Stop Setting Milestones: How to Sustain Motivation for Lifelong Ambition
- Michael Amenta
- Nov 3
- 2 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
For lifelong or complex goals, look to babies and toddlers, not the SMART framework.
The SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) isn't impractical; it's just meant for a different kind of goal:
Use SMART for task optimization or components of a larger goal — like improving efficiency within an existing process
Avoid SMART for complex, long-term mastery — like learning a language, hitting your annual goal, or becoming an expert
When you're trying to master something complex, time-bound milestones can lead to frustrating distractions during inevitably non-linear progression.
How Steph optimized the system
Focusing only on small, achievable requirements can also pigeonhole you into small improvements (i.e. "local optimizations"), rather than holistic, "system optimization".
As shown in the 2023 documentary, Stephen Curry: Underrated, Steph chose to develop a new shooting form that temporarily tanked his shot percentage in order to prevent blocks in the long term. Steph would never have made this decision if he was focused on, say, scoring 2 more points a game every game. Goals must be large and ambitious for one to be open to temporarily degrading performance (e.g. shooting efficiency) to optimize for the long-term (being able to succeed against much better competition).
When time bounds work
However, for small goals or task optimization, SMART's recommendation to set time bounds is, well, smart.
When trying to write or exercise today, give yourself a time block of an hour or a half hour to provide a manageable commitment to practice. In addition, when tackling an ad hoc and complex puzzle at work, it's effective to explore possible solutions in time-bound increments so you don't fall down a rabbit hole on a possibility that may be wrong.
The toddler model: four principles for mastery
While frameworks like OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) address some of the flaws in SMART for longer-term goals, OKRs don't describe how to achieve an objective. So, for complex goals and mastery, consider what works for our best learners—the toddlers and the AI models designed after their learning process.
Practice with presence: don’t set time-bound expectations that may lead to distracting frustration.
Define repetitions: know what counts as an in-bound or out-of-bounds condition (e.g. making a free throw vs missing it).
Shorten Feedback loops: iterate rapidly, preferably in frequent bursts or practice.
Stay Curious: Follow your passions and you won’t limit yourself to local optimizations for progress; examine the larger system to find what might be holding you back.
Is "PDF-C" a good mnemonic? Nope - but the goal of this article isn’t selling copyrights or books 🙂.