Melanie Perkins Goal Mapping

Map ambitious vision into concrete milestones using the Melanie Perkins goal setting routine. Break down massive targets into visual concepts and actionable roadmap steps.

4 time blocks, 60 minutes in total.

Time blocks

Unfiltered Vision Brainstorm: 15 min
Write down ambitious multi-year vision goals without self-censoring
Visual Product Concept Mockup: 20 min
Sketch or mock up visual slides showing the future outcome clearly
Milestone Roadmap Deconstruction: 15 min
Break multi-year goals into 1-year and 90-day actionable steps
Risk and Resource Mapping: 10 min
List core bottlenecks, resource requirements, and risk factors

About this routine

Melanie Perkins built Canva by setting what her team calls crazy big goals. Rather than starting with standard operational targets, her strategy begins with an unfiltered vision of the end state. The Melanie Perkins goal setting routine translates abstract ambition into clear visual mockups and structured roadmaps that teams can execute.

This 60 minute planning session splits into two sections. First, you spend 35 minutes detailing your vision and creating visual slides or sketches that represent the completed work. Then, you spend 25 minutes mapping out the execution strategy, breaking the vision into 1-year and 90-day milestones while highlighting critical bottlenecks.

By visualizing outcomes before worrying about tactical constraints, you establish clarity on where you are going. You then bring structure to that ambition through clear metrics and risk analysis.

Why this routine works

Clarifies long-term strategic vision without premature constraint
Creates tangible visual artifacts to communicate complex ideas
Connects massive multi-year ambitions directly to 90-day action steps

FAQ

What is the Melanie Perkins goal setting method?

Melanie Perkins uses a method centred on crazy big goals. She outlines ambitious future visions, creates visual mockups of the finished product, and breaks those goals down into yearly and quarterly roadmaps.

How does Canva map strategic goals?

Canva teams define grand goals first, visualize what success looks like in simple visual formats, and then assign specific quarterly milestones to track progress.

How long does this goal mapping session take?

This structured mapping session takes 60 minutes, split between visual goal mapping and strategic milestone breakdown.

Sources

How Canva Built a $40B Business, Forbes
Melanie Perkins on Crazy Big Goals, Blackbird Ventures