I wrote about this three years ago, as did the source, Sahil Bloom. It’s worth revisiting.

Sahil Bloom reviewed his ABC goal system on June 3, 2026. It’s a good one:

For every daily system in your life, create three goals:

• A Goal: Your most ambitious, perfect case.
• B Goal: Your middle ground, baseline case.
• C Goal: Your minimum viable level, downside case.

On days when you feel great, you hit your A Goal. On days when you feel ok, you hit your B Goal. On days when you feel bad, you hit your C Goal.

The key is:

It doesn’t have to be optimal for it to be beneficial. – Sahil Bloom

So many applications. I often advocate starting the daily time with God habit at 15 minutes. “15 minutes! I should be spending at least an hour with God!” Maybe, but God would rather have 15 minutes than NOT have your pie-in-the-sky hour. It doesn’t have to be optimal for it to be beneficial.

Last Thursday I played a piano/organ concert with my friend Mike Guyote (it’s Cajun, pronounced GEE-OTT, hard-G). Anyway, as we were waiting for folks to arrive, I’m talking with a fellow that seems to be involved. He’s put out some information about the Theater Organ Society and is collecting donations. I ask about his role. “I’m president.” I said, “Oh, you play the organ!” “Yes, but not in public. I’m too much of a perfectionist.” I’m watching people come in, most well over 70, bringing their sack lunches for the noon concert. I said, “You know, don’t you, that if you make a mistake while playing, most people won’t know, and none of them will care.” He replied, “Yes, but I’d know.” It doesn’t have to be optimal to be beneficial. This fellow is missing an opportunity to bless others with music:

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. (1 Peter 4.10, ESV)

Sahil’s context in the 2026 version of the ABC goal system is a daily discipline. I would say like time with God, or practicing the piano, or exercise. I’d love to get a decent workout in every day, but sometimes I have to settle for walking the dog. It doesn’t have to be optimal to be beneficial.

Let’s close with something practical. “I should be spending hours in prayer.” Maybe, but what did Jesus say?

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”

And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.” (Luke 11.1 – 4, ESV)

Not very long, is it?