#+TITLE: Creating a V2MOM Strategic Framework #+AUTHOR: Craig Jennings & Claude #+DATE: 2025-11-05 * Overview This session creates a V2MOM (Vision, Values, Methods, Obstacles, Metrics) strategic framework for any project or goal. V2MOM provides clarity for decision-making, ruthless prioritization, and measuring progress. It transforms vague intentions into concrete action plans. The framework originated at Salesforce and works for any domain: personal projects, business strategy, health goals, financial planning, software development, or life planning. * Problem We're Solving Without a strategic framework, projects suffer from: ** Unclear Direction - "Get healthier" or "improve my finances" is too vague to act on - Every idea feels equally important - No principled way to say "no" to distractions - Difficult to know what to work on next ** Priority Inflation - Everything feels urgent or important - Research and planning without execution - Hard to distinguish signal from noise - Active todo list grows beyond manageability ** No Decision Framework - When faced with choice between A and B, no principled way to decide - Debates about approach waste time - Second-guessing decisions after making them - Perfectionism masquerading as thoroughness ** Unmeasurable Progress - Can't tell if work is actually making things better - No objective way to know when you're "done" - Metrics are either absent or vanity metrics - Difficult to celebrate wins or identify blockers *Impact:* Unfocused work, slow progress, frustration, and the nagging feeling that you're always working on the wrong thing. * Exit Criteria The V2MOM is complete when: 1. **All 5 sections are filled with concrete content:** - Vision: Clear, aspirational picture of success - Values: 2-4 principles that guide decisions - Methods: 4-7 concrete approaches with specific actions - Obstacles: Honest personal/technical challenges - Metrics: Measurable outcomes (not vanity metrics) 2. **You can use it for decision-making:** - Can answer "does X fit this V2MOM?" quickly - Provides clarity on priorities (Method 1 > Method 2 > etc.) - Identifies what NOT to do 3. **Both parties agree it's ready:** - Feels complete, not rushed - Actionable enough to start execution - Honest about obstacles (not sugar-coated) *Measurable validation:* - Can you articulate the vision in one sentence? - Do the values help you say "no" to things? - Are methods ordered by priority? - Can you immediately identify 3-5 tasks from Method 1? - Do metrics tell you if you're succeeding? * When to Use This Session Trigger this V2MOM creation workflow when: - Starting a significant project (new business, new habit, new system) - Existing project has accumulated many competing priorities without clear focus - You find yourself constantly context-switching between ideas - Someone asks "what are you trying to accomplish?" and answer is vague - You want to apply ruthless prioritization but lack framework - Annual/quarterly planning for ongoing projects or life goals *V2MOM is particularly valuable for:* - Personal infrastructure projects (tooling, systems, workflows) - Health and fitness goals - Financial planning and wealth building - Software package development - Business strategy - Career development - Any long-running project where you're making the decisions * Approach: How We Work Together ** Phase 1: Understand the V2MOM Framework Before starting, ensure both parties understand what each section means: - *Vision:* What you want to achieve (aspirational, clear picture of success) - *Values:* Principles that guide decisions (2-4 values, defined concretely) - *Methods:* How you'll achieve the vision (4-7 approaches, ordered by priority) - *Obstacles:* What's in your way (honest, personal, specific) - *Metrics:* How you'll measure success (objective, not vanity metrics) *Important:* V2MOM sections are completed IN ORDER. Vision informs Values. Values inform Methods. Methods reveal Obstacles. Everything together defines Metrics. ** Phase 2: Create the Document Structure 1. Create file: =docs/[project-name]-v2mom.org= or appropriate location 2. Add metadata: #+TITLE, #+AUTHOR, #+DATE, #+FILETAGS 3. Create section headings for all 5 components 4. Add "What is V2MOM?" overview section at top *Save incrementally:* V2MOM discussions can be lengthy. Save after completing each section to prevent data loss. ** Phase 3: Define the Vision *Ask:* "What do you want to achieve? What does success look like?" *Goal:* Get a clear, aspirational picture. Should be 1-3 paragraphs describing the end state. *Claude's role:* - Help articulate what's described - Push for specificity ("works great" → what specifically works?) - Identify scope (what's included, what's explicitly out of