Track What Actually Gets You Results with the AOR Framework
You’ve got a dozen tabs open, three half-finished projects, and as a very judgmental third cup of coffee is staring you down as your brain is screaming, “Why isn’t this done yet?”
What you’re missing is the chain between what you do (your activities), what you’re actually aiming for (your objectives), and whether or not you’re getting there (your results).
That’s the AOR model. It stands for:
Activities
Objectives
Results
It’s used in sales coaching all the time, but it’s perfect for creatives too, because it forces you to cut the BS and connect your daily grind to what you say you want.
A = Activities: The Stuff You Can Control
This is your raw input. The little choices that actually stack up. That could be writing 500 words, practicing scales for 20 minutes, or sending that pitch email.
You can’t control whether a magazine accepts your poem, but you can control whether you actually send the submission.
Don’t obsess about outcomes yet. Start with the things you can actually do today.
O = Objectives: The Why Behind Your Work
Action without objectives are like shooting arrows into a void. You’ll never know if you hit the target. Objectives give your activities direction.
For example:
Record 4 demos this month.
Post 2 videos a week for 8 weeks.
Finish a rough draft of the novel by October.
Notice how these are clear, shared (if you’re working with others), and give your daily activities context.
Always connect your to-dos to a larger “why.” Otherwise, you’re just keeping busy.
R = Results: The Measurement That Matters
Finally, you’ve got results! Now you need to measure if what you did actually worked. Ask:
Did your actions match your objectives?
Did the objectives move the needle toward a bigger goal?
Here’s where you probably either avoid checking (because you’re scared of what you’ll see) or obsess over the wrong numbers (looking at ‘likes’ instead of actual sales).
Think of results as feedback. Get your ego out of the way. They tell you where to double down, where to adjust, and what to stop wasting time on.
Stop running blind, and look at your results. Even if it stings.
How AOR Helps You Finish Projects
Creatives often get stuck because they confuse these three stages.
You might obsess over results you can’t control (will anyone like it?) and lose sight of the daily actions that actually produce momentum. Or you dive into random activities without a clear objective, so your energy never compounds into anything finished.
By breaking your process into Activities → Objectives → Results, you cut through the noise. You see what’s in your control, what’s worth aiming at, and whether your efforts are actually working.
Your Move
So here’s your challenge:
Pick one project you’ve been avoiding.
Write down three daily or weekly activities you can control.
Link them to a clear objective.
At the end of the week, check your results without judgment.
Do that, and you’ll already be further than most people who sit around waiting for “inspiration.”
Ready for More?
If you’re tired of half-finished projects and want someone to walk you through frameworks like this, I’d love to help. Book a free sample session here.
Let’s get your project across the damn finish line.
