Think back to this time last year and the New Year’s resolutions and goals that you made – did you stick with them? If you’re like most people then probably not. What if this year could be different? It can!
TED tells us that there’s a science to setting goals. Kelly McGonigal, a psychologist at Stanford, shares four research-backed tips to help you craft and carry out successful goals below.
- Choose a goal that matters
Our brains are wired to love rewards so we often set simple goals but a meaningful goal requires going deeper. Think about what you want in the coming year and then ask yourself why you want that – three times in a row. This will drive home why that goal matters and that motivation can help you as you work toward that goal. - Focus on the process
When we set goals, it’s easy to focus on the outcome when we’ve reached the goal. Ask yourself, what is the smallest thing I can do today that helps me reach my goal? - Frame your goals positively
How you describe your goals makes a big difference. Focus on what you want to bring to life, not what you want to avoid. - Prepare for failure
Moments of failure are inevitable but we can’t abandon the goal entirely when minor setbacks start piling up. Ask yourself, how am I likely to fail? That mental plan can help you react to things that might trip you up.
