# What time horizons to consider [[Time Horizons]] matter a lot. If you wonder why, then read that: [[Why time horizons matter]] As I’ve discussed in [[SMART Goals|SMART Goals]], when you define your goals, you need to think about the time dimension. You can do this by exploring the following questions: - Is this goal a big priority in my life? (i.e., MUST vs SHOULD vs COULD) - When should I start working toward that goal? - When should I achieve that goal? As you explore the time dimension of your goals, you should associate each one with a specific time horizon in order to clearly define your **personal roadmap**. This roadmap will be your guiding light. Just like your [[Personal Manifesto]] and Purpose (i.e., your [[What is your Ikigai|Ikigai]]), it will help you make better decisions. I personally use the following time horizons and try to **keep things simple**: - **+6 Months:** The goals that I put in the +6 Months bucket are those that have the most importance for me. Those are the things I want to achieve in the coming months, and thus those I need to focus on. - **+1 Year:** The goals that I put in the +1 Year bucket also have a high priority, but either require preparation or need to wait a bit. - **+3 Years:** The goals I put in the +3 Years bucket feel like the next big things I want to achieve. Generally, those goals have less priority, and require extensive preparation or deep thought. - **+10 Years:** Finally, the goals I put in the +10 Years bucket are my long-term goals. Those are either really ambitious goals that will take me a really long time to achieve, and require intermediary steps, or dreams that I have for my future. The different time horizons correspond to the timeframes in which I hope to achieve certain goals (i.e., it’s about the end, not the beginning!) More granularity is rarely useful. I’ve been using this approach for many years, and it has always been enough. ## How to associate goals and ambitions with time? > [[The longer the time horizon, the more ambitious your goals should be]] Cfr [[Ambitious goals make things happen]] When you define your goals for the next ten years, it’s fine to dream big and set really ambitious goals. Those are the ones that will push you to grow the most. Those are inspiring. They’re the ones that require a deep meaning and need to fully align with your purpose. ## Related - [[Ambitious goals make things happen]] - [[Personal Manifesto]] - [[SMART Goals]] - [[Time Horizons]] - [[Why time horizons matter]]