Sometimes it feels like you’re just running around in circles and you don’t have time for anything else. The problem is that you have too much to do and not enough time to do it. You’re constantly being pulled in different directions and it’s hard to stay focused.
Goal setting can be a really helpful way to get organised, get focused and take control of your life and stop the feeling that you are on the hamster wheel. Goal setting isn’t just something that businesses do. It’s something that we can all benefit from in our personal lives.
Setting a goal helps to sustain momentum in life
Once you achieve one goal, it can give you the motivation to set and achieve new ones. Studies have shown that those who set goals are more likely to achieve them and have greater success overall. The results of a 2002 study showed that the goal-setting group stuck to their rehabilitation program more than the other two groups. The goal-setting group also had a higher level of self-efficacy and there was also a difference between the two groups in how they felt over time, with the goal-setting group feeling more hopeful and less discouraged.
Setting goals are linked with higher motivation, self-esteem, self-confidence, and autonomy (Locke & Latham, 2006), and research has established a strong connection between goal-setting and success (Matthews, 2015).
The Science & Psychology Of Goal-Setting 101
This has certainly been the case for me. Over the years through goal setting I have achieved the following:
- Established weekly meal prep and menu planning routines
- Ran a marathon PB
- Created an e-course
- Learnt to meditate
- Completed the Spartan Obstacle Race Trifecta – 14km race at 6.30am Saturday, then the 7km race at 10.00am Saturday and then the 21km race at 6.30am Sunday.
- Kept a gratitude journal
- Started a beverage company
A goal provides focus and clarity
When you have a goal, you know what you’re working towards. This can help trigger new behaviours and change where you are spending your time. For example, if your goal is to eat healthier, you might start cooking more meals at home. Having a goal can also change your behaviour as it gives you a sense of purpose. Working towards a goal can be hard and it can get challenging but if you have a clear picture of what the end result you are working towards it can keep you going forward and prevent you from giving up when progress is slow.
Goal setting provides accountability
When you write down your goal and place it somewhere visible or tell people about your goal, they can help hold you accountable. You’re more likely to stick to your goal if you know others are aware of it. New research out of The Ohio State University has shown that people tend to be more committed to their goals after they share them with someone who they see as “higher status,” or whose opinions they respect. There was a significant improvement in goal commitment and downstream performance from those who told others who were of higher status or whose opinions they respected.
Each year I set a new goal and then write monthly reviews here on the blog and this has totally helped in keeping me accountable. You can see my goal setting process here and you can read my monthly reviews here. You will see that not every month do I do well. Some months I suck and I have used my time poorly but writing up that review gives me a kick on and the next month I usually do much better!
Setting a goal also assists in better decision-making
If you have a set goal you can make decisions based on whether or not they help you achieve that goal. This can help you make better decisions, stay on track, avoid distractions and make difficult decisions on where you can spend your limited time.
By setting goals, we get a roadmap of where we are heading to and what is the right way that would lead us there. It is a plan that holds us in perspective – the more effectively we make the plan, the better are our chances of achieving what we aim to. Rick McDaniel (2015) had quoted, “Goal-setters see future possibilities and the big picture.”
The Science & Psychology Of Goal-Setting 101
Is it time for you to set a goal?
If you’re feeling stressed and disorganised, and have been feeling this way for a while, or if you have tried getting organised previously, managed it for a little while but couldn’t stick with it, now is the perfect time to set a goal and get organised. As noted above, goal setting can not only have a huge impact on what you achieve but it also helps increase self-esteem, self-confidence, and feelings of autonomy.
Setting an effective goal can be challenging but the first lesson in my e-course Planned + Present is all about goal setting and takes you step by step through my simple process. It doesn’t use the standard SMART method but it uses a method that fits more easily into the lives of busy mums. And I share many examples of goals that other mums have set and achieved with great success.
Get lifetime access now, set a goal and stop running around in circles. Sign up now for Planned + Present.