“Success is not about doing more—it’s about doing what matters most.”
But how do you decide what matters most in a world full of options?
Welcome to the Goal Prioritization Filter—your system for cutting through the chaos and aligning your daily actions with your highest impact goals.
Why You Need a Filter—Not a To-Do List
Most people are drowning in lists. Their task managers, journals, sticky notes, and calendars are full—but their resultsaren’t.
Here’s the truth:
Not all goals are created equal.
You don’t need more tasks—you need a Goal Prioritization Filter to sift what deserves your focus from what’s just noise.
The Real Cost of Poor Goal Selection
Without a filter, you’ll:
- Chase conflicting objectives
- Burn energy on low-leverage efforts
- Feel overwhelmed by “unfinished” work
- Confuse motion with progress
Transition: The right goal at the right time creates momentum. The wrong goal at the wrong time creates resistance.
The 5-Layer Goal Prioritization Filter
Let’s break it down. Every goal you consider should pass through these five filters:
1. Identity Alignment
Ask:
“Does this goal reinforce the person I am becoming?”
Use AI to prompt:
“Based on my identity statements, which of these goals are most aligned?”
Eliminate any goal that conflicts with your long-term character arc.
2. Vision Fit
Ask:
“Does this move me measurably closer to my 1-year or 3-year vision?”
In Simpleology, label your major goals by timeline. Anything that doesn’t fit? Defer or delete it.
3. Impact Score
Ask:
“If I only achieved this goal, would it make other goals easier or irrelevant?”
This is your leverage filter. AI can help you rank goals by impact using:
- Time saved
- Revenue generated
- Energy returned
- Reputation gained
4. Effort-to-Outcome Ratio
Ask:
“What’s the estimated time, energy, and cost—compared to the expected reward?”
Score it simply:
| Goal | Effort (1–5) | Impact (1–5) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 2 | 5 | 3.5 |
| B | 5 | 3 | 1.5 |
Don’t just pick what’s “fun.” Pick what works.
5. Discipline Requirement
Ask:
“Will this force me to grow in the areas I avoid?”
This is where The Dark Side of Discipline (https://amzn.to/3Hmre2e) becomes vital.
Sometimes the goal you resist the most…
…is the one that will change your life the most.
Use this book’s frameworks to identify which goals:
- Stretch your capacity
- Expose your weaknesses
- Require a new version of you
How to Use the Filter with AI and Simpleology
AI Prompts to Clarify Priorities
- “Rank these 5 goals by long-term leverage and personal growth.”
- “Which goal aligns most with the identity statement: ‘I am a disciplined leader’?”
- “Which of these goals is most likely to help me eliminate future problems?”
Let AI do the math—while you bring the mission.
Simpleology Execution Flow
- Use Dream Catcher to input every goal idea
- In your Daily Start My Day, pull only top-tier goals
- Attach sub-tasks to goals that pass all 5 filters
- Schedule one priority at a time—ruthlessly
- Use Recurring Tasks for non-negotiables (identity habits)
Run this every week and adjust based on what’s actually moving you forward.
This isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing meaningfully less.
Bonus: The Anti-Goal List
Keep a section in your journal or digital tracker called the Anti-Goal List:
- Things you will not pursue
- Distractions that mimic progress
- Good ideas that aren’t your mission
When tempted to chase a shiny object, run it through the filter. If it fails—write it here and move on.
Call to Action: Focus That Creates Force
- Filter your focus
- Execute with discipline
- Align with your future self
- Let AI + Simpleology + Mental Strength guide your path
Use the tools:
- Simpleology to manage and filter execution: https://snip.ly/Simpleology101
- The Dark Side of Discipline to handle the hard parts: https://amzn.to/3Hmre2e
