The Be/Have/Do Goal Setting Framework: Why Most Goals Fail (And How to Fix It)

You've set goals before. Maybe dozens of times.

"I want to launch a product this year." "I want to hit $10,000 MRR." "I want to lose 10 kilograms."

And if you're like most people, by February those goals are distant memories. Not because you're lazy or lack willpower, but because you're using a broken goal-setting framework.

During our recent annual planning workshop with 10+ indie hackers and bootstrapped founders, we explored why traditional goal-setting fails - and discovered a powerful three-dimensional framework that actually works.

The Problem with Traditional Goal Setting

Here's what typically happens when you set a goal:

You identify something you want to have by the end of the year. A specific revenue number. A weight on the scale. A product launched.

You feel motivated for the first few weeks. Maybe even the first month.

Then life happens. Work gets busy. You miss a few days. The goal starts feeling distant and arbitrary. By March, you've forgotten about it entirely.

Come December, you feel guilty. "I set that goal and didn't even get close. What's wrong with me?"

Nothing is wrong with you. Everything is wrong with your goal-setting framework.

Traditional goals focus only on outcomes - the HAVE. They ignore two critical dimensions: who you need to be and what you need to do.

Introducing the Be/Have/Do Goals Framework

During the workshop, one facilitator shared a framework he learned from a mentor - a simple but transformative way to think about goals across three dimensions:

BE Goals: Who You Want to Become (Identity)

BE goals are about identity. They answer the question: "Who am I becoming?"

These goals are intentionally subjective and intangible:

"I am a confident entrepreneur who doesn't depend on jobs"
"I am a CEO of a million-dollar ARR business"
"I am a good father who prioritizes quality time with my daughters"
"I am a consistent builder, not a motivation-driven coder"

BE goals create intrinsic motivation. When your goal connects to your identity, you're not forcing yourself to act - you're expressing who you are.

HAVE Goals: What You Want to Achieve (Outcomes)

HAVE goals are the traditional goals most people set. These are tangible, measurable outcomes:

"$10,000 monthly recurring revenue"
"52 new clients"
"Three different revenue sources"
"Launch three products"
"First dollar earned from the internet"

HAVE goals provide direction and measurable endpoints. They answer: "Where do I want to be by the end of the year?"

DO Goals: The Actions That Get You There (Process)

DO goals are the daily, weekly, and monthly actions that lead to your HAVE goals:

"Launch one product per quarter"
"One qualified client outreach per day"
"Build and validate one idea by end of January"
"Dedicate one hour, three days per week to building"
"Land one discovery call with potential prospects per month"

DO goals are your execution layer. They're the process that creates results.

Why This Framework Works (When Others Don't)

The magic of the Be/Have/Do framework is how the three dimensions reinforce each other.

Without BE goals, you have no intrinsic motivation. You're forcing yourself to pursue outcomes that don't connect to your identity. This creates willpower depletion and eventual burnout.

Without HAVE goals, you have no clear direction or way to measure progress. You might be busy, but you don't know if you're making meaningful progress.

Without DO goals, you have wishes, not plans. You know where you want to go, but you have no roadmap for getting there.

Most people set HAVE goals exclusively. "I want to lose 10kg" is a perfect example.

Without the BE goal ("I am someone who prioritizes health"), there's no identity shift.

Without the DO goal ("Join a gym, work out 4x per week, track calories"), there's no process.

The result? Guilt and failure at year-end. Not because the goal was impossible, but because the framework was incomplete.

Real Examples from the Workshop

During our 98-minute annual planning workshop, participants shared their goals using this framework. Here's what emerged:

Example 1: The Agency Founder

BE Goal: I am the CEO of a million-dirham ARR business

HAVE Goal: 52 clients (1.2 million dirhams in revenue)

DO Goal: Minimum one qualified outreach per day, hire and train salespeople with detailed SOPs

The group helped refine the DO goal during discussion. "One outreach per day" felt vague - does mass email count? The refined version: "Land one discovery call with a potential prospect per month."

This specificity transforms a fuzzy action into a concrete process goal.

Example 2: The Full-Time Employee Transitioning to Indie Hacking

BE Goal: I am confident in my ability to generate revenue independently without depending on jobs

HAVE Goal: Three to four different revenue sources creating a sustainable portfolio

DO Goal: Dedicate at least one hour, three days per week to building my own products

One founder's advice: "Start with this time commitment for 4 weeks. By February, you'll have clarity on specific actions within those hours."

The power here is starting with a process you can control (time commitment) rather than outcomes you can't guarantee (revenue).