scope) - Capture concrete examples mentioned *Good vision characteristics:* - Paints a picture you can visualize - Describes outcomes, not implementation - Aspirational but grounded in reality - Specific enough to know what's included *Examples across domains:* - Health: "Wake up with energy, complete a 5K without stopping, feel strong in daily activities, and have stable mood throughout the day" - Finance: "Six months emergency fund, debt-free except mortgage, automatic retirement savings, and financial decisions that don't cause anxiety" - Software: "A package that integrates seamlessly, has comprehensive documentation, handles edge cases gracefully, and maintainers of other packages want to depend on" *Time estimate:* 15-30 minutes if vision is mostly clear; 45-60 minutes if needs exploration ** Phase 4: Define the Values *Ask:* "What principles guide your decisions? When faced with choice A vs B, what values help you decide?" *Goal:* Identify 2-4 values with concrete definitions and examples. *Claude's role:* - Suggest values based on vision discussion - Push for concrete definitions (not just the word, but what it MEANS) - Help distinguish between overlapping values - Identify when examples contradict stated values *Common pitfall:* Listing generic words without defining them. - Bad: "Quality, Speed, Innovation" - Good: "Sustainable means can maintain this for 10+ years without burning out. No crash diets, no 80-hour weeks, no technical debt I can't service." *For each value, capture:* 1. **The value name** (1-2 words) 2. **Definition** (what this means in context of this project) 3. **Concrete examples** (how this manifests) 4. **What breaks this value** (anti-patterns) *Method:* - Start with 3-5 candidate values - For each one, ask: "What does [value] mean to you in this context?" - Discuss until definition is concrete - Write definition with examples - Refine/merge/remove until 2-4 remain *Examples across domains:* - Health V2MOM: "Sustainable: Can do this at 80 years old. No extreme diets. Focus on habits that compound over decades." - Finance V2MOM: "Automatic: Set up once, runs forever. Don't rely on willpower for recurring decisions. Automate savings and investments." - Software V2MOM: "Boring: Use proven patterns. No clever code. Maintainable by intermediate developers. Boring is reliable." *Time estimate:* 30-45 minutes ** Phase 5: Define the Methods *Ask:* "How will you achieve the vision? What approaches will you take?" *Goal:* Identify 4-7 methods (concrete approaches) ordered by priority. *Claude's role:* - Extract methods from vision and values discussion - Help order by priority (what must happen first?) - Ensure methods are actionable (not just categories) - Push for concrete actions under each method - Watch for method ordering that creates dependencies *Structure for each method:* 1. **Method name** (verb phrase: "Build X", "Eliminate Y", "Establish Z") 2. **Aspirational description** (1-2 sentences: why this matters) 3. **Concrete actions** (bulleted list: specific things to do) *Method ordering matters:* - Method 1 should be highest priority (blocking everything else) - Lower-numbered methods should enable higher-numbered ones - Common patterns: - Fix → Stabilize → Build → Enhance → Sustain - Eliminate → Replace → Optimize → Automate → Maintain - Learn → Practice → Apply → Teach → Systematize *Examples across domains:* Health V2MOM: - Method 1: Eliminate Daily Energy Drains (fix sleep, reduce inflammatory foods, address vitamin deficiencies) - Method 2: Build Baseline Strength (3x/week resistance training, progressive overload, focus on compound movements) - Method 3: Establish Sustainable Nutrition (meal prep system, protein targets, vegetable servings) Finance V2MOM: - Method 1: Stop the Bleeding (identify and eliminate wasteful subscriptions, high-interest debt, impulse purchases) - Method 2: Build the Safety Net (automate savings, reach $1000 emergency fund, then 3 months expenses) - Method 3: Invest for the Future (max employer 401k match, open IRA, set automatic contributions) Software Package V2MOM: - Method 1: Nail the Core Use Case (solve one problem extremely well, clear documentation, handles errors gracefully) - Method 2: Ensure Quality and Stability (comprehensive test suite, CI/CD, semantic versioning) - Method 3: Build Community and Documentation (contribution guide, examples, responsive to issues) *Important:* Each method should have 3-8 concrete actions listed. If you can't list concrete actions, the method is too vague. *Time estimate:* 45-90 minutes (longest section) ** Phase 6: Identify the Obstacles *Ask:* "What's in your way? What makes this hard?" *Goal:* Honest, specific obstacles (both personal and technical/external). *Claude's