Hey friends,
Hard truth about 2026 goals— effort alone won’t save you.
Here’s the shift most people miss:
Goals don’t need pressure.
They need a structure that matches you.
There isn’t one “right” way to set goals.
There’s only the way that fits how you think.
But first, a quick build-in-public update…
✨ What I’d Do Differently If I Had to Build creatyl Again
If I had to start creatyl over from scratch, there’s one thing I’d change immediately:
I’d say no way sooner.
Early on, I said yes to almost everything.
Every feature idea.
Every request.
Every “What if we also…?”
And at the time, that felt right.
Saying yes felt like progress. Like momentum. Like being helpful.
But here’s what I learned the hard way:
Too many yeses slow you down.
They add noise.
They make things heavier.
They blur the one reason people showed up in the first place.
So now we run everything through a much stricter filter:
Does this help someone launch faster?
Does this remove a real blocker?
Would I use this today, not someday?
If it doesn’t pass, we cut it.
Even if it’s almost done.
And yeah… we’ve deleted things that took real work.
That’s why creatyl feels simple now.
Not because it’s basic — but because we’ve learned what to protect.
We’re still learning.
Still cutting.
Still getting better at focus.
One clear decision at a time.
That’s the real work.
By the way — if you’re curious how creators, coaches, and consultants are actually using creatyl to build real digital offers (not just talk about it), I’m running a free live workshop this Thursday to build your own digital product:
If 2026 goals feel heavy already, it’s not you.
You’re just using the wrong system.
Save this.
Share it with someone planning their year.
Today we are going to help you master this by using:
‘Top 4 Goal Setting Methods'.
Let’s dive in!
Download This PDF + my Top 90+ Cheat Sheets At Bottom of Email
4 Real-World Ways to Use These Methods at Work
1. When Your Team’s Projects Keep Slipping Deadlines (Use: SMART Goals)
Scenario: Your team is constantly missing deadlines or rushing at the last minute.
Call a quick sync meeting and pick one project everyone is working on. Walk through the SMART framework together and rewrite the goal live. Ask:
Is this goal too vague?
How will we know we finished it?
What’s the real deadline?
Say:
“Let’s try breaking this down so we all know exactly what done looks like. If we can make it clearer, it’ll be easier to stay on track and speak up early if something slips.”
Post the revised SMART goal in your team chat or project board. Add a check-in reminder 1 week before the due date to ask “Are we 80% there?”
2. When Your Direct Report is Lacking Motivation (Use: OKRs)
Scenario: A team member seems disengaged or aimless even though they’re completing tasks.
Book a 1:1 and co-create a personal OKR with them. Focus on something they want to improve or own.
Example: “Improve confidence in team meetings” with key results like “Speak up in 3 team meetings this month.”
Say:
“You’ve been doing the tasks well, but I want to help you grow in the ways that matter to you. What’s one area you’d feel proud to improve this month?”
Share your own OKR too so it doesn’t feel like homework. Keep it low-pressure and check progress weekly, not daily.
3. When You Feel Overwhelmed by a New Leadership Role (Use: Backward Goal-Setting)
Scenario: You just stepped into a bigger role, and you're unsure where to start.
Grab a notepad and write a short paragraph describing what success looks like 6 months from now. Then reverse-engineer 3 milestones you need to hit to get there.
Start with the last step and work backward.
Say (to yourself or your coach):
“If I already had the trust of my team and we hit our targets, what had to happen in the months before that? What skills, systems, or wins led up to it?”
Once you have your steps, calendar 3 planning blocks over the next week to make space for execution. Don’t wing it.
4. When Your To-Do List is Out of Control and You’re Working Late (Use: ABCDE Method)
Scenario: You have 37 tasks, 5 meetings, and you’re thinking about quitting.
Take 10 minutes before lunch and run your list through the ABCDE filter. Be brutally honest. Use sticky notes or columns:
‘A’ = move needle
‘B’ = support task
‘C’ = nice but not needed
‘D’ = someone else can do
‘E’ = delete
Say (to your team or boss):
“I sorted my tasks to focus on what matters most. I’d like to delegate or delay a few lower-priority ones—can we review them together?”