Example 3: The Indie Hacker Seeking First Dollar

BE Goal: I am a consistent builder rather than a motivation-driven coder

HAVE Goal: System to declutter ideas, three revenue sources, first dollar from the internet

DO Goal: Find and validate an idea by end of January, build 3-4 products this quarter, double down on what makes money

The BE goal here is crucial. This founder recognized they'd been coding all night for 2-3 days, burning out, then disappearing for weeks. The identity shift - from "motivated coder" to "consistent builder" - changes everything.

Consistency beats intensity. One to two hours every day produces better results than sporadic all-nighters.

Example 4: Personal Life Goal (Beyond Business)

BE Goal: I am a good father to my two daughters

HAVE Goal: Strong relationship and quality time with my daughters

DO Goal: Take them outside regularly (bike rides, juice stops, ice cream) - intentional phone-free moments at least twice per week

This example demonstrates the framework's versatility. The BE/Have/Do structure works for relationships, health, and personal growth - not just business metrics.

The DO goal is beautifully specific: bike rides, juice stops, no phones. These aren't grand gestures - they're simple, repeatable actions that build connection over time.

How to Apply the Be/Have/Do Framework to Your Goals

Ready to transform your 2026 goals? Here's your step-by-step process:

Step 1: Start with HAVE Goals (Traditional Goals)

Write down 2-3 major goals for the year. These should be specific and measurable:

Revenue targets
Product launches
Client acquisition
Personal achievements

Don't overthink this step. These are likely goals you've already considered.

Step 2: Connect Each HAVE Goal to a BE Goal

For each HAVE goal, ask: "Who do I need to become to achieve this naturally?"

If your HAVE goal is "$50,000 in revenue," your BE goal might be:

"I am an entrepreneur who creates value people pay for"
"I am a founder who launches and markets products consistently"
"I am someone who sees rejection as data, not failure"

The BE goal should feel slightly aspirational - it's who you're growing into, not necessarily who you are today.

Step 3: Define DO Goals (Your Process)

This is where most goal-setting breaks down. For each HAVE goal, identify the repeatable actions that will get you there.

Make DO goals as specific as possible:

Bad DO goal: "Work on marketing"
Good DO goal: "Publish one blog post per week and engage with 10 community members daily"
Bad DO goal: "Be more consistent"
Good DO goal: "Work on product 5:30-7:00 AM every weekday before day job starts"

The more specific your DO goals, the easier they are to execute.

Step 4: Use the Quarterly Planning Trick

Here's a powerful refinement from the workshop: Don't try to execute all goals simultaneously for 12 months.

Use the 12-Week Year approach:

Annual goals set direction. They're your north star.

Quarterly goals drive execution. Every 12 weeks, choose 1-2 major goals to focus on intensely.

Why this works:

Three months feels immediate, not distant
Forces ruthless prioritization
Creates urgency without panic
Allows for course correction every quarter
Makes saying "no" to distractions easier

One workshop participant explained: "I'll get an idea like 'start a podcast.' Instead of saying 'not this year' (too distant), I say 'not this quarter.' That contains me and keeps me focused."

Step 5: Track DO Goals, Not Just HAVE Goals

Most people track outcomes (HAVE goals) exclusively. Did I hit $10K MRR? Did I lose 10kg?

This creates delayed feedback loops. You might not know if you're on track until it's too late to adjust.

Track your DO goals daily or weekly instead. These are in your control:

Did I do my one qualified outreach today?
Did I work on my product for one hour three times this week?
Did I take my daughters out for quality time twice this week?

When you consistently hit DO goals, HAVE goals take care of themselves.

Advanced Concept: 10x vs. 2x Goal Setting

Toward the end of the workshop, the conversation shifted to exponential thinking - a concept from the book "10x Is Easier Than 2x" by Dr. Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan.

The core insight: When you set a 10x goal instead of a 2x goal, you're forced to think completely differently.

2x Thinking (Linear):

"More of what I'm already doing"
Boring, tiring, incremental
Feels like a grind

10x Thinking (Exponential):

Immediately eliminates 90% of current activities (you know they won't get you there)
Opens mind to completely different strategies
Energizing and creative

Practical application:

If your HAVE goal is $10,000 MRR, ask yourself: "What if it was $100,000 MRR? How would I approach this completely differently?"

For beginners: More experiments, more products, more marketing channels, faster iteration, bigger swings.

For established businesses: Better hires, superior systems, delegation, strategic partnerships, different business models.

You may not reach 10x. You might reach 5x or 100x. But the ideas you generate from thinking 10x will transform your approach.

As one participant noted: "Our own limiting beliefs and linear thinking patterns prevent exponential results, not external constraints."

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Pitfall 1: Setting Only HAVE Goals

This is the most common mistake. You end up with a wish list, not an action plan.

Fix: For every HAVE goal, create at least one specific DO goal.