role:* - Encourage honesty (obstacles are not failures, they're reality) - Help distinguish between symptoms and root causes - Identify patterns in behavior that create obstacles - Acknowledge challenges without judgment *Good obstacle characteristics:* - Honest about personal patterns - Specific, not generic - Acknowledges both internal and external obstacles - States real stakes (not just "might happen") *Common obstacle categories:* - Personal: perfectionism, hard to say no, gets bored, procrastinates - Knowledge: missing skills, unclear how to proceed, need to learn - External: limited time, limited budget, competing priorities - Systemic: environmental constraints, lack of tools, dependencies on others *For each obstacle:* - Name it clearly - Describe how it manifests in this project - Acknowledge the stakes (what happens because of this obstacle) *Examples across domains:* Health V2MOM obstacles: - "I get excited about new workout programs and switch before seeing results (pattern: 6 weeks into a program)" - "Social events involve food and alcohol - saying no feels awkward and isolating" - "When stressed at work, I skip workouts and eat convenient junk food" Finance V2MOM obstacles: - "Viewing budget as restriction rather than freedom - triggers rebellion and impulse spending" - "Fear of missing out on lifestyle experiences my peers have" - "Limited financial literacy - don't understand investing beyond 'put money in account'" Software Package V2MOM obstacles: - "Perfectionism delays releases - always 'one more feature' before v1.0" - "Maintaining documentation feels boring compared to writing features" - "Limited time (2-4 hours/week) and competing projects" *Time estimate:* 15-30 minutes ** Phase 7: Define the Metrics *Ask:* "How will you measure success? What numbers tell you if this is working?" *Goal:* 5-10 metrics that are objective, measurable, and aligned with vision/values. *Claude's role:* - Suggest metrics based on vision, values, and methods - Push for measurable numbers (not "better", but concrete targets) - Identify vanity metrics (look good but don't measure real progress) - Ensure metrics align with values and methods *Metric categories:* - **Performance metrics:** Measurable outcomes of the work - **Discipline metrics:** Process adherence, consistency, focus - **Quality metrics:** Standards maintained, sustainability indicators *Good metric characteristics:* - Objective (not subjective opinion) - Measurable (can actually collect the data) - Actionable (can change behavior to improve it) - Aligned with values and methods *For each metric:* - Name it clearly - Specify current state (if known) - Specify target state - Describe how to measure it - Specify measurement frequency *Examples across domains:* Health V2MOM metrics: - Resting heart rate: 70 bpm → 60 bpm (measure: daily via fitness tracker) - Workout consistency: 3x/week strength training for 12 consecutive weeks - Sleep quality: 7+ hours per night 6+ nights per week (measure: sleep tracker) - Energy rating: subjective 1-10 scale, target 7+ average over week Finance V2MOM metrics: - Emergency fund: $0 → $6000 (measure: monthly) - High-interest debt: $8000 → $0 (measure: monthly) - Savings rate: 5% → 20% of gross income (measure: monthly) - Financial anxiety: weekly check-in, target "comfortable with financial decisions" Software Package V2MOM metrics: - Test coverage: 0% → 80% (measure: coverage tool) - Issue response time: median < 48 hours (measure: GitHub stats) - Documentation completeness: all public APIs documented with examples - Adoption: 10+ GitHub stars, 3+ projects depending on it *Time estimate:* 20-30 minutes ** Phase 8: Review and Refine Once all sections are complete, review the whole V2MOM together: *Ask together:* 1. **Does the vision excite you?** (If not, why not? What's missing?) 2. **Do the values guide decisions?** (Can you use them to say no to things?) 3. **Are the methods ordered by priority?** (Is Method 1 truly most important?) 4. **Are the obstacles honest?** (Or are you sugar-coating?) 5. **Will the metrics tell you if you're succeeding?** (Or are they vanity metrics?) 6. **Does this V2MOM make you want to DO THE WORK?