What Goals to Focus On: A Strategic Approach

You face a tricky dilemma when you’ve finally got life’s dirty work and distractions under control and are free to choose your own adventures:

Too many possibilities.

Trying to do them all leads to burnout and dissatisfaction. Picking just one feels like abandoning your other dreams. And doing nothing… well, that’s a waste.

Jordi, an alum of my Systematic Brilliance program, messaged me last week with exactly this challenge. He’s so pumped from his recent progress that he’s eyeing a buffet of potential projects:

• Start writing fiction
• Learn piano
• Organize social events
• Plan adventures with his girlfriend
• Start a podcast
• Go back to school

His question?

“How do I decide what to focus on? Should I pick one thing—or try to do it all?”

The Buffet Problem

Jordi’s strutting up to the buffet of life like an overexcited kid (or me, still)—ready to pile his plate with everything that looks appetizing.

Can he fit it all?

Sure, if he wants a leaning tower of chaos destined to collapse into regret and indigestion. Plus, most of his plate is already dedicated to the meat and potatoes of his job (which he likes), exercise, sleep, and cleaning hair from his bathtub drain.

“But what if I just chow down faster?” Sorry, life isn’t an episode of Man vs. Food. You don’t get your photo on the wall for gluttony. But you do get to feel like puking and in need of a nap.

To make better choices, Jordi needs to understand what he’s really hungry for.

The Real Issue: Value Deficiency

When you’re craving a bunch of new activities, it’s not random—it’s your subconscious telling you you’re missing some essential nutrients, aka core values.

Values are what make activities fulfilling. They’re your renewable energy source, turning effort into enthusiasm. Without them, you’re burning willpower instead—and feeling hopelessly hungry.

Look at Jordi’s list through this lens:

• Writing fiction, piano, and podcasting = self-direction
• Social events, adventures, and school = security and connection
• Fiction + piano + adventures = stimulation

The Solution: Strategic Smorgasbording

Instead of trying to devour everything at once, here’s a systematic approach to choosing what goals to focus on:

• Understand Your Profile: Take a values assessment (I recommend this one, which uses Shalom Schwartz’s model).
• Diagnose Your Craving: Analyze your list of goals for evidence on what values you’re trying to fulfill. Tools like ChatGPT are great at this type of work. (Prompt suggestion: “These are my strongest values according to Schwartz’s model. And here’s a list of goals I want to prioritize. Which goals would best fulfill these values, and why?”)
• Pick One: Choose the goal that has the highest density of value satiation.
• Make Room: Remove something less nourishing from your plate.
• Test It for a Month
• Review and Adjust:: Feel extra fulfilled and energized? Keep tweaking.

The magic happens when you find activities that align with your unfulfilled values. These hit the trifecta: enjoyable while doing them, satisfying after finishing, and exciting to anticipate. That’s when you know you’ve found the good stuff.

Your Turn

As the new year approaches, you have a choice:

• Keep piling your plate with a random pile of goals that leave you feeling gross
• Consider your options… then indecisively revert to the same ol’ boring stuff
• Or implement a system that helps you make energizing choices

If you’d like some guidance, I’ve opened up a few spots in my Systematic Brilliance program. It’s where I personally guide you through implementing your own energy-generating systems for extraordinary living. Check it out:

Still hungry for more? Dig into these related pieces:

• Watch Yourself Win: Record and review your way to shrinking the gap between perception and reality.
• How to Find Your (Not-So-)Superpower: use values (and your AI sidekick’s help) to unock your unique abilities.
• Optimize for Energy, Not Time: A framework for energizing living.