If you’ve ever found yourself knee-deep in a project and wondering, “What the hell are we really trying to do here?” — well, you’re not alone. Too often, teams find themselves checking off task lists, marching forward without a clear sense of reason they are doing all that work. The power of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) is that they give you clarity on the destination, not just the road to get there. And here’s the good news: you don’t need to overhaul your entire workflow to start working with OKRs. In fact, the easiest way to begin is to apply OKRs to any project you’re currently working on.

Start with a Simple Question: Why Are We Doing This?

Every project starts with a reason, but how often do we actually take a moment to reflect on that reason? This is the perfect entry point for OKRs. Whatever project you’re currently knee-deep in, step back for a moment and ask yourself: Why are we doing this? What change are we hoping to see in the world, in the company, or in the product when this project is done?

This simple question gives you your Objective. The Objective is the aspirational “why” behind the work. It’s not about the details of the tasks; it’s about the outcome that makes all those tasks worth doing.

For example, let’s say you’re working on launching a new onboarding flow for your product. The tasks might be clear: create wireframes, write copy, test with users. But why? Maybe it’s because you want to improve the first-time user experience. That’s your Objective. Suddenly, it’s not just about shipping features — it’s about making a meaningful impact.

Think of the Results: How Will You Know When You’ve Succeeded?

Once you’ve defined your Objective, the next step is to think about how you’ll know when you’ve successfully achieved it. This is where Key Results come in. Key Results are measurable outcomes that, when combined, ground the Objective in reality. They should be specific, quantitative, and time-bound.

If your Objective is to improve the first-time user experience, what are the metrics that would indicate success? Here are a few examples of Key Results you might choose:

1. Increase the percentage of users who complete onboarding from 50% to 75%.
2. Reduce the time it takes for a user to complete the onboarding process by 30%.
3. Achieve a user satisfaction rating of 4/5 or higher in post-onboarding surveys.

These Key Results give you a concrete way to measure progress. They’re not vague hopes — they’re data points you can track and improve on. And the beauty of this approach is that by focusing on these outcomes, you’re already shifting your mindset from output (tasks) to outcome (impact). You’ve moved from “Did we launch the onboarding flow?” to “Did we create a better experience for users, and can we prove it?”

The Power of Outcome Thinking

Shifting from an output mindset to an outcome mindset is the real strength of OKRs. Output thinking is all about checking boxes — did we do the thing? But outcome thinking is about asking a deeper question: did doing the thing create the change we intended?

For example, you could follow every task on your list, launch that shiny new onboarding flow, and call it a success. But if you never stop to ask whether the onboarding flow actually improved the user experience, you might have poured all that effort into something that doesn’t move the needle.

Let’s look at another example. Say you’re working on improving your team’s internal communications. The task list might include rolling out a new tool like Slack or Notion, setting up regular stand-ups, and creating shared documentation. All of these might be valuable actions, but they’re just that — actions. What’s the desired outcome? Maybe it’s to increase team alignment and reduce miscommunications. Great — that’s your Objective.

Now, what are the Key Results?

1. Reduce the number of back-and-forth emails by 40%.
2. Increase team satisfaction with communication tools from 6/10 to 8/10.
3. Cut the time spent in meetings by 25%.

Suddenly, you’re not just rolling out a tool or setting up meetings — you’re actively tracking how these efforts are improving team communication. And the best part? You’re focusing on what matters most: the result, not the task.

Grounding Abstract Thinking with Concrete Projects

OKRs can sometimes feel abstract, especially when you’re first starting out. You may get lost in lofty goals and struggle to bring those goals back to the day-to-day work. That’s why applying OKRs to an existing project is such a powerful way to start.

By starting with the project you’re already working on, you keep yourself grounded. You’ve got the details, the deadlines, and the people involved. The difference is now you’re bringing in a layer of strategic thinking by asking why you’re doing it and how you’ll measure success.

This approach helps you avoid a common pitfall: working on projects that aren’t as valuable as you thought. Once you define an Objective and Key Results for a project, you may realize that the project won’t actually have the impact you hoped for. That’s a gift! It gives you the opportunity to reassess, realign, and focus on something more valuable.

For instance, let’s say your team has been pouring resources into a social media campaign. You step back and define the Objective as raising brand awareness. But when you try to identify meaningful Key Results, you realize that none of the metrics — like increasing Twitter followers or post impressions — are actually tied to business outcomes like sales or engagement. That insight might lead you to either redefine the campaign or redirect those resources to a more impactful project.

Developing a Shared Vision

The process of setting OKRs also forces you to work out an intuition into something tangible — a goal that can be shared with the team. It’s one thing to have a vague sense of what success looks like; it’s another to define it clearly and communicate it to everyone involved.

When you articulate a clear Objective and measurable Key Results, you’re aligning the entire team around a shared vision of success. Everyone knows what they’re working toward and how they’ll measure progress. It’s no longer just about checking off tasks — it’s about making a meaningful difference.

Ready to Start? Apply OKRs Today

You don’t need to wait for a new quarter or an offsite strategy meeting to start using OKRs. All you need is a project and a willingness to ask, “Why are we doing this?” From there, the Objective will reveal itself, and the Key Results will help you measure success. It’s a simple, concrete way to begin focusing on outcomes rather than outputs — and once you get the hang of it, you’ll find yourself applying this thinking to every project, big or small.

So go ahead — pick a project, define your Objective, and identify three Key Results. You’ll be amazed at how quickly OKRs shift your focus to what really matters: creating impact, not just completing tasks.