** (If not, something is wrong) *Refinement:* - Merge overlapping methods - Reorder methods if priorities are wrong - Add missing concrete actions - Strengthen weak definitions - Remove fluff *Red flags:* - Vision doesn't excite you → Need to dig deeper into what you really want - Values are generic → Need concrete definitions and examples - Methods have no concrete actions → Too vague, need specifics - Obstacles are all external → Need honesty about personal patterns - Metrics are subjective → Need objective measurements ** Phase 9: Commit and Use Once the V2MOM feels complete: 1. **Save the document** in appropriate location 2. **Share with stakeholders** (if applicable) 3. **Use it immediately** (start Method 1 execution or first triage) 4. **Schedule first review** (1 week out: is this working?) *Why use immediately:* Validates the V2MOM is practical, not theoretical. Execution reveals gaps that discussion misses. * Principles to Follow ** Honesty Over Aspiration V2MOM requires brutal honesty, especially in Obstacles section. *Examples:* - "I get bored after 6 weeks" (honest) vs "Maintaining focus is challenging" (bland) - "I have 3 hours per week max" (honest) vs "Time is limited" (vague) - "I impulse-spend when stressed" (honest) vs "Budget adherence needs work" (passive) **Honesty enables solutions.** If you can't name the obstacle, you can't overcome it. ** Concrete Over Abstract Every section should have concrete examples and definitions. *Bad:* - Vision: "Be successful" - Values: "Quality, Speed, Innovation" - Methods: "Improve things" - Metrics: "Do better" *Good:* - Vision: "Complete a 5K in under 30 minutes, have energy to play with kids after work, sleep 7+ hours consistently" - Values: "Sustainable: Can maintain for 10+ years. No crash diets, no injury-risking overtraining." - Methods: "Method 1: Fix sleep quality (blackout curtains, consistent bedtime, no screens 1hr before bed)" - Metrics: "5K time: current 38min → target 29min (measure: monthly timed run)" ** Priority Ordering is Strategic Method ordering determines what happens first. Get it wrong and you'll waste effort. *Common patterns:* - **Fix → Build → Enhance → Sustain** (eliminate problems before building) - **Eliminate → Replace → Optimize** (stop damage before improving) - **Learn → Practice → Apply → Teach** (build skill progressively) *Why Method 1 must address the blocker:* - If foundation is broken, can't build on it - High-impact quick wins build momentum - Must stop the bleeding before starting rehab ** Methods Need Concrete Actions If you can't list 3-8 concrete actions for a method, it's too vague. *Test:* Can you start working on Method 1 immediately after completing the V2MOM? If answer is "I need to think about what to do first", the method needs more concrete actions. *Example:* - Too vague: "Method 1: Improve health" - Concrete: "Method 1: Fix sleep quality → blackout curtains, consistent 10pm bedtime, no screens after 9pm, magnesium supplement, sleep tracking" ** Metrics Must Be Measurable "Better" is not a metric. "Bench press 135 lbs" is a metric. *For each metric, you must be able to answer:* 1. How do I measure this? (exact method or tool) 2. What's the current state? 3. What's the target state? 4. How often do I measure it? 5. What does this metric actually tell me? If you can't answer these, it's not a metric yet. ** V2MOM is Living Document V2MOM is not set in stone. As you execute: - Methods may need reordering (new information reveals priorities) - Metrics may need adjustment (too aggressive or too conservative) - New obstacles emerge (capture them) - Values get refined (concrete examples clarify definitions) *Update the V2MOM when:* - Major priority shift occurs - New obstacle emerges that changes approach - Metric targets prove unrealistic or too easy - Method completion opens new possibilities - Quarterly review reveals misalignment *But don't update frivolously:* Changing the V2MOM every week defeats the purpose. Update when major shifts occur, not when minor tactics change. ** Use It or Lose It V2MOM only works if you use it for decisions. *Use it for:* - Weekly reviews (am I working on right things?) - Priority decisions (which method does this serve?) - Saying no to distractions (not in the methods) - Celebrating wins (shipped Method 1 items!) - Identifying blockers (obstacles getting worse?) *If 2 weeks pass without referencing the V2MOM, something is wrong.* Either the V2MOM isn't serving you, or you're not using it. * Living Document This is a living document. After creating V2MOMs for different projects, consider: - Did the process work well? - Were any sections harder than expected? - Did we discover better questions to ask? - Should sections be created in different order? - What patterns emerge across different domains? Update this session document with learnings to make future V2MOM creation smoother. * Examples: V2MOMs Across Different Domains ** Example 1: Health and Fitness V2MOM (Brief) *Vision:* Wake up with energy, complete 5K comfortably, feel strong in daily activities, stable mood, no afternoon crashes. *Values:* - Sustainable: Can do this at 80 years old - Compound: Small daily habits over quick fixes *Methods:* 1. Fix Sleep Quality (blackout curtains, consistent bedtime, track metrics) 2. Build Baseline