Have you ever felt like the year has flown by and you have yet to accomplish what you wanted?
Looking back, did you write down your goals? If you did, do they seem like Mount Everest, intimidating and unapproachable? You are not alone! Statistics show that only 36% of corporations and 16% of individuals set goals. Even if you set goals, you may quickly abandon them if they are too intimidating. Often, New Year’s resolutions are the quickest goals we abandon because we don’t like accountability. Suddenly you commit to going to the gym five times a week, where last year, you seldom found yourself stumbling past the doorway. Organizational goals feel just the same, and without a solid framework, 90% fail to get there [1].
But wait, there is hope! We can make goals more achievable by reshaping our brains! When we set goals, something miraculous happens in our brains!
Studies show that our brains have neuroplasticity. We hold the power to rewire our brain by positively reinforcing habits and making the goals we set achievable simply by focusing on them. In medical terms, our neurons are organized in a way that allows the brain to create new, stronger bonds between neurons, impacting how the different sections of our brain communicate with one another. Basically, we can author our responses to the stimuli in our environments by modifying our behaviors. In other words, we can choose how we respond to our experiences! [2]
Furthermore, we shouldn’t set easy goals. Instead, we should use a proven framework like SMART to make challenging goals more achievable. Research shows that setting easy goals is not as effective as stretching the goals and making them more challenging. Challenging goals bring a unique zest of motivation [3].
At Strategic Consultant, we take SMART a step further by using the SMART-EST goal framework. It increases your likelihood of achieving your goals by making them Economic, Strategic, and Tactical for individuals as well as organizations. SMART-EST goals will take you beyond motivation. It will inspire purpose and the vision for achieving extraordinary things. Stop idling through life and become the champion you are destined to become.
“Goal-setters see future possibilities and the big picture” [4].
Do you?
Need some help working on your goals? Check out our Master Class Courses page for our goal-setting courses starting on January 17th!
References:
[1] A.C., "22 Goal Setting Statistics You Should Know (Facts and Studies), HQ Hire, https://hqhire.com/goal-setting-statistics/
[2] Insights. (n.d.). The Neuroscience of Goal-Setting and Its Impact on Your Culture.
https://culture.io/resources/the-neuroscience-of-goal-setting-and-its-impact-on-your-culture/#:~:text=When%20we%20set%20a%20goal,that%20we%20achieve%20our%20goals
[3] Becker, L. J. (1978). Joint effect of feedback and goal setting on performance: A field study of residential energy conservation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 63(4), 428–433. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.63.4.428
[4] Chowdhury, M. (2019, May 2) (Modified 2022, Nov 17). Positive Psychology. Retrieved from https://positivepsychology.com/goal-setting-psychology/
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