Last updated 30 December 2021 ·
Many of the successful business leaders we work with have a few things in common, one of the most prominent being goal-setting.
Whilst working on their business 1-3-5® OKR plans and cascading those throughout their teams, they also have a personal 1-3-5® OKR plan which is completely private. These private plans can include a variety of personal goals such as weight loss, fitness improvements, big life decisions, investment plans etc.
The idea is the same, they set one crystal-clear vision, for example, to make a significant purchase - house, yacht, lose a certain amount of weight or run an Ironman triathlon in record time. They then create 3 mission-critical objectives which will significantly help them achieve their vision. And finally, for each of these objectives, they create 5 measurable goals, or key results, which will help them make progress and achieve each objective.
Remember, those who create goals, write them down and regularly review them are 10x more likely to achieve them, and so using the 1-3-5® created the perfect framework to do that.
So, where do you start?
- Firstly ask yourself, what are you aiming for in your personal life? Much like a business, what’s your personal vision? It could be becoming more intelligent and learning new skills, further developing your existing skills, achieving a specific fitness goal, moving up the personal life ladder, buying a house, getting married, starting a family.
- Once you have clarified your personal vision and created a statement that inspires and excites you, this should be written as if it’s already been achieved so you can visualise it happening. Then you need to break this down into 3 themes or objectives. These could be based around topics such as fitness, nutrition and wellbeing or exercise, learning and adventure. The important point is that on achieving all three of these objectives, the result will be that you achieve your vision.
- Once these objectives have been set, you need to draft out 5 goals, or key results, for each objective. These should all include a specific action that can be ticked off once it’s done to signify you are making progress. For the fitness objective, the key results could involve running a 10k race, going to the gym 3 times per week, lifting specific weights in a set timeframe, swimming or cycling races etc. These key results should all be time-specific and measurable.
Always remember your why
Remembering your why is essential to ensure you stay motivated and, therefore, more likely to succeed. Like any goals, your personal OKRs should be reviewed regularly to keep you on the right track. You should get into the habit of periodically logging your progress to instantly see if you are winning or not and moving closer to achieving your vision.
If you can, find an accountability partner who is as dedicated to self-improvement as you are and, ideally, someone you don’t want to let down in any way. This will help you stay on track and succeed even more.
If you are looking to become more successful overall and wish to make some general improvements in your life, here is some insight into how the most successful people spend their ‘me’ time:
- They read… a lot! Leaders are readers! They also listen to podcasts and consume as much high quality information as possible.
- They exercise. For successful business leaders, exercise isn’t just a good idea; it’s considered mandatory to maintain a healthy body and mind so they can perform at their best at all times.
- They take time to get present and focus on their day.
- They daydream, set dedicated thinking time and set ambitious goals.
- They journal and regularly clear their minds.
- They express gratitude for everything in their lives.
- They learn new skills and expand their network.
Personal OKRs have even been used to help build stronger bonds with family as they encourage focus in a particular area and help people be the best they can be, improving any aspects of their lives. Learn about John Doerr’s personal OKRs here.
We offer a deck of 8 actionable 1-3-5® OKR templates, including a health and fitness template plan populated with real examples. They are free and available for download instantly. So why not have a go at creating your personal OKR plan over the holidays?
If you would like to discuss your personal OKRs, then get in touch by emailing hello@reclaro.com. We will be happy to help.
