Have you ever set seven goals at once - and then wondered why none of them got done? I see it all the time. Smart, ambitious people try to cover everything at once. On paper it looks impressive. In reality, it leads to frustration. The truth is simple: 2–3 priorities will crush 7 “meh” goals every single time.
Science backs it up. Our brain can juggle around five things at once, plus or minus two. But that doesn’t mean we should aim for five. The best performers I’ve coached consistently thrive when they focus on just two or three clear wins. Beyond that, clarity collapses and energy leaks. That’s when the follow-through gap opens - and the whole plan stalls. (If you haven’t yet read about the 4P Clarity Method, that’s where I show exactly how to close those leaks.)
The myth of more
I once worked with a client I’ll call Daniel. Daniel was an operations manager with seven different priorities: hit sales numbers, cut costs, launch a side hustle, run a marathon, renovate his house, learn Spanish, and spend more time with family. It looked impressive written in his notebook. But three months later, nothing had moved forward.
Daniel was busy, but not effective. He had seven “meh” goals instead of two or three wins. This is the trap so many fall into: confusing activity with progress. Quantity looks ambitious, but in reality it spreads energy so thin that nothing breaks through.
Key mindset: focus is freedom, not limitation.
The truth about focus
Prioritization is not putting 100 things in order. Prioritization means saying no to good things so you can achieve the great things. And that’s uncomfortable. It feels like cutting potential. But in reality, it’s the only way to unlock real momentum.
Research shows the human brain can handle five plus or minus two priorities. But science also shows the best results come from just two or three clear goals. When I coach clients, I tell them: “Pick your top three, and park the rest.” Energy flows where attention goes - and attention cannot split seven ways.
A client story - Sarah’s 6:00 p.m. rule
Another client, Sarah, told me her top priority was “better balance.” It sounded nice - but it was vague. When I pressed her, she admitted what she really wanted was simple: to leave the office by 6:00 p.m. so she could have dinner with her family.
By cutting away the noise of multiple vague goals, Sarah found one clear priority she could measure daily. Suddenly she wasn’t chasing “balance” - she was committing to 6:00 p.m. dinners. That clarity gave her focus and made her goal actionable. Abstract became concrete, and progress followed.
The 85/15 stretch rule
Of course, priorities should still stretch you. Too much comfort leads to no action. Too much stretch creates overwhelm. The sweet spot is what I call the 85/15 rule: 85% realistic, 15% stretch. Push just beyond your current ability, and growth will come without breaking consistency.
But here’s the catch: if you try to apply the 85/15 rule to seven goals at once, you dilute the energy. It’s like trying to lift seven different weights at the gym at the same time - nothing moves. It’s far better to add 5 kg to one lift than dabble in seven new exercises at once.
The clarity payoff
When clients cut down to two or three goals, they start winning. They build momentum. They feel pride in progress. On the other hand, seven vague goals create fatigue, guilt, and disappointment.
Clarity compounds. Each win fuels the next. Two or three focused victories create a chain reaction. That’s why in the 4P Clarity Method, we always check for competing priorities. If the list is too long, it’s a guaranteed leak. Cut it down, and you close the gap.
Key mindset: less is not loss. Less is leverage.
What this means for you
Don’t mistake ambition for overload. More is not better. More is usually the enemy of progress. If you want to win consistently, cut your list down. Choose the two or three goals that matter most, and pour your energy there. The rest can wait - or drop off entirely.
Remember: focus is freedom, not limitation. It’s the power to go all-in where it counts. That’s how you move from “I want to” to “I did.”
Want a personalized clarity system?
If this resonates, don’t stop here. You can have a tailored blueprint built around your exact goals, challenges, and energy patterns.
👉 See the full 4P Clarity Method here:
https://coachraido.com/4p-clarity-method/