Goal Clarity Framework
BetterDays
Clarify what matters. Focus on what counts.
Most goal-setting fails not because of poor execution, but because people pursue the wrong goals—or too many of them. BetterDays is a framework for identifying your true priorities and keeping them front and center—every day.
The Challenge
Why Most Goal-Setting Fails
People don't struggle with goals because they lack ambition. They struggle because they lack clarity about what truly matters—and why.
Goal Confusion
Treating promotions and raises as end goals, when they're actually steps toward something deeper. Achieving them feels hollow because the real goal was never identified.
Priority Proliferation
Attempting to pursue everything at once, spreading effort across too many "priorities." When everything is important, nothing gets meaningful progress.
Daily Drift
Starting each day with good intentions but ending up reactive—responding to emails, putting out fires, and losing sight of long-term priorities.
Missing the "Why"
Pursuing goals without understanding the deeper motivation. When obstacles arise, there's no emotional anchor to sustain effort.
Goal clarity is the foundation for meaningful progress.
Without knowing what truly matters, people scatter their energy across competing priorities. BetterDays provides both the discovery process to identify what matters most, and the ongoing reinforcement to keep those priorities front and center—every day.
The BetterDays Framework
From Scattered to Focused in Four Steps
A research-backed approach to thoughtful prioritization, drawing on modern decision science and the goal hierarchy principles from Better Than Destiny.
Brain Dump Everything
Start by listing every goal, project, task, and aspiration on your mind. Don't filter—just capture. Career ambitions, family hopes, health targets, creative projects, financial milestones. Get it all out.
Most people are surprised by how much they're carrying. Seeing it all in one place is the first step toward clarity.
Map the Hierarchy
For each item, ask: "Is this a step toward something else on my list?" This reveals which goals are truly top-level (the ultimate outcomes you want) versus mid-level and low-level goals (the milestones and tasks that serve them).
You'll often discover that what felt like many separate goals are actually all supporting one or two deeper priorities.
Choose 3–5 Top-Level Priorities
From your true top-level goals, select 3–5 to focus on. This is the hard part—but it's where the magic happens. Everything else becomes "not now," not "never."
Life has many dimensions—career, family, health, finances, relationships, personal growth, and more. Your top-level goals will often span multiple areas. Don't worry about covering every category; focus on the goals that feel most essential to who you want to become.
Understand Your "Why"
For each priority, complete the "several stages of why" exercise. Ask why this goal matters. Then ask why that matters. Then ask again. Go three levels deep.
This creates the emotional anchor that sustains motivation when obstacles arise—because they will. Knowing your deep "why" is what keeps you going.
My top-level goal:
"Be a present, engaged parent"
Why is this important to you?
"I want my kids to know they're my priority, not an afterthought."
Why does that matter?
"Because I remember how it felt when my parents were too busy. I don't want that for them."
And why is that significant?
"This is my one shot at fatherhood. I can always get another job—I can't get these years back."
8:00 AM • Monday
Good morning!
Which goal will you prioritize today?
Set Your Priority Each Day
Clarity isn't a one-time event—it's a daily practice. The BetterDays approach includes a simple daily priority system to keep your intentions clear.
- Morning Priority Check: Start each day by declaring which top-level goal takes precedence if conflicts arise. You can still work on multiple goals—this just clarifies which wins when they compete.
- Alignment Checks: "Is what I'm doing right now serving my priority?" Brief moments throughout the day to ask.
- Why Reminders: Regular touchpoints that surface your deeper motivations, keeping the emotional anchor strong.
- Monthly Review: Periodic prompts to reassess—because priorities evolve as life changes.
Framework & Tools
Put the Framework into Practice
Free resources to help you clarify your goals and stay on track.
Goal Discovery Worksheet
A printable worksheet that guides you through all four steps of the BetterDays framework, from brain dump to "Why" reflection.
Download PDFFree Book Chapter
Chapter 4 of Better Than Destiny dives deep into the goal hierarchy concept. Read it free and understand the science behind the framework.
Read ChapterDaily Priority Tracker
A simple daily planning template that puts your top-level goals at the center of your schedule. Helpful on its own, or to supplement your planner or calendar.
Download TemplateThe BetterDays App is Coming
We're building a mobile and web app that transforms the BetterDays framework into a daily practice. Guided discovery, personalized reminders, daily priority prompts, and alignment checks—all designed to keep your intentions clear.
Go Deeper with the Book
The BetterDays framework is based on the principles in Better Than Destiny. The book provides the full science behind goal hierarchy, decision-making, and building a life aligned with what truly matters to you.
Learn About the Book