The standard advice is to set SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. And most people who set them still fail. The National Institutes of Health reports that 80% of New Year's resolutions fail by February. The problem is not the goal — it is the system.
Traditional goal setting focuses on outcomes: "I want to lose 10kg" or "I want to earn £50,000." But you do not control outcomes. You control your actions. This framework shifts the focus from what you want to achieve to who you want to become and what you need to do daily.
Instead of "I want to run a marathon," the identity layer asks: "I want to become a runner." Instead of "I want to save £10,000," it asks: "I want to become someone who manages money well."
Why this matters: Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you want to become. When your goal is rooted in identity, it becomes self-reinforcing. A runner does not need motivation to run. It is just what they do.
Exercise: Write down 3-5 identity statements. "I am the type of person who..." These become your north star.
This is where most people skip ahead and set outcome goals. Instead, define the daily and weekly processes that align with your identity.
Notice: these are all within your control. You cannot control whether you lose 10kg (your body has its own timeline), but you can control whether you exercise 4 times this week.
Outcomes still matter — they give you direction and help you measure whether your processes are working. But they sit at the bottom of the hierarchy, not the top.
Set quarterly outcome goals (not annual — too far away to feel urgent). Examples:
Every 12 weeks, stop and review. This is the most important part of the framework and the one most people skip.
PeakLevs was designed around exactly this framework. Log your daily actions across six life categories, build streaks, and let the momentum engine show you whether you are actually living up to your identity — not just planning to.