Writing OKRs for personal goals
OKRs or “Objectives and Key Results” is a goal-setting methodology introduced first by Google, and is used by most fast-paced tech companies around the world for goal-setting and tracking at the company, division, team, or individual level.
In short, OKRs consist of exciting objectives that make you get out of bed each morning, and with each objective are ambitious measurable key results (KR) that keep you on track on how you are doing with your objectives.
Said this, though I have been using OKRs to set my professional goals, this is my first time to set OKRs for my personal goals. I had been using new year's resolutions but it was not leading to consistent efforts throughout the year. Also, I felt that the resolutions I had set at the beginning of the year were no longer relevant or of higher priority as the year went by. So I thought of taking the OKRs route for my personal goals and that too breaking down for each quarter so I can make necessary changes as I go along.
It took me a week to come up with exciting objectives and the ambitious & measurable key results to go with these. Broadly speaking, I divided my objectives into 5 pillars — Health, Work, Side Gig, Family & Friends, and Learning. Next, I tried to come up with objective statements that will make me excited to work towards them. For example, I set these objectives for the next 3 months:
Objective-1: Get a fit body for the upcoming covid-free summers
Objective-2: GoCurry is used and loved by the active members of the Facebook curry circle
and so on.
Next, for each objective, I thought about the measurable key results so I can say that if these results are achieved, the objective is completed. For example:
Objective-1: Get a fit body for the upcoming covid-free summers
- Key Result-1: Be able to run 3 km in 18 mins at a stretch (current: 2 km in 14 mins)
- Key Result-2: Be able to do 20 push-ups at a stretch (current: 10)
- Key Result -3: Be able to reduce body mass by 15%
As you can see, each Key Result is an outcome that can be easily measured at the end of the period, and hence, the objective completion% can be obtained accordingly. Like, in the case I could run 2.5 km in 18 mins, I can say I achieved 83.3%. Similarly, if I am able to do 15 push-ups at a stretch and reduce body mass by 10%, I will achieve 75% and 67% respectively. So overall I will be able to say that I achieved 75% of my objective.
Reflecting on these results and understanding the needs after 3 months, I would be able to set new objectives and more ambitious key results to go with.
These Key Results are different from “Key Performance Indicators” or KPIs in the sense the focus is on the outcome but not the actions. KPIs or action plans can be enumerated for each Key Results to keep you engaged. Example:
- Key Result -3: Be able to reduce body mass by 15%
→ KPI1: <2000 kcal and 100gm protein intake every day
→ KPI2: Run avg 7km every week
Conclusion:
- Writing exciting Objectives, measurable Key Results, and simple KPIs/action plans in this hierarchy can really help to organize not only your professional but also personal goals.
- Try to keep your goals for a short period (ideally 3 months) so as to reflect on them often and change your course if needed