How to get what you want in life

5:00

Here's a good notation system for CLEARLY stating your goals, as well as the means/ploys/tactics available to achieve those goals.

Example:

Make more money
... Work overtime
... Get higher salary at current job
... ... Negotiate higher salary with boss
... ... Change departments
... ... Get a degree (MBA, etc.) to convince boss of one's higher value to the company
... Get higher salary at new job
... ... Network to find new employer(s)
... ... Polish resume and cover letters
... ... Recruit a career agent who will find new job with higher salary
... Launch a business on the side

"Make more money" is the goal, and "Work overtime" or "Get higher salary at current job" is the means to achieve that goal.

The great thing about the above notation system is that it's incredibly simple, and visual too: you can see right away the whole picture.