Goal Hierarchy System

Over the years, I’ve experimented with different planning approaches—from strict structure to none at all—and I found that a good system should provide clarity and direction without unnecessary constraints.

This system, which I call the Goal Hierarchy System, organizes work into three levels:

1. Goals: short-term objectives.
2. Milestones: Key steps toward a goal.
3. Tasks: Individual units of work.

Three levels offer the best balance between structure and flexibility.

1. Goal

• Goals span from one month to a maximum of one year.
• They should align with your long-term vision.
• Spend 1-2 weeks planning and defining the first 4-5 milestones with clear deliverables.
• Maintain a structure of two heavy goals + one light goal at a time.

2. Milestone

• Each milestone represents a significant step toward achieving a goal.
• Milestones can also be standalone and not necessarily tied to a specific goal.
• Milestones are neither purely technical nor purely general—they define high-level steps but remain feasible.
• Milestones typically take one to two weeks to complete.
• They can be sequential or parallel, depending on the structure of the work.