As we wrap up 2024, many of us might be thinking about our goals for new year. If you have a specific achievement in mind setting goals provides direction. But the strategy you use to set goals can impact your success so its essential to find a framework that works best for you.
In last year’s guide we looked at:
SMART goals
OKR
Micro Goals
Backward goals
Visual goals
Golden circle
One word goals
Locke and lathams 5 principles
Values based goals
WOOP goals
6 Goal Setting Strategies for 2025
- HARD goals
- BHAGs
- Goal Pyramid
- BSQ
- GOST
- Anti goals
1. HARD goals
Contrary to the name this goal framework is easy to plan and put into action.
Heartfelt: Your goal should align with the mission and motivation that helps your company succeed.
Animated: Visualize what accomplishing your goal would look like. When imagining consider all your senses from sight to taste so you can remember your goal.
Required: Connect your goal to something necessary. If you want to improve your
Difficult: Your goal should challenge you. Keep it attainable but challenging enough so when you complete it you’ll have a sense of accomplishment.
2. BHAGs (big hair audacious goals)
A BHAG is a long term goal that can apply to everyone in the organization. These goals aim to excite and boost momentum in the company.
4 types of BHAGs:
Role model: these goals seek to recreate the success of another well-known company
Common Enemy: This BHAG focuses on overcoming your competition.
Targeting: these goals usually refer to specific metrics such as ranking as the leader in the industry or reaching a certain market cap.
Internal Transformation: Organizations with this type of goal are looking to reinvigorate their company.
3. Goal Pyramid
The goal pyramid is a visual framework to aid in identifying and achieving your goals. Starting at the top of pyramid, you need to establish your primary objective. As you move further down the pyramid your main goal is divided into smaller sub-goals or milestones. Within each sub goal contains the tasks and actions required to achieve it which forms the base of your pyramid.
4. BSQ
Big, Small, and Quick
This framework consists of three components:
- Think Big
- Act Small
- Move Quick
Thinking big is about reaching your full potential by thinking of big goals. If you only set small goals you’ll only ever achieve less than what you can. Acting small is about setting small milestones you need to hit. Lastly, moving quick is setting and following timelines.
5. GOST
This strategy consists of 4 elements:
Goals: The desired result you want to achieve. Can be broad but needs to provide direction.
Objectives: Measurable outcomes that
Strategy: Should outline specific areas of focus and your plan for achieving your objectives
Tactics: Shorter term actions that contribute to the delivery of your strategy
6. Anti-Goals
Sounds contradictory but anti-goals define what actions or outcomes should be prevented. The key to this method is examining your goals and then inverting them. If you’re goal is to improve time management your anti goals could be “being late for work” “missing deadlines”.
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