Key2Success Training Series 2 Video 3: Boulder Breakdown

By Branden Bodendorfer  |  Published January 23, 2023

Quick Answer

The Boulder Breakdown is a Key2Success training exercise for taking one large goal, or boulder, and breaking it into smaller weekly and daily tasks small enough to actually schedule and finish.

Big goals stall out because they never get small enough to schedule. The Boulder Breakdown is video 3 in the Key2Success Training Series 2, and it exists to solve exactly that problem.

In this video I take a real example of a large goal, a boulder, and walk through breaking it down into weekly chunks and then daily tasks. This is the same process I use in my own planning and with coaching clients who feel stuck on something big.

By the end you'll have a method for turning any oversized goal into a task list you can actually put dates on.

Video Transcript
Branden Bodendorfer covers the Boulder Breakdown, part three of the Key2Success Training Series 2. He demonstrates how to take one large goal and break it into progressively smaller weekly and daily tasks, using a real example to show the process from start to finish.

A boulder breakdown works by taking a goal that feels too big to start and splitting it into pieces small enough to act on today. The mistake most people make is trying to move the whole boulder at once, then giving up when it doesn't budge. A proper boulder breakdown identifies the first piece you can realistically chip away at this week, then the next, so momentum builds instead of stalling before you even begin. For more on breaking large goals into manageable steps, see James Clear's writing on effective goal setting. Most people find their first workable piece within a single planning session.

Boulder breakdown framework for splitting a large goal into manageable steps

Boulder Breakdown: Frequently Asked Questions

What is a boulder in the Key2Success method?

A boulder is a large goal or project that feels too big to schedule directly, like launching a business or finishing a major certification.

How do I break down a boulder into daily tasks?

Start by splitting the boulder into monthly milestones, then weekly chunks, then daily tasks small enough to fit on a single day's schedule.

How is the Boulder Breakdown different from regular goal setting?

Regular goal setting often stops at the big goal. The Boulder Breakdown forces you to keep splitting until the tasks are small enough to actually act on.

Does the Boulder Breakdown connect to the other Key2Success training videos?

Yes, it's one of three pieces, alongside the Strength Maximizer and Adaptation Process, that build out the full Professional Builder framework.

What if my boulder still feels too big after breaking it down once?

Break it down again. Branden recommends repeating the process until each task fits within a single day or work session.

Break Down Your Own Boulder

  1. Name one goal that currently feels too big to start.
  2. Split it into three monthly milestones.
  3. Pick the first milestone and break it into this week's tasks.

See the Full Professional Builder Framework

The Boulder Breakdown is one piece of a bigger system. See how it all fits together.

Watch the Professional Builder Overview

About Branden Bodendorfer

Branden Bodendorfer is the creator of the Key2Success Planner and a productivity coach who has spent over a decade testing digital planning tools, from OneNote and GoodNotes to reMarkable and Samsung Notes. He builds and tests every workflow himself before teaching it.