Set 10‑year self‑concordant goals across work, home, and social life, then act weekly

People plan companies a decade out but rarely plan their lives that way. A useful method is to write 10‑year snapshots in three departments—work, home, and social. Make them vivid: the sound of your name announced at a conference, the feel of a messy kitchen after a birthday dinner, the buzz of a community event you help run. Then backcast. If that future is real, what would be true in 12 months? What would you be doing each week now?

A manager I coached wrote that in ten years she’d be leading a humane, high‑performing team. Her one‑year milestones were to pilot a mentoring circle and ship one meaningful feature. Her weekly leads became two 60‑minute deep‑work blocks and a Friday one‑on‑one where she asked, “What’s one thing I can remove for you?” Over twelve months, those small acts moved her toward the future picture in ways annual resolutions never did.

I might be wrong, but goals stick best when they are self‑concordant—aligned with your values, not borrowed from social media. The three‑department structure guards against over‑investing in one area and starving the others.

Research on implementation intentions, mental contrasting, and lead versus lag measures supports this approach. “If‑then” plans help you act in context. Mental contrasting strengthens commitment by pairing the desired future with present obstacles. Lead measures are behaviors you control that predict outcomes better than lagging results. Review monthly, adjust, and keep the system alive.

Write 10‑year snapshots for work, home, and social life, adding one sensory detail to make each feel real. Then backcast to one‑year milestones you can influence and choose one simple weekly behavior in each area that you’ll actually do. Put those behaviors on your calendar and review them on the first of the month, adjusting as needed. Keep it living, not perfect. Draft your snapshots this weekend.