Short-Term Objective Planning

We used to plan everything for the entire year, but I got frustrated with how vague those goals would be. You end up making them broad enough to fit anything that might happen over twelve months. That sounds convenient, but it also creates wiggle room that dilutes accountability. A year is a long stretch, too long for a lot of objectives to stay relevant in a fast-moving industry. So I switched to setting six-month targets. It felt like the right balance between having enough time to accomplish something substantial and staying agile so we can pivot if the market shifts. In the past, if you commit to an annual plan, you might spend months just figuring out what you’re supposed to do, then realize halfway through that the goal has changed or the market has evolved. With six-month goals, you’re forced to be more specific and more decisive from day one. Some people argue that short-term goals can become too prescriptive, leaving less room for creativity. From my experience, it’s actually the opposite. By being very clear on exactly what we need to ship or achieve in those six months, we narrow down the field enough that teams can be even more creative. No one’s flailing around wondering, “What should I do?” Instead, everyone’s focused on how to do it better, faster, and smarter.

Years of playing strategy games growing up has led me to love career strategizing. After pivoting from geopolitical intel to CTI, I started to mentor others on how to make similar transitions. Here’s a high-level strategy I use to help people pivot into a new role. Long-term aspiration; medium-term goals; short-term objectives. Long-term aspiration: → Start with the end-goal in mind by working out the job specialization you want → Check your assumptions about that specialization and research the daily reality of that job to ensure you will be happy doing it Medium-term goals: → Find job descriptions for the role you want (if cyber: check the NICCS NICE framework) and go through them line-by-line with a highlighter → Highlight green if you have that skill/experience/knowledge; yellow if you partially have it; and red if you do not at all → Use the yellow and red highlights to identify your priority gaps Short-term objectives: → Develop a list of achievable objectives to turn your gaps from red to yellow, then from yellow to green → These objectives can include doing a course, training yourself on a new tool, job shadowing, reading textbooks, publishing analysis, etc. → Set up a schedule to consistently work on one objective at a time Strategies rarely offer quick fixes but if you can persistently tick off the objectives, the rest will follow in suit.

Why I stopped making long-term plans as an entrepreneur As an entrepreneur, I used to create detailed year-long strategies, but I've since switched to a 90-day planning approach. Here's why this change has been so beneficial for me: ◾ Long-term plans often become outdated before you can even execute them. Market conditions and client needs can shift rapidly, rendering those meticulously crafted yearly plans obsolete. ◾ Resources can get wasted on preparing for scenarios that ultimately never materialize.  ◾ Rigid, long-term plans can cause teams to lose their agility and responsiveness. They become overly focused on executing the plan rather than adapting to new opportunities. In contrast, my 90-day #planning strategy has been a game-changer. By breaking down my goals and initiatives into shorter, more manageable chunks, I've been able to: ✓ Move projects forward at a much faster pace  ✓ Capitalize on real-time opportunities as they arise  ✓ Keep my teams more engaged and adaptable  ✓ Make more accurate predictions about the near-term future ✓ Test new products and services faster and more effectively Personally, this shift has allowed me to achieve greater success in the short-term while maintaining the flexibility to adjust course as needed. Sometimes, a less extensive planning approach can lead to better results. It's all about finding the right balance between long-term vision and short-term execution.   #entrepreneur #business #leadership 

5 Key points for kicking off 2026 the right way! The start of a new year isn’t about motivation, it’s about structure. I’ve found the most powerful way to approach January is by working on both short term execution and long-term direction at the same time. Currently in Europe for a month with the family and working on structures that ensure short and long term success. Here are the five benefits of doing both: 1. Immediate Momentum Quarterly, 6mth & 12mth goals force action. They remove ambiguity and turn strategy into execution. You start winning quickly and momentum compounds. 2. Clear Priorities Short term goals make it obvious what actually matters right now. They stop you from confusing activity with progress and keep resources focused on the highest-impact initiatives. 3. Better Decision Making A 3–5 year vision acts as a filter. Opportunities, partnerships, and investments become easier to assess because you’re asking: Does this move us closer to where we want to be long term? 4. Stability in Uncertain Times Short term goals help you adapt when things change. Long-term goals keep you focused on where you’re heading. Together they stop you from overreacting or losing direction. 5. Compounding Growth Quarterly execution builds capability. Long term strategy builds enterprise value. When both are aligned, every small win today compounds into something far bigger tomorrow. Hope this resonates. #longterm #shortterm #success #motivation #goals #strategy