Use a visual tool like Trello or Notion to label your tasks. Don’t rely on memory or scattered lists. See the mess. Sort the mess.
1. You just quit your job and need to start earning fast
Scenario: You have some savings, but not enough to wait months to figure it out.
Don’t spend weeks brainstorming ideas. Choose one thing you already know how to do and offer a small paid version of it.
Example: If you’re good at organizing, offer “1-hour digital cleanup” for inboxes or files — $50 flat rate.
DM 5 people or post in 2 Facebook groups with that offer today.
Your goal: Get one “yes” by the weekend, even if it’s underpriced. You’re testing, not building a full business yet.
You avoid perfection and start getting real feedback from real people.
2. You’ve been thinking about starting something for months, but never do
Scenario: You read newsletters like this. You watch others do it. But you stay stuck.
Set a 7-day experiment: What if this week, you actually tried?
Block off 2 one-hour sessions on your calendar for the week.
During the first one, write out your simple offer and one clear goal.
During the second, message 3 people and ask: “Would this be helpful to someone like you?”
You shrink the idea down to something doable. You stop researching and start moving.
3. You already have an idea—but building it feels overwhelming
Scenario: You’ve picked a skill and even written out an offer—but now you’re stuck choosing tools, designing, or writing copy.
Go to creatyl.com and answer a few quick questions.
The platform will auto-build your digital product outline for you — with the title, structure, and even a draft version of your content.
You can also use their templates to write your sales page in minutes.
Block off 30 minutes today to do this. No more guessing or Googling.
You stop wasting hours jumping between tools and focus on finishing.
Want to read more? Click here to download the infographic.
Here's how you can make it real today:
Step 1: Choose your method
Look at the 4 methods.
Pick the one that speaks to what you need most right now.
That’s your focus today.
Step 2: Set your moment
Decide when you’ll take action.
It could be right before lunch, after your first meeting, or during your next work block.
Mark it on your calendar or write a sticky note:
“Use my method today.”
Keep it visible.
Step 3: Do one small move
Pick a tiny action tied to your method. Examples
If you picked SMART, rewrite one goal to be clearer and time-bound.
If you picked OKRs, define one key result for a project you’re stuck on.
If you picked Backward, sketch 3 steps that come before your end goal.
If you picked ABCDE, move one task to the E pile—and delete it.
Step 4: Notice what changed
Later today, pause and ask yourself:
Did that move give me more direction?
Did anything feel easier or more clear?
Did I stop overthinking and actually move forward?
Write down one thing you noticed—or just sit with it for a minute.
Step 5: Close your day with one line
Before you log off or head to bed, finish this sentence:
“Today worked better because I ______.”
or
“Next time I feel stuck, I’ll try ______ again.”
AI Prompt: “Act as a practical goal coach. Help me complete today’s goal-setting challenge in the most effective way.
My chosen goal-setting method:
[OKRs / SMART Goals / Backward Goal-Setting / ABCDE Method]Context:
[Briefly describe the situation or project I’m working on today]What I feel stuck on:
[What feels unclear, heavy, or messy right now]Time I have today:
[15 minutes / 30 minutes / 1 hour]What I want by the end of today:
[A clear win, decision, or finished step]
Provide:
One clear goal written in simple words that fits my chosen method
One small action I can complete today that moves this goal forward
A short script I can use to explain this goal to a coworker or myself
One common mistake people make in this situation and how to avoid it today
A one‑line reflection I can use at the end of the day to close the loop
Keep everything simple, realistic, and focused on progress today—not perfection.”
Goals are not about pressure. They’re about clarity.
You can’t move forward if you don’t know where forward is.
A good method won’t just help you plan. It will help you think.
When you write it clearly, you reduce stress.
When you take one small step, you build real momentum.
The method you choose matters less than the fact that you choose one.
Until next time and with lots of love,
Justin
This Week’s Growth Recommendations
Book To Read:
“Your Best Year Ever” by Michael Hyatt (see it here)
TED Talk to Watch:
“Why the secret to success is setting the right goals" by John Doerr (see it here)
Want to learn to create your own digital products you can sell over and over?
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