When several parts of life need attention, choosing what to work on can feel harder than taking the first step. You might want more room for creativity, a clearer boundary around work, and more time with someone you love. Each deserves consideration. The question is which goals fit this season of your life and what you can realistically do about them.
Set aside 20 minutes and use the exercise below to choose three personal goals. By the end, you’ll have a reason for each one, a first step you can take this week, and a clearer sense of which goal needs your attention first.
Start with what you want more room for
Think about an ordinary week. When did you feel most engaged or most like yourself? What did you keep wishing you had time for? Write five or six possibilities in plain language. “I want a quieter end to my workday” is enough to start. You can decide what quieter means after you’ve named why it matters.
Read your list and ask, If no one else knew I was working on this, would I still care about it? An answer of “maybe” is worth sitting with. A goal can come from a real responsibility, such as caring for someone, and still reflect your values. Try writing one sentence about what you want to protect, build, or make room for through that goal.
Choose three goals that can share the same week
For each candidate, write down what it would ask of you. Consider time, money, energy, and any help you’d need. Circle three goals that could fit alongside your existing commitments. If all three depend on the same free evening or on someone else changing their plans, shrink one goal or put it aside for now.
You can give one goal most of your attention and keep the other two modest. For instance, if you want to return to drawing, protect one 20-minute slot each week. If you also want to reconnect with a friend, one invitation is enough to begin. If you want a calmer end to your workday, try a five-minute shutdown routine twice this week. Each goal has a place in the week without needing the same amount of effort.
Write a first step you can take yourself
Use four short lines for each goal. Here’s what that could look like for the drawing example.
- What matters. I want a creative activity I can enjoy without having to be good at it.
- What I’ll do this week. On Sunday after breakfast, I’ll sketch one object for 20 minutes.
- What could get in the way. If Sunday fills up, I’ll try ten minutes on Tuesday using the pencil and paper I already have.
- What I’ll review. Did I make the time? Was the slot workable? Would I choose the same activity again?
For a goal that depends on another person, write a step you can take while leaving them room to decide. “I’ll offer two times for a call” gives you something to do. Their response will help you decide what comes next.
Review what happened before you add more
Come back to your three goals in a week. Look at what you tried, what fit, and what took more effort than you expected. If you skipped a step, get specific about what got in the way. An inconvenient time might call for a calendar change. A recurring care responsibility might call for support or a smaller commitment. You can keep, resize, pause, or replace any of the three goals as you learn more about what your week can hold.
Explore the three-goal approach in AVARI
AVARI, Abbie Lee’s eight-week personal-growth program, uses three meaningful goals as the basis for a personal blueprint. The online program includes written teachings, daily practices, and a fillable workbook. It also includes The BrightSide Practice foundational course and a year of Practice Circle access that ends automatically. The AVARI and foundational course materials have no preset expiry while they remain hosted.
If you’d like to explore whether the program fits your goals and the time you have, contact Abbie about AVARI. Enrollment begins with a conversation about your start date, live session format and schedule, pricing, and program terms.