Why Set Goals At All?
As we approach the end of 2005, I would like my readers to ask
themselves where they are with the goals they set for themselves
for this year. Did you achieve what you wanted? Did you come
close? Did you join a goal-setting group to help you? Did you
hire a coach if you didn't make progress in your goals? Did you
even set goals for 2005? Why or why not?
I'm engaged in a fascinating one-year Masters Program at the
University of Pennsylvania in Applied Positive Psychology, and
as part of my coursework, I am deeply investigating the research
behind goal-setting and why it matters to a person's well-being.
To make a long story short, goals are what give our lives
meaning, and without them, we are living in a very reactive way.
We are not the masters of our own fates, and are certainly not
exhibiting one of the four top traits of happy people. One of
the hallmarks of a happy person (someone who shows high
subjective well-being) is that they have a sense of "personal
agency," and that they feel they have control over their lives.
One of the ways they exhibit this is by setting goals and
creating specific plans to achieve them.
Peter Gollwitzer, one of the leading authorities on goal
accomplishment, said this in American Psychologist in
1999:
1. Successful goal attainment requires that you find a way to
start and persist in your goal until it is accomplished
2. Your goal should be framed as an "approach" goal and not an
"avoidance" goal
3. Goals must be specific and challenging (not vague "do your
best" goals)
4. Learning goals are often better than performance goals
5. Contradictory goals must be resolved creatively (for
example, goals to make more friends and study for two hours
every night must be knit together)
6. Implementation intention - or how you'll accomplish your
goal in the face of negativity or setbacks - is critical,
particularly when the goals are challenging
In my mind, there is no better way to go about goal-setting
than with a coach. A trained, skillful coach can help a client
elucidate his or her values, help create a blueprint of goals
that are tailored to the values and desired outcomes, and can
walk a client through implementation intentions, which make all
of the difference with challenging goals.
Don't let this year end without using a coach to help you plan
your goals for next year. Studies show that people who set goals
are more likely to achieve them than those who disregard the
whole process, plus people who set goals are happier than people
who don't.
Please sign up for my monthly newsletter, GO FOR
THE GOAL!