead, it involves defining success clearly, making detailed estimations, setting realistic timelines, and consistently monitoring progress.
In 2014, while attending a talk by Christina Wodtke in New York, I learned about OKR. OKR was originally developed at Intel and played a significant role in driving Google’s growth. Even though OKR is widely recognized for its effectiveness in organizational management, I instantly realized that it could also be a powerful tool for improving my personal life. So, I decided to give it a try.
At that time, I was passionate about swimming, which led me to set my very first goals using OKR.
O (Objective)
Become a thriving swimmer✨
KR (Key results)
- Swim 500 meters freestyle in under 10 minutes.
- Practice 50 kilometers of butterfly stroke.
- Visit the swimming pool 100 times.
You can see that the “O” (Objective) in OKR represents an ideal version of yourself, embodying qualitative and ambitious aspirations that give you the motivation to wake up in the morning. On the other hand, the “KR” (Key Results) are quantitative measures. This means they should include specific numbers, enabling you to track your progress and evaluate the outcomes. It’s quite straightforward, isn’t it?
After setting goals with OKR, my tasks became clearer. To track my freestyle records, I purchased a smartwatch and dedicated daily efforts to improving my speed. Since I knew that practicing the butterfly stroke was challenging for me, I made a deliberate effort to engage in it more frequently. Every morning, I woke up with enthusiasm to swim better, and I eagerly looked forward to heading to the swimming pool.
After one year, I didn’t achieve all of my key results. However, without a doubt, my swimming skills improved significantly. Swimming has become an essential part of my life. It has become evident to me that OKR is not only a valuable tool for businesses but also a wonderful guiding principle for individuals.
I started applying this goal structure to everything. Here is a list of the things I have achieved with OKR over the past 10 years.
- I was burnt out and depressed, but having clear goals to face and solve my life problems helped me find a new city to live in and pursue a new career.
- I became a designer. Although I studied computer science and worked as a software engineer and project manager, I was never truly happy and always aspired to be a designer.
- When I finally pursued a leadership role in design after years of practice, OKR also helped me build a solid career strategy.
- I published three books, one of which focuses on applying OKR for personal improvement. It became a bestseller in Korea.
- My savings tripled in size within 4 years. Prior to having a clear financial goal, I didn’t even track them and had no idea of how much I had.
- I am enjoying various sports such as ice and roller skating, yoga, weight training, and swimming. I feel healthier and more active than ever.
- I started publishing articles on Medium. Writing in English had been a long-standing aspiration for me, as English is not my first or second language. Despite the challenges I faced in learning English, I am proud to say that I am now doing it!
How to create your OKR
To craft your objectives, imagine the person you aspire to become. In 3, 6, or 12 months, who do you want to be?
Reflect on why you want to become that person and ask yourself “why” three times to delve deeper into your motivations. Consider whether your objective genuinely aligns with your own desires or if it is influenced by others’ opinions. Follow your inner voice and assess if this is truly what you want.
Brainstorm and explore various ideas before selecting the most important one. Take the time to narrow down your objectives to a truly motivating one, rather than settling for the first idea that comes to mind.
These are good examples of objectives. They generate excitement and have the power to motivate you.
- Writing: Expand writing portfolio and gain recognition
- Health management: Improve my physical fitness to be energetic, kind, and patient.
- Study: Become fluent in English conversation when hanging out with foreign friends.
- Career: Find a job that provides more authority and autonomy.
- Side project: Create a website that can make a visible impact on animal welfare.
- Asset management: Create passive income to enjoy travel and have a more relaxed lifestyle.
- Hobby: Knitting to make the world a more beautiful place.
Then create around 3 key results to achieve the objectives. Having 2 or 4 key results is also acceptable. I recommend avoiding 5 or more key results as it can become challenging to track progress. Remember to include specific numbers. Take a look at the examples below.
- Write 10 drafts of 2,000-word Medium articles and submit them to publications.
- Memorize and play 25 guitar chords.
- Achieve an IELTS score of 8.0.
- Attend UX designer meetups at least twice a month.
- Eat over 200g of vegetables per day.
- Practice figure skating for 2 hours, twice a week.
- Save 30% of monthly income.
- Read 50 books in a year.
- Win 7 or more pitches and secure new projects.
- Complete my portfolio within 3 months.
How to manage your OKR journey
1. Set your OKR
Create your OKR with one objective and three key results as your New Year’s goal. I’ll use my OKR as a writer to explain how this works.
O: Become a more influential and impactful writer in the field of career and design.
- KR1: Publish at least 1 article per month on Medium, collaborating with 5 or more publications.
- KR2: Engage in public speaking or deliver lectures at least 5 times.
- KR3: Read 10 books on strategy, career development, and psychology.
2. Plan your daily tasks
That is your annual goal. Now, break it down into smaller tasks that won’t overwhelm you. Determine the amount you can consistently repeat every single day to achieve key results in the end.
- Write 200+ words.
- Read 100+ pages of books.
- Read one successful Medium article for benchmark.
- For 20 minutes, explore writers’ gatherings, public speaking venues, or reputable publications where I can submit my writings
3. Make it a routine
Now is the time to stop overthinking and start taking action. Execute these tasks every single day. After a couple of weeks, you will find that it becomes effortless because it becomes a habit. Automate your routine.
I will write 200+ words every single day. I’ll set a daily alarm at 8 PM as a reminder to start writing. I’ll dedicate approximately an hour to this task. By consistently following this routine, I’ll be able to finish one Medium article within a couple of weeks, successfully accomplishing my KR1.
Afterward, I will dedicate time to reading every day, covering a minimum of 100 pages. These reading sessions will provide me with inspiration for writing and enhance my knowledge in the field I intend to write about.
4. Monitor your progress
Check the progress once a week. Assess how much of your planned tasks were actually completed and compare it to the original plan. If there’s a significant difference, make realistic modifications to the plan. If unexpected events occurred, consider how you can minimize such uncertainties in the future.
It’s alright to have a gap; what matters is how you manage it.
5. Reflect and retrospect
Take a moment to reflect on your accomplishments every three months or so. Consider what you did well and what you can improve.
If you feel doubtful about your goals or realize that your current approach won’t lead you to achieve them, it’s time to change direction and try something different. Adjust your OKR based on the lessons learned from reflection and continually improve your implementation process. Embrace some wandering in order to find the approach that suits you best.
Writing 200 words a day has been my daily task for a long time. It’s only a few paragraphs, and some may see it as a small amount. However, consistent repetition can yield incredible results, thanks to the compounding effect over time. In fact, using this method, I’ve written three books, publish a newsletter almost every week, and regularly contribute monthly articles to Medium.
Start with small achievements. Even if they’re small, once you achieve them, they will boost your confidence. That confidence will then become the driving force when you tackle slightly bigger tasks in the future. Eventually, you’ll realize that, regardless of how ambitious the goal may be, there is nothing you can’t accomplish if you break it down into manageable steps and tackle them one by one.
Having a clear life goal and actively moving in that direction means taking control of your own life. Embark on a personal journey to become a “better me” with OKR as a powerful companion along the way. This time, things will be different.
