One of the most powerful ideas from James Clear’s Atomic Habits is the concept of identity-based change. Rather than focusing on outcomes (“I want to run a marathon”), you focus on the kind of person you want to become.

This starts with a simple phrase:

“I want to become someone who…”

Your archetype in the Goal Planner gives you a starting point for this identity. For example:

• Essentialist: “I want to become someone who protects my time and prioritises what matters.”

• Explorer: “I want to become someone who says yes to new experiences.”

• Architect: “I want to become someone who builds meaningful long-term achievements.”

• Deep-Root: “I want to become someone who shows up for my relationships.”

• Alchemist: “I want to become someone who expresses creativity every day.”

Identity works because it shifts your behaviour at the deepest level. Instead of forcing yourself to act differently, you begin acting in alignment with who you believe you are.

Why Identity Matters in the Goal Planner

When you choose goals or micro-habits, they reinforce a new identity one small step at a time:

• Every action is a vote for the person you’re becoming.

• Small wins make the identity feel real.

• Over time, your choices, routines, and lifestyle naturally shift to match your self-image.

This is why the Goal Planner doesn’t just ask what you want to do — it helps you become someone who naturally lives the way you aspire to.

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Micro-habits are small, easy actions you can complete in 1–3 minutes — tiny steps that build momentum without overwhelming you. Instead of aiming for big, dramatic changes, micro-habits help you make progress in the simplest possible way.

This idea comes from James Clear’s bestselling book Atomic Habits, which shows that meaningful change happens through small, consistent actions repeated over time. A micro-habit removes friction. It’s so easy you can’t talk yourself out of it.

Why We Use Micro-Habits

Micro-habits are built into the Goal Planner for three reasons:

• They create early wins. A tiny action done today is better than a grand plan postponed.

• They’re sustainable. You can repeat them almost every day without effort or motivation.

• They build identity. Every tiny habit reinforces the person you want to become.

Examples of Micro-Habits

• One minute of grounding breathing in the morning

• Writing one sentence in a journal

• Sending a single message to strengthen a relationship

• Tidying one small area instead of the whole room

Micro-habits lower the barrier to getting started — and once you start, momentum takes over.

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The Goal Planner helps you clarify what matters most and turn it into a simple, motivating lifestyle blueprint you can return to anytime. It takes just a couple of minutes to get started.

1. Take the 2-Minute Lifestyle Quiz

Begin with a short, intuitive quiz that identifies your personal Lifestyle Archetype — a snapshot of what energises you, how you make decisions, and the environments where you thrive. This helps us tailor suggestions that align with who you really are.

2. Explore Curated Goal Suggestions

Once your archetype is revealed, you’ll see a hand-picked set of lifestyle goals designed specifically for people like you. Each one appears as a clean, swipeable card — simply swipe right to add it to your plan or swipe left to pass.
Think of it as a personalised goal gallery, built entirely around your values and preferences.

3. Build Your Lifestyle Blueprint

Your swiped goals automatically create a Lifestyle Blueprint — a simple, visual plan split into two parts:

• Current Actions:     Practical goals you can begin now, each paired with a small, 2–5 minute micro-habit  to help you take consistent action without overwhelm.
      Example: “Improve wellbeing” → micro-habit: a 3-minute morning  grounding check-in.
• Vision Board:     Longer-term ideas and aspirations you want to keep in view for the future.  These goals inspire direction without the pressure of acting immediately.

4. Save, Print, and Revisit Anytime

You can save your blueprint, print it out, or return to it whenever you want. Your progress is always available, making it easy to refine your plan as your life evolves.

IMPORTANT - to save your Lifestyle Blueprint and access it from any device, just set up a free RetirePlan account for secure storage.

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