Good Intentions are Not Enough
Most people know from experience that knowledge and good intentions are insufficient for behavior change. Empirical studies of behavior change find that intentions alone account for no more than 28% of the behavior variance. The gap between intention and goal achievement is primarily due to our inability to initiate and sustain behavior change. Goals must contain specific details (e.g., when, where, and how they will be carried out) to influence action. Poorly designed goals may prompt deliberation (how should I act?) rather than action and result in missed opportunities.
Because goals are mental representations of desired outcomes, having clear and specific goals helps us focus our attention and prevents us from getting discouraged. Seeing movement towards our target can motivate us to stay the course. You improve your chances of achieving your goal by considering these six characteristics.
1. Align with what is truly important to you.
Your goals should not be based on what you think you should do or what others think you should do. Instead, they need to align with what is unique or special to you. This may include being healthy enough to do things with your children or grandchildren or to engage in activities that you enjoy or interest you. Goals aligned with what is truly important might result in a higher level of commitment despite their difficulty.
2. Set challenging goals.
Research consistently demonstrates that challenging goals produce better results than easy goals, especially when committed to the goal. That's because easy goals often result in low effort and decreased progress.
3. Reasonable to achieve.
While it is important to set challenging goals, there is a healthy balance between challenge and achievability. Here are a couple of ideas to consider:
Break goals into short-term goals, known as "chunking" or subdividing your goals.
Develop micro-actions or steps that will lead to short-term goal achievement.
4. Share your goals with others.
People who write out their short-term goals and share their commitment with others are approximately 33% more successful than those who do not share their goals.
5. Approach goals vs. Avoidance goals.
Approach goals help you move toward the desired outcome, giving your brain-specific instructions of what you want to do vs. what you don't want to do. An example of an approach goal is "I am going to eat a cup of yogurt for my afternoon snack." An example of an avoidance goal is "I'm not going to eat junk food as a snack." While these goals might seem similar in promoting healthy eating, they involve different cognitive and emotional processes. Think about converting avoidance goals into approach goals. Here’s an example:
Avoidance goal: I will stop watching TV after dinner.
Approach goal: I will take a 20-minute walk after dinner.
6. Performance or Mastery Goals.
Performance goals involve judging and evaluating progress. An example is, "I plan to lose 10 pounds in two months." Failure to achieve this goal may be interpreted as a failure and impact our self-evaluation. Mastery goals encourage learning, problem-solving, and active engagement. For example, “I plan to prepare nutritious meals" or "I plan to learn a new form of recreational activity." Mastery goals promote self-evaluation of current efforts and do not focus on failure or an all-or-nothing approach to goal achievement.
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