Turning Vision into Action in 2025

If you’ve been following along since my first post regarding goal setting on Dec 23rd, you now have up to three goals to focus on for the first quarter of 2025. The next step is combining vision with action—because action is what gets results.

Here’s a critical distinction to understand: the difference between leading and lagging goals. While we’re not talking about trading indicators here, the concept is similar. Let’s break it down.

Defining Leading and Lagging Goals

Leading Goals

Leading goals focus on effort. They are proactive and measurable based on steps you take, not just results.

Lagging Goals

Lagging goals, on the other hand, focus on outcomes. They measure results after the fact and can sometimes leave you feeling stuck if progress isn’t immediately visible.

To illustrate, let’s dive into an example.

Example: Learning TradingView

Establish Leading Goal

Let’s say one of my goals for 2025 is to learn TradingView. I’ve been using TradeStation for years, but learning TradingView could open up new opportunities for my trading and teaching.

So you may think “ become proficient at TradingView” is a suitable goal for me. But it lacks a clear end point. It’s more of a value that one can aim for, but isn’t necessarily reached or attained. 

Instead, something like “learn to use the drawing tools in TradingView that I already use in TradeStation” is way more clear with a distinct “goal achieved” end point. And I can pull the levers, instead of waiting for results. This is what makes a great Leading Goal. 

Add Sub-Steps to Achieve Leading Goal

This Leading Goal can now have sub-steps: 

1. Look at my current Chart Setup Orientation tutorials throughout my various courses like Lost Forecasting and my Blueprint mentorship portal and create a list of the current TradeStation drawing tools I actively use
2. Pick 3 tools and get into the TradingView platform (and education resources as needed) to learn to use the drawing tool in the same way. This should include the value inputs, color choices, and any other customizations that would “Himafy” the tool. As I explore and implement, record myself over my private Loom account so that I can refer back to any findings/steps if needed.
3. Pick 1 tool a week and make a public “Tribe” video on my YouTube channel on it so that I get practice explaining how to use the tool, as that’s the best sign of learning and understanding. Aim for 10 for the quarter (13 weeks are in each quarter).

These actions are within my control and set me up to achieve the Leading Goal described above! 

Why Leading Goals Work

Leading goals are actionable. They don’t rely on external factors or delayed results. By focusing on what you can control, you set yourself up for progress, regardless of the outcome.

Lagging goals can sometimes feel discouraging if results don’t show immediately. While they’re helpful for tracking long-term progress, they’re not always the best starting point.

Brain Dump Your Leading Goals and Sub-Steps

Go back to your list of 1-3 goals. Rephrase as a Leading Goal that’s based on actions, not results. Then determine sub-steps (3-5 max) that are likely to be actionable and achievable within 90 days. Don’t overthink this part—just jot down whatever comes to mind.

Check In with Yourself

Once you’ve jotted your leading goal(s) and sub-steps, take a moment to reflect:

• Are these goals realistic and aligned with my larger values?
• Do they feel manageable to me within a 90-day timeframe?
• Am I excited to take action on them?

Next Steps

In the final steps, we’ll structure your leading goals and sub-steps to have the final necessary elements of any good goal. This will allow you to move forward confidently and make meaningful progress here in Q1 2025. Stay tuned!