subgoals
Steps toward completion
Subgoals are the smaller, intermediate objectives that must be accomplished to reach a larger goal.
Breaking down getting a degree into subgoals might yield: complete applications, secure funding, pass courses.
The term appears frequently in psychology, artificial intelligence, and project management, where complex tasks require decomposition into manageable steps.
Inspection stations along routes
- waypointsIntermediate navigation targets
- stepping-stonesStones for crossing water
- benchmarksStandards for measuring performance
- markersPens with porous tips
signposts · thresholds · phases · stages · increments · targets
Detailed plan forward
- blueprintDetailed technical drawing
- breakdownFailure or decomposition
- deliverablesContracted work products owed
- timelineOrdered display of events
schedule · prioritization · sequencing · dependencies · prerequisites · workflow · backlogs · iterations
Proceeding by small additions
- stepwiseProceeding by degrees
- gradualDeveloping slowly over time
- advancementForward movement or promotion
- momentumProduct of mass, velocity
tracking · streak · chain · cumulative · measurable · quantifiable · actionable · time-bound
Impetus toward a goal
- momentumProduct of mass, velocity
- dopamineReward-linked neural messenger
- rewardPayment for service
- gamificationAdding play mechanics elsewhere
streak · commitment · persistence · focus · accountability · self-efficacy · encouragement · achievable
checkpoints
Inspection stations along routes
- waypointsIntermediate navigation targets
- stepping-stonesStones for crossing water
- benchmarksStandards for measuring performance
markers · signposts · thresholds · phases · stages · increments · targets
roadmap
Detailed plan forward
- blueprintDetailed technical drawing
- breakdownFailure or decomposition
- deliverablesContracted work products owed
timeline · schedule · prioritization · sequencing · dependencies · prerequisites · workflow · backlogs · iterations · decomposition
incremental
Proceeding by small additions
- stepwiseProceeding by degrees
- gradualDeveloping slowly over time
- advancementForward movement or promotion
momentum · tracking · streak · chain · cumulative · measurable · quantifiable · actionable · time-bound
motivation
Impetus toward a goal
gamification · streak · commitment · persistence · focus · accountability · self-efficacy · encouragement · achievable · manageable
subgoalsend state
Final achieved condition
culmination · endgame · telos · raison d'être