Tired of setting goals that fizzle out by February? Mark Mason walks you through his proven nine-step goal-setting framework that transforms vague ambitions into weekly action items you can actually accomplish.<\/p>\n
Setting goals makes us feel good about where we are headed, but most people struggle to follow through. Mark lays out a clear, actionable nine-step process designed to dramatically improve your chances of actually achieving your goals this year.<\/p>\n
Step 1: Accept the year that was.<\/strong> Before charging into new goals, take a deep breath and accept whatever happened last year. Give yourself grace regardless of how things went. Standing around complaining about the past does not move you forward.<\/p>\n Step 2: List things you would like to have, do, or change.<\/strong> Imagine where you want to be in five years. Write down 50 things you want without filtering for realism or selfishness. This exercise surfaces desires that are hiding beneath the surface and brings them top of mind.<\/p>\n Step 3: Pick three meaty goals.<\/strong> From that list, select three substantive goals to accomplish this year. These do not have to be business-only. They can span health, spiritual growth, or personal development. Skip the small habit-level items. Focus on goals like launching a new product, generating a specific revenue number, or tripling your subscriber count.<\/p>\n Step 4: Document exactly why you want each goal.<\/strong> Take a blank sheet of paper for each goal and write down every reason it matters to you. Keep this document and revisit it throughout the year. Understanding your “why” is what carries you through when the going gets tough.<\/p>\n Step 5: Create quarterly steps.<\/strong> For each goal, identify the four major milestones needed to bring it to fruition. Then brainstorm three action items under each milestone, giving you 12 concrete tasks for the year. Spread them across four quarters so you are not cramming everything into January.<\/p>\n Step 6: Focus on the current quarter only.<\/strong> Set aside everything that is not happening this quarter. That means parking 9 of your 12 tasks and concentrating on just the three that belong in the current quarter. Mark recommends the approach from The 12 Week Year<\/em> where you treat each quarter as its own complete planning cycle with 12 weekly increments.<\/p>\n Step 7: Break tasks down weekly.<\/strong> Every Sunday night, ask yourself what you absolutely need to accomplish this week to stay on track. Every morning, identify the specific action you will take that day to advance your weekly goal. If you miss a week, the increments are small enough that you can catch up the following week.<\/p>\n Step 8: Track your goals.<\/strong> Use a project management tool to organize everything. Platforms like ClickUp<\/a>, Asana<\/a>, or Trello<\/a> let you break items down, assign due dates, and monitor progress visually.<\/p>\n Mark recorded this episode in January 2021, and the core goal-setting principles he shares remain timeless. The 12 Week Year methodology he references has only grown in popularity since then, with the book continuing to rank as a top-selling productivity resource.<\/p>\n The project management tools Mark recommended have evolved considerably. ClickUp<\/a> has grown into one of the most popular all-in-one productivity platforms. Asana<\/a> and Trello<\/a> remain strong options. Newer tools like Notion<\/a> now offer flexible goal-tracking templates that many entrepreneurs prefer.<\/p>\n The Clubhouse app that Mark briefly mentioned in this episode's links experienced a meteoric rise in early 2021 but has since declined significantly. The broader trend toward audio-based social content, however, continued through Twitter Spaces and LinkedIn Audio Events.<\/p>\n Cliff Ravenscraft<\/a> and the Full Focus Planner<\/a> by Michael Hyatt, both mentioned in this episode, continue to be valuable resources for entrepreneurs focused on intentional goal-setting and productivity.<\/p>\n If you found this episode helpful, you might also enjoy:<\/p>\n Listen to Late Night Internet Marketing on Apple Podcasts<\/a> or Spotify<\/a>. Have a question for Mark? Call the digital recorder at 214-444-8655 or drop a comment below.<\/p>\nKey Takeaways<\/h2>\n
\n
What's Changed Since This Episode<\/h2>\n
Resources Mentioned<\/h2>\n
\n
Related Episodes<\/h2>\n
\n
Listen and Subscribe<\/h2>\n