Setting goals and intentions to achieve what matters to you
Most people have set goals, and possibly SMART goals before, and not met them. You’re probably wondering why you should try again.
First we’ll explore the psychology and neurology that actually has us prefer the comfort of status quo, over our much desired future state, and then we’ll delve into goal setting and intentions to gain some momentum and hack our brain’s natural resistance to change.
Why we love keeping things the same
We have a natural tendency to keep things as they are. Our brains are wired to prefer the status quo over the uncertainty of change. It’s part of survival.
Our brain’s preference for the status quo serves as a protective mechanism, helping us maintain stability, reduce cognitive load, and avoid perceived risks. However, being aware of this bias can help us make more informed decisions, embrace necessary changes, and adapt to new circumstances for personal growth and development.
So lets look at the key psychological and neurological factors that keep us attached to status quo:
Loss Aversion: Our brain is wired to be more sensitive to potential losses than gains. Staying with the status quo is perceived as a safer option because it avoids the risk of losing something valuable or familiar.
Familiarity and Comfort: The brain finds comfort in familiarity and routine. The status quo represents what is known and predictable, reducing cognitive effort and anxiety associated with the unknown.
Cognitive Efficiency: Embracing change requires mental and emotional adaptation. Our brains prefer cognitive efficiency, and sticking to the status quo requires less mental energy than adapting to new situations.
Confirmation Bias: The brain tends to seek and interpret information that confirms existing beliefs and perspectives. Embracing the status quo aligns with our pre-existing beliefs, reinforcing them as the “right” choice.
Cognitive Dissonance: Change often challenges our beliefs and attitudes, leading to cognitive dissonance—a state of mental discomfort. Sticking to the status quo helps avoid this discomfort.
Neural Pathways: The brain forms neural pathways based on repeated behaviors and experiences. The status quo is reinforced by these established neural connections, making it the default response.
Emotional Attachment: We develop emotional attachments to people, places, and routines. Deviating from the status quo may require leaving behind emotional connections, leading to reluctance.
Risk Aversion: The brain has an inherent aversion to risk, and change often involves uncertainty and potential negative outcomes, triggering risk-averse responses.
Homeostasis: The brain seeks to maintain a state of equilibrium or homeostasis. Change disrupts this balance, leading to resistance to avoid potential disturbances.
So there are things that love to keep us where we are. But our brain also has the powerful pre-frontal cortex that we can use to achieve our desired outcomes and reach our potential.
Using SMART Goals and intentions to hack our brain and achieve our goals
There are a number of strategies that can help address our brain’s preference for the status quo and achieve what we really want. Research shows that one very effective approach is to set goals.
You’ve probably already heard about the importance of setting SMART goals.
There’s sound evidence behind why a SMART goal is more effective. A SMART goal is: Specific, Measurable, Achievable/attainable, Relevant and Time-bound.
Getting your SMART goal specific
With career goals, we often confuse ambition as a goal and we miss the specificity needed with a proper crafted SMART goal to translate that ambition into reality.
Specificity in goal-setting involves answering the “W” questions: Who, What, Where, When, and Why. A specific goal leaves no room for ambiguity and provides a precise understanding of what needs to be achieved. Here are the key components that make a goal specific:
Clear objective: The goal should have a clearly defined objective, outlining what is to be accomplished. It should be straightforward and concise, avoiding vague language or generalities.
Quantifiable outcome: A specific goal is measurable, meaning there are specific criteria to determine whether the goal has been achieved. The use of quantitative metrics or indicators helps track progress and success.
Identifiable actions: The goal should include specific actions or tasks required to achieve it. It clarifies the steps or actions that need to be taken, providing a roadmap for implementation.
Definite timeframe: A specific goal includes a deadline or timeframe within which the objective should be completed. This adds a sense of urgency and helps in effective time management.
So let’s get clear about what turns a vague goal into something specific with an example.
A vague goal: Improve sales.
A specific goal: Increase monthly sales revenue by 15% in the next quarter by launching targeted marketing campaigns and offering discounts to loyal customers.
In the specific goal example, the objective is clearly defined (increase monthly sales revenue by 15%), the outcome is quantifiable (15% increase), the actions required are mentioned (launch targeted marketing campaigns, offer discounts to loyal customers), the timeframe is specified (in the next quarter), and the relevance is evident (aligning with the organization’s sales growth objective). Such specificity provides clarity and focus, making it easier to plan, execute, and measure progress toward achieving the goal.
Next, test your SMART goal
A well crafted SMART goal can still be flawed. There’s three simple questions to check before you settle on your SMART goal.
Firstly, do you care about the goal, enough to put in all the effort, time and energy to change? Will my ‘people’ see the change as favorable and a good thing? Does the goal align with my values and beliefs?
Secondly, do I have the time needed to achieve the goal?
Thirdly, do I have the resources (or access to the resources) to achieve the goal? This includes money, skills, people, knowledge, experience, status, networks, social power, authority etc
If you said no to any of those, you need to relook at your SMART goal and considering smalling steps.
If you said yes to all three, congratulations you’ve got yourself a good SMART goal!
Gain momentum with intentions
As you work toward your new SMART goal, your mind – the one that’s feeling safe and comfortable just where it is, will give you all sorts of unhelpful messages known as thought distortions. Have you heard anything like these before: “I can’t become a CEO, I haven’t got the right education [or not smart enough]” or “I already missed the deadline, I’