What We’re Building

Everest is a web-based habit tracker that turns long-term aspirations into structured, daily progress. It helps users:

Set meaningful goals and break them down using the SMART framework sub goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Link each sub goal to actionable steps, creating a clear roadmap forward.

Visualize progress across all levels, reinforcing a sense of momentum and direction.

Rather than relying on guilt or streaks, Everest encourages consistency through clarity — always showing users what to do next and why it matters.

Why This Matters

Many habit trackers focus on streaks and surface- level progress.

But real success comes from staying aligned with long-term goals. Without a clear connection between today’s habits and tomorrow’s dreams, motivation fades.

Everest aims to fix that.

Why This Approach?

Our experiment is grounded in the idea that clarity and structure are essential for sustained progress. James Clear (2018) outlines three layers of behavior change:

outcomes (what you want),

processes (what you do), and

identity (who you become).

While most tools focus only on goals or habit tracking, Everest bridges all three — helping users define clear goals, break them into actionable steps, and stay consistent to reinforce identity. We address a critical barrier to goal achievement: uncertainty about what to do next.

Research shows that uncertainty impairs executive function, reducing individuals’ ability to plan, make decisions, and stay focused (Alquist et al., 2020). Everest combats this by giving users the ability to set a crystal-clear next step, minimizing decision fatigue and cognitive friction — two key factors that undermine momentum.

By visualizing the link between daily habits and long-term goals, Everest helps make progress feel concrete and actionable rather than distant or abstract.

1. Alquist, J. L., Baumeister, R. F., Tice, D. M., & Core, T. J. (2020). What you don't know can hurt you: Uncertainty impairs executive function. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 576001. //doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.576001
2. Clear, J. (2018). Atomic habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones. Avery

What We Want to Learn

We're designing a 2-week pilot study to explore:

Does visualizing long-term goals improve consistency with habits?

Do users feel more motivated when their habits are explicitly tied to meaningful goals?

How usable and engaging is the Everest interface?

How We’ll Test It

Participants will use Everest to track habits linked to one main goal, broken into one or two subgoals (to keep things manageable within the two-week timeframe). They’ll receive visual feedback on their overall progress, helping them stay oriented and motivated.
We’ll collect:

A short pre/post survey measuring motivation and goal clarity

Usage data (e.g., check-ins, consistency)

Optional user interviews for qualitative insights

What's Next

Finalize features & start testing.

Use pilot feedback & data to evaluate our hypothesis.

Analyze effectiveness of goal-visualization.

Explore AI integration for adaptive tracking.