Goal setting isn't as straightforward as simply writing down what you want to achieve in the next 12 months and then cracking on with it. There is a whole journey after you write that goal. A journey that most of us fail.
At the start of the year many of us get drawn into the idea of setting ambitious goals that seem nearly impossible to achieve, and then we are disappointed when we fall short. This is one of the most common pitfalls of goal setting. First you must plan your goals.
This article draws heavily from Andrew Huberman’s Goal Setting Toolkit podcast and will provide you with 3 ways you can better design your goals to set you up for success.
Priority
Do you only set one goal for the upcoming 12 months? If you do, you are already halfway to achieving it.
We are filled with motivation and enthusiasm at the start of the year which makes it easy to set 5 different goals covering all areas of our life.
We want to lose weight, get a promotion, go to the gym, save money etc.
Huberman states that pursuing numerous goals simultaneously usually leads to failure in all of them.
Pick one goal. Focus on that.
Mark Manson also says that it takes a lot of energy to change your behaviour and you only have so much of that energy. If you try to change all of your bad habits at once, you are going to burn out.
Focusing on one goal at a time significantly increases your chances of success.
Specific
Put a lot of specificity on your goal.
Instead of ‘I want to lose weight’, specify how much weight you want to lose by a certain date and what you are going to do each day to achieve it.
For example, maybe you want to get stronger and so you are planning to go to the gym. Identify all of the actions you need to take first. This may include meal planning and driving to the gym.
What is the major block of action for you? What will prevent you from going to the gym or harm your progress the most?
If it is getting to the gym then maybe plan a new route home from work that makes you go past the gym. Or get a different gym membership that's closer to home. If you work in the city centre, join a gym in town that eliminates getting in your car altogether.
Then be specific about:
How many times you will go in a week
What time you will go
How long you will stay there for
What exercises you will do in each session
How many sets and reps for each exercise
What weight you will use
Being specific about the actions you need to take makes you more likely to take action.
Planning ahead of time reduces decision fatigue in the moment.
It also means you can track your progress which can also increase your motivation.
Challenge
Making your goal too easy or too hard can also decrease your chances of success.
In Atomic Habits, James Clear discusses The Goldilocks Rule. Clear says that this “states that humans experience peak motivation when the tasks they are doing are right on the edge of their current capabilities.”
This means it is not too hard or too easy. It provides enough of a challenge without becoming demotivating.
Huberman states that to learn something new we must shift our nervous system into a state which is uncomfortable.
A challenge does exactly that.
By doing this it allows you to move into neuroplasticity and improve.
It will be uncomfortable to start with but will get easier with time.
You need to have a goal that stretches you but is something you are excited to pursue, and enjoy pursuing it.
The Final Word
Goals are a great way to push yourself and learn new things but don't just pick something out of thin air and then get started. Pick one priority goal, be specific about the actions you need to take each week, and ensure it is just outside of your capabilities to keep you motivated and keep the journey fun. Good luck!