The outcome
One goal. Put a number and a date in it, or it stays a wish.
Where you are today
Honestly. This is the gap you have to cross, so guessing low helps nobody.
The main obstacle
Not five. The one that stops you most often — and be specific about it.
Your if-then plan
One repeatable action, tied to a moment in your day. Small enough that a tired version of you still does it.
Why the obstacle step matters
Imagining the finished result feels good, and that is exactly the problem. When the mind treats the goal as already reached, urgency drops and effort quietly drops with it. Picturing success on its own is a weak predictor of reaching it.
Pairing the wish with the reality in front of you works better. You still picture the outcome, but immediately after you name what is blocking it. That contrast is what turns a daydream into a decision — and it also tells you, honestly, when a goal is not worth chasing right now.
Why the plan is written as if-then
"I will work harder" gives your brain nothing to grab. "If it is Tuesday at 8pm, then I write for 30 minutes" attaches the action to a trigger you will actually meet. Decide once, in advance, and you stop spending willpower on the decision every single day.
Keep the action embarrassingly small at the start. A plan you complete on your worst day is worth more than an ambitious one you abandon in week two.