Big Picture Goals + How to Have Them (notes from an artist)
Welcome to here – my take on how, when and why we should use and set big picture goals. Because the fact is, we all have objectives.
Sometimes they’re small, and sometimes they’re grandiose. But either way, they’re meaningful targets we’re aiming for and hoping to achieve.
I like to break down this whole goal schema into three core parts:
Our macro goals
Our micro goals
Our nano goals
I cover each of these parts (and their roles) a little more throughout this post, but the core focus here is on the macro.
So let’s wrap up the chit chat. Let’s start with some quick definitions and the benefits of the bigger picture.
Let’s get it.
What Are Big Picture Goals? (what + why)
Before we jump into the nuts and bolts of this post, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page.
So, what is big picture thinking and goals exactly?
Big picture goals are the macro objectives we aim for and require big picture thinking, which is the act of zooming out and understanding your broader pursuits, motivations and core purpose.
Moving a step below these macro goals, you’ll find micro goals, followed by nano goals or tasks.
These smaller components are the core ingredients and main drivers of success.
But it’s all too easy to get lost in the daily minutia, because small steps forward can sometimes feel piecemeal.
But small steps lead to massive growth.
And we can remember this life truth by viewing our progress through a bigger, macro lens. It’s motivating when we step back and consider this.
I suppose this is the first major benefit to macro type of thinking – the inspiration we get by simply remembering our larger purpose or “end” points.
I say “end” points here because I also believe there are no finish lines – just moving goal posts and checkpoints (which is way more exciting!).
Here are a few more benefits of big picture goals:
They provide guardrails and direction for smaller, daily tasks
They add purpose and intention to life
They’re exciting and dreamer like
It’s incredibly rewarding once you reach them
They reframe struggles and failures as positive, growth opportunities
They improve patience and discipline
They fine-tune your focus
Reaching Big Picture Goals (4 Steps)
On to some practical stuff.
Let’s explore how to get clear on what it is we even want and the actionable steps we can take to reach those goals.
The formula below is what works for me, so I hope it’s valuable for you as well.
1. What Do You Want? (how to decide)
A logical first step for this formula to work is first decide what it is we want.
Or rather, what we’d like an ideal future life to look like.
This should be easy. But it can actually be kind of hard.
It’s something that changes often and we’re easily influenced to choose things that align with some “reality” or appease other outside pressures.
But try to be true to yourself.
I mean, go big. Get crazy. Let’s just say that nothing is out of reach.
Yes, I’m a dreamer. But it’s way more fun this way (right?).
So here are a few helpful tips to get a clearer picture of what it is you want – in the macro:
Define your values and align your bigger goals with them
What do you have the most fun doing?
Consider your strengths (and your weaknesses)
What skills do you have?
Which skills can you learn to turn your hobbies into jobbies?
Visualize and emotionally imagine yourself reaching your big picture goals – how does it feel?
2. Thinking Backwards (getting strategic)
Once we have a clearly defined, macro picture for our future life, it’s time to get strategic.
Thinking backwards is a super powerful way to turn complex things into simple steps. And it works wonderfully for reaching big objectives.
It’s a relatively straightforward process of reverse engineering your goals and it looks something like this:
Break your macro goal into the core micro goals that are required to meet it
Break down each micro goal into even smaller nano tasks that you can work on daily
Break things down further if needed
Like I said, it’s straightforward – but seriously powerful.
Once we’ve clearly defined our micro and nano goals, we’ll have a strategic map forward. We’ll know exactly where we need to place our attention.
3. Create A Daily Action Plan (taking action)
Destination: check.
Map: check.
Let’s start the journey.
Now that we know what we want and how to get there, we need to take action – massive daily action.
This is often the part that most people get hung up on (myself included). After all, having an idea or goal is usually the easy part – but taking the first steps forward to reach it?
Not so much.
So the advice here is simple: just start. Just do something everyday.
Even the small steps add up to big leaps forward.
You can try timeboxing your schedule and creating a workflow to get into the daily habit of tackling your nano tasks.
Eventually, if you continue to simply show up, I can promise you that results will follow.
4. Zooming Out + Tracking Progress (staying motivated)
I’m no expert, and I’m far from perfect (if such a thing ever existed).
But I have learned a few tricks that help me push through all the lulls. Because dips in motivation are inevitable.
But pushing through means developing stronger discipline.
Pushing through means forming new amazing action-taking habits. So the tips below are things that continue to help me – day in and day out.
Here are some of my top tips for staying the course:
Hang around more people who inspire you
Remember your why – this helps me stay motivated
Change your environment or make it more inspiring
Find a mentor or change who you listen to
Mood follows action – so just focus on the energy needed to get started
Create a reward system for yourself
Narrow your focus (don’t try to do too much in a day – aim lower)
Gamify things
A Few Examples of Big Picture Goals
Before we wrap things up, I thought it’d be helpful to highlight some examples of bigger picture goals.
You can think of this as a little more clarity and inspiration.
But of course, at the end of the day, what goals you decide to have and label as “big picture” is up to you and ultimately depends on your preferences, values and pursuits.
So this is subjective – this is my take on things.
Just remember this:
Big picture goals are longer-term and tend to be major checkpoints – they are built out of smaller micro goals and the “minor” moments of taking consistent daily action.
Some examples of my own big picture goals:
Realizing expertise and mastery over some skill set (currently: music production, for me)
Building multiple streams of income as a creative, doing what I love
Reaching financial freedom
Reaching (my first milestone of) 10,000+ monthly readers for this blog
Reaching 100,000 listeners for my music
Creating a recognizable, differentiated and authentically me brand identity
The 1-year effect of compounding your small daily improvements, trials and tribulations
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