+1: Goals: Telescopes + Microscopes (#1315)
17 Dec 2025 · 0 min
A short Heroic One podcast episode (hosted by Brian Johnson) that teaches goal-setting using the metaphors of telescopes (1, 3, 5+ year aspirational goals) and microscopes (daily, executable actions). Johnson recommends defining a "big three" of Energy, Work, and Love, creating a protocol (Step 0), committing to act as your best self (Step 1), hitting daily targets (Step 2) and repeating indefinitely (Step 3). The episode repeatedly directs listeners to use the Heroic app and includes a time-limited promotional offer for a Lifetime Premium membership.
Questions this episode answers
Brian Johnson
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Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another Heroic One. Not too long ago we spent some time with Brian Cain and some of his wisdom from a couple of his little fables. 1% better in the 10 pillars of mental Performance Mastery. I want to revisit some of his wisdom today. Let's talk about your goals. We'll invite Kaner back to the party to help us check them out from a couple different perspectives. In 10 Pillars he tells us, and I quote, setting big goals is great, but they have to be the right goals or they become traps. Financial goals must be secondary to family goals or you won't have any family to set goals with. You also need to have telescope and microscope goals. Telescope goals that you can see off into the future. And then you must reverse engineer a process back to your microscope and execute on your microscopic goals. Daily telescope goals are 1, 3, 5 plus years into the future and the microscope goals are what you will do in the next 24 hours to move towards your telescope goals. Remember, inch by inch goal setting is a cinch and yard by yard, it's hard. End quote. Now that's from a chapter on pillar number two of his Mental Performance Mastery, which is all about our motivation and commitment. Brian tells us and all great peak performance teachers affirm that one of the most important things we can do to get and sustain elite levels of motivation is to set clear goals. And I just love the way he helps us do that. So let's bust out our telescopes and our microscopes, then the heroic app and do some work. First, the telescope. What are your most inspiring 1, 3 and 5 plus year goals? Seriously, what are they? If you feel so inspired, let's do a quick inventory of your, let's say five year goals in your big three Energy, Work and Love. Remember, if we don't prioritize our love alongside our work, we may not have the opportunity to set and celebrate the achievement of our work goals with the people in our lives who matter most. And if our energy isn't where it needs to be, there's no way we'll show up powerfully in either our work or our love. So, big three for the win. Now what is your number one five year energy goal Think about that for a moment. Fast forward you five years from now. Best Selves Diary who are you? What do you look like? What's a goal you want to achieve in five years? Energy wise, Same thing. Work wise. Look through that telescope. Who are you at your best five years from now? Same thing with love. Nice work. Now it's time to bust out the microscope. I'm biased, but I think one of the easiest ways to get clarity on what you should do today to be in integrity with the best version of yourself that's capable of achieving those long term goals is simple. Do some target practice on the Heroic app as we move from theory to practice to Mastery together today. STEP 0 Set up your big three protocol by getting clarity on who you are at your best in your energy, work and love, the virtues that version of you embodies and what specifically you will actually do today to be in integrity with that best version of yourself. Step 0 Step 1 Commit to being that best version of yourself and doing those things today. Note as we like to say, and I promise to repeat myself, New Year's resolutions are nice and warm and fuzzy. New Day's resolutions are where it's at if you actually want to consistently perform at the highest possible levels. Step zero. You set up your protocol. Step one. You committed. Step two Hit your targets all day, every day, especially today. And even more importantly, commit and hit them on those days when you don't insert whiny voice. Feel like it. STEP 3 Repeat forever. See your moonshot goals with your telescope, see the next steps in your microscope and dominate the day with your heroic app and give us all you've got. Hero today.
We hope you enjoyed today's Heroic One for more ancient wisdom, modern science and practical tools to help you flourish in energy, work and love. Head to Heroic Us where you can get started on your heroic journey for free. Plus until November 15th, you can save 40% on a Lifetime Premium membership by heading to Heroic US Lifetime. Join over 14,000 Plus Heroic Premium members committed to activating their best every day so that we can change the world one person at a time together. Starting with you and us today. Head to Heroic Us Lifetime to learn more.
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