It could also be that we use todo lists completely differently from each other :-)

Doesn't mean either of us are wrong!

I'm a heavy user of bullet journaling. I start my day with a few lines of todos and they're always short and sweet. Works for me.

It sounds like you are using your todo list more as a way to keep track of what I’d call “goals”. I mostly use a todo list like GP said, for example, “take out the trash”, “donate clothes”, “clean room”; they’re all vague tasks but I know what I mean. However, the process you’re describing sounds like it would be very helpful for setting better goals!

Maybe you’re familiar with the concept of “SMART” goals - specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound. Refining goals into sub-goals makes them feel much more manageable and ensures you actually get them done. For instance, I don’t benefit from refining “take out the trash”, but if my todo list has “learn Spanish” on it, I’d definitely benefit from breaking it down: what exactly is my course of action to learn Spanish?

Best of luck with the app, thanks for sharing.