Pitfall 2: Vague DO Goals

"I'll work harder" or "I'll be more consistent" aren't actionable.

Fix: Make DO goals specific enough that a stranger could verify if you did them. "Post on Twitter 3x per week at 9 AM" is better than "grow my audience."

Pitfall 3: Ignoring BE Goals

Without identity-level change, you're fighting your self-concept.

Fix: Ask "Who do I need to become?" for each major goal. Let the identity shift drive behavior change.

Pitfall 4: Too Many Goals at Once

Human brains can't focus on 10 major goals simultaneously.

Fix: Use quarterly planning. Pick 1-2 major goals per quarter. The rest are "not this quarter, maybe next quarter."

Pitfall 5: Not Tracking Process

Only measuring outcomes creates delayed feedback loops.

Fix: Track DO goals daily or weekly. These are in your control and provide immediate feedback on progress.

The First Dollar Philosophy

One powerful theme from the workshop deserves special attention: the concept of "first dollar."

Multiple participants identified "making my first dollar on the internet" as a 2026 goal. Experienced founders validated this as transformational:

"It completely changes you. I think if you make a first dollar early enough, by the end of the year, you would have quit your job."

Why the first dollar matters more than the amount:

Validates you can create value people pay for
Provides confidence impossible to get otherwise
Shifts mindset from employee to entrepreneur
Opens possibilities previously considered impossible

The group consensus: MRR is a vanity metric for beginners. Confidence is the real metric.

This connects directly to BE goals. The first dollar isn't just revenue - it's proof of a new identity: "I am someone who can make money independently."

Applying This Framework Today

The Be/Have/Do framework isn't complex. That's its power.

You don't need fancy tools or elaborate systems. You need three things:

Clarity on who you're becoming (BE)
Specific outcomes you're pursuing (HAVE)
Daily or weekly actions that connect them (DO)

Start simple:

Pick ONE major goal for Q1 2026
Define your BE, HAVE, and DO for that goal
Track your DO goals daily
Reassess every 12 weeks

As one workshop facilitator closed: "This process of reflection is more important than arriving at one mission statement we can stick on our wall. The goal is to help us think, articulate, and know why we're doing what we're doing when we wake up tomorrow."

That clarity - that alignment between identity, outcomes, and actions - that's what separates goals that fail from goals that transform your life.

Want the Full Workshop Experience?

This framework emerged from a 98-minute annual planning workshop with over 10 indie hackers and bootstrapped founders sharing their goals, challenges, and insights in real-time.

During the session, we covered:

The complete ARC Method (Appreciate, Reflect, Create) for annual planning
Live goal-setting with peer feedback and refinement
Quarterly planning templates for execution
10x vs. 2x thinking exercises
Partnership and collaboration wisdom
Handling the emotional challenges of building while employed

Want to watch the full workshop recording and see how other founders applied this framework to their 2026 goals?

Join Indie Masterminds to access:

Complete 98-minute workshop recording
Detailed event summary with all participant insights
Google Sheet templates for Be/Have/Do planning
Quarterly planning frameworks
Community of builders applying these principles

The next planning session happens in February when we review Q1 progress and set Q2 goals.

Join Indie Masterminds - Learn from founders who are actually building, not just talking about it.

Key Takeaways

Most goals fail because they focus only on outcomes (HAVE) without identity (BE) or process (DO)
BE goals create intrinsic motivation by connecting achievement to identity
HAVE goals provide direction and measurable outcomes
DO goals are the daily/weekly actions that bridge the gap between who you are and what you want
Quarterly planning (12-week year) enables focused execution on annual vision
Track DO goals (process) daily, not just HAVE goals (outcomes) monthly
10x thinking eliminates linear busywork and reveals exponential strategies
The first dollar is about confidence and identity shift, not the amount
Specificity matters: Vague goals produce vague results
Goals are for direction, not rigid attachment - adjust quarterly as needed

Start Your Planning Today

Don't wait for the perfect moment. Don't wait for Monday or the first of the month.

Take 15 minutes right now:

Write down one major HAVE goal for Q1 2026
Ask: "Who do I need to become to achieve this?" (BE goal)
Identify: "What specific actions will get me there?" (DO goal)
Put the DO goal on your calendar for this week

That's it. You've just created a complete goal using the Be/Have/Do framework.

The difference between this goal and the ones you've set before?

This one has three dimensions instead of one. This one connects identity, outcome, and action.

This one might actually work.

This framework was developed and refined during the January 2026 Indie Masterminds Annual Planning Workshop, synthesizing insights from Tiago Forte's ARC Method, the 12-Week Year framework, and "10x Is Easier Than 2x" by Dr. Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan.