I’m a big goals guy. I have targets for what I want to get done or achieve or focus on. I’ve set New Year’s resolutions, tried to start habits, tried Seinfeld tracking. It tends to make me feel guilty or tired or down when things peter out or get derailed or I lose interest. But I got that sickness. I’m hardwired to set these goals and to try to feel like I’m progressing in some thing or another. So I have to do it.

Thankfully, I found a way that works for me lately.

I heard about splitting your life into semesters a few years ago (thanks to Vox’s Allie Volpe), and tried it out for the first time at the beginning of last year.

I’ve loved it. I have some goals that don’t seem crazy big but also don’t feel insubstantial. I can include audacious goals, small goals, habits and obligations all in one framework. It’s easy to check out what I want to do knowing that I’ll be able to drop it in a few months if it’s not working out. Failure is temporary, if it happens, and there’s an end date I can celebrate when things go well (if it happens).