Setting Effective Goals

"Goals are standards that individuals use to evaluate how well they are doing now relative to where they want to end up. Goals basically guide our choices. Once you have a goal, the hard part is figuring out the steps that will get you from point A to point B. The following guide can help you make well-defined and achievable goals. It also provides clues about the various ways that goal achievement fails (Berkman, 2018; Matthews, 2015)."

"1. Have a very specific goal in mind. Mastering a complex skill (e.g., playing a musical instrument) takes years of dedication through achieving a series of specific goals. Each small success builds confidence and momentum. An important reason for goal failure is poorly defined and ambiguous goals. The more specific the goal, the better you will be able to reach it. A highly abstract goal may not be actionable (e.g., to get healthy or get better at guitar)."

"2. Focus on fewer goals. Having only one goal makes self-discipline more successful than when people have two or more conflicting goals. For example, it makes no sense to decide that one is going to quit smoking and diet at the same time. The power of focused attention lies in its ability to channel our energy effectively toward a specific goal. As Plato counseled: "Do one thing and do it well.""

Goals function as standards to evaluate current status relative to desired future states and guide choices. Effective goal pursuit requires translating a desired outcome into concrete steps and a plan. Specific, actionable goals allow better monitoring, motivate consistent effort, and build confidence through repeated small successes. Pursuing fewer prioritized goals reduces conflict and improves self-discipline by concentrating attention and energy. Emphasizing small, controllable incremental steps lowers anxiety and increases perceived control. Combining specificity, focus, and stepwise progress enhances the probability of long-term skill mastery and sustainable behavior change.

Read at Psychology Today