Strength (3x/week, compound movements, progressive overload) 3. Establish Nutrition System (meal prep, protein targets, hydration) *Obstacles:* - Get excited about new programs, switch before results (6-week pattern) - Social events involve alcohol and junk food - Skip workouts when stressed at work *Metrics:* - Resting heart rate: 70 → 60 bpm - Workout consistency: 3x/week for 12 consecutive weeks - 5K time: 38min → 29min ** Example 2: Financial Independence V2MOM (Brief) *Vision:* Six months emergency fund, debt-free except mortgage, automatic investing, financial decisions without anxiety. *Values:* - Automatic: Set up once, runs forever (don't rely on willpower) - Freedom: Budget enables choices, not restricts them *Methods:* 1. Stop the Bleeding (eliminate subscriptions, high-interest debt, impulse purchases) 2. Build Safety Net ($1000 emergency fund → 3 months → 6 months) 3. Automate Investing (max 401k match, IRA, automatic contributions) *Obstacles:* - View budget as restriction → triggers rebellion spending - FOMO on experiences peers have - Limited financial literacy *Metrics:* - Emergency fund: $0 → $6000 - Savings rate: 5% → 20% - High-interest debt: $8000 → $0 ** Example 3: Emacs Configuration V2MOM (Detailed) This V2MOM was created over 2 sessions in late 2025 and led to significant improvements in config quality and maintainability. *** The Context Craig's Emacs configuration had grown to ~50+ todo items, unclear priorities, and performance issues. Config was his most-used software (email, calendar, tasks, programming, reading, music) so breakage blocked all work. *** The Process (2 Sessions, ~2.5 Hours Total) *Session 1 (2025-10-30, ~1 hour):* - Vision: Already clear from existing draft, kept as-is - Values: Deep Q&A to define "Intuitive", "Fast", "Simple" - Each value got concrete definition + examples + anti-patterns - Intuitive: muscle memory + mnemonics + which-key timing - Fast: < 3s startup, org-agenda is THE BOTTLENECK - Simple: production practices, simplicity produces reliability *Session 2 (2025-10-31, ~1.5 hours):* - Methods: Identified 6 methods through Q&A - Method 1: Make Using Emacs Frictionless (fix daily pain) - Method 2: Stop Problems Before They Appear (stability) - Method 3: Make Fixing Emacs Frictionless (tooling) - Method 4: Contribute to Ecosystem (package maintenance) - Method 5: Be Kind To Future Self (new features) - Method 6: Develop Disciplined Practices (meta-method) - Obstacles: Honest personal patterns - "Getting irritated at mistakes and pushing on" - "Hard to say no to fun ideas" - "Perfectionism delays shipping" - Metrics: Measurable outcomes - Startup time: 6.2s → < 3s - Org-agenda rebuild: 30s → < 5s - Active todos: 50+ → < 20 - Weekly triage consistency - Research:shipped ratio > 1:1 *** Immediate Impact After completing V2MOM: - Ruthlessly triaged 50 todos → 23 (under < 20 target) - Archived items not serving vision to someday-maybe.org - Immediate execution: removed network check (2s improvement!) - Clear decision framework for weekly inbox triage - Startup improved: 6.19s → 4.16s → 3.8s (approaching target) *** Key Learnings 1. **Vision was easy:** Already had clear picture of success 2. **Values took work:** Required concrete definitions, not just words 3. **Methods needed ordering:** Priority emerged from dependency discussion 4. **Obstacles required honesty:** Hardest to name personal patterns 5. **Metrics aligned with values:** "Fast" value → fast metrics (startup, org-agenda) *** Why It Worked - V2MOM provided framework to say "no" ruthlessly - Method ordering prevented building on broken foundation - Metrics were objective (seconds, counts) not subjective - Obstacles acknowledged personal patterns enabling better strategies - Used immediately for inbox triage (validated practicality) * Conclusion Creating a V2MOM transforms vague intentions into concrete strategy. It provides: - **Clarity** on what you're actually trying to achieve - **Decision framework** for ruthless prioritization - **Measurable progress** through objective metrics - **Honest obstacles** that can be addressed - **Ordered methods** that build on each other **The framework takes 2-3 hours to create. It saves weeks of unfocused work.** The V2MOM works across domains because the structure is universal: - Vision: Where am I going? - Values: What principles guide me? - Methods: How do I get there? - Obstacles: What's in my way? - Metrics: How do I know it's working? *Remember:* V2MOM is a tool, not a trophy. Create it, use it, update it, and let it guide your work. If you're not using it weekly, either fix the V2MOM or admit you don't need one. *Final test:* Can you say "no" to something you would have said "yes" to before? If so, the V2MOM is working.