10 Ways to Make Your Goals Fail, and What to Do Instead: Set Goals Using the SMARTEST Method
TL;DR
To achieve your goals, simply follow the SMARTEST method to avoid all the fatal errors and succeed. Use this summary guide to accelerate your growth and replace goal frustration with fulfillment and satisfaction!
Action Potentials:
Choose one of your goals, and write out how you will make it SMARTEST to create maximum success!
When SMART Goals Don’t Work, SMARTEST Goals Will
If you’ve been reading this series, you’ve learned more than most people ever do about how to set effective goals. Hopefully, you’ve also put at least some of what you’ve learned into action. That’s the whole point, after all: to actually change your behavior, your brain, and your life.
(If you’re just now joining us, I recommend you start with the Introduction. You can also scroll way down to quickly review all the TL;DRs or find the full posts from each section of the series.)
You may have noticed that some of the Fatal Errors relate to the popular acronym for successful goals, S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound). S.M.A.R.T. goals are wonderful, but they often still fail because they don’t prevent all goal-killing errors. The S.M.A.R.T.E.R acronym adds Ethical and Rewarding, which is great, but still incomplete.
That’s why I’ve compiled all the best ideas and evidence into the ultimate acronym, the ultimate solution to all your goal-related troubles:
S.M.A.R.T.E.S.T
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-bound
Energizing
Salient
Together
(Scroll down for summaries and links to learn more about each of those.)
Combining that with our prior discussion of Vision goals, an optimized set of goals might look something like this:
Vision goal: _____________________________
Specific goals to create that Vision:
[make them SMARTEST by simply filling in these blanks:]
To contribute to my broad Vision or general goal of ______________________ [your Vision goal, try to include how you want to feel](Relevant),
I will ______________________ [your goal’s Specific success criteria: specific results if possible; if not, then specific actions],
which I will realistically complete by ___________ [Date](Achievable & Time-bound).
I will assess progress as I go by Measuring _______________________ [what’s the observable result?].
I will make this goal Enjoyable by doing __________________ [what?],
Salient by doing ______________________ [what, to make the goal and/or its feelings and/or its actions unforgettable?],
and Together by doing it with ________________________ [whom?].
Setting goals using this framework only takes a few minutes, but can be the difference between abject failure and glowing success.
You might be thinking: is it really worth it to review all my goals and make sure they fulfill all the SMARTEST characteristics? Remember, you don’t necessarily have to do all of them all the time. That would be so overwhelming! I recommend taking it one step at a time: pick just one primary goal, your most important goal, and make it SMARTEST using the outline above. Start executing it and tweaking it as needed. Once you feel like that goal is getting on track, then make another goal SMARTEST, and so on.
To sum up this neuro-based series / guide to goal success, the proven formula is:
- Set goals (See Fatal Error #1),
- Define “success” as overall benefitting from the goal, even if you don’t technically hit it 100% (See Fatal Error #2),
- Make your goals SMARTEST (See Fatal Errors #3-10).
If you do those 3 things, you will succeed!
Setting goals is literally what sets you apart from animals, and is one of the best ways to improve yourself and your life – but only if you do it right, using the principles and strategies we’ve covered.
So make goals. Make them adaptable. Make them Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Specific, Energizing, and Salient. Make them Together.
And discover how good it feels!
Section Links & TL;DRs:
INTRODUCTION
TL;DR:
This series is a comprehensive guide to how to apply brain science to maximize the effectiveness of your goals. You’ll learn how to avoid 10 fatal errors that kill your goals, and you’ll learn how to ensure success, according to a neuroscientist.
Jump around to whichever sections seem most helpful, and start applying them to yourself, one at a time. With this guide, you’ll accelerate your personal development and replace goal frustration and despair with fulfillment and confidence!
FATAL ERROR #1: You Set No Goals at All
TL;DR:
Thanks to how your brain is wired, having goals improves your life, regardless of their completion.
FATAL ERROR #2: Be Absolutely Unyielding. Achieve Your Goal 100%, at All Costs. Do or Die
TL;DR:
Goals boost your success even if you don’t technically achieve them. So stay flexible, avoid the “what the hell” effect, forgive yourself for imperfections, and just keep trying.
FATAL ERROR #3: Your Goal is Irrelevant to Your Long-term Vision and Values
TL;DR:
To stay motivated, define your personal Vision (general goals) and values. Then only commit to specific goals that align with those things and create your Vision.
FATAL ERROR #4: You Have no Specific Goals
TL;DR:
Use specific goals to break down broad Vision goals so it’s easy to create actionable plans, track progress, assess and celebrate success, and readjust as needed.
FATAL ERROR #5: Your Goal is not Energizing
TL;DR:
“Energizing” means the goal fills you with motivation, passion, excitement, hope, and positive feelings. To be truly energizing, your goal must be both 1) enjoyable the whole time you’re working on it and 2) rewarding once it’s completed.
FATAL ERROR #6: Your Goal is Unachievable
TL;DR:
For optimal motivation and success, your goal must be challenging yet realistic (and you need to believe in yourself). Find the right balance.
FATAL ERROR #7: Your Goal is Unmeasurable
TL;DR:
Tracking your goal brings direction, motivation, sustained satisfaction, and chances to course-correct as you go. Every goal can be tracked one way or another.
FATAL ERROR #8: Your Goal is not Salient
{coming soon. Subscribe to “Ask a Neuroscientist” to get notified when we post each remaining section.}
Salient means noticeable, front-of-mind. Make sure you don’t fail to do the goal simply because you forget it. Set up reminders of the goal itself and of the actions you need to take to achieve it.
FATAL ERROR #9: Your Goal Has no Time Limits
{coming soon}
If you don’t schedule it, it won’t happen. Set deadlines and put every step you need to take on your calendar.
FATAL ERROR #10: You Rely on Willpower Instead of Doing it Together
{coming soon}
Willpower doesn’t work. What does work is arranging your environment to “force” you to do what you want to do. The most powerful “forcing function” is to do your goal together with someone else. Share it with others. Ideally, actually do it with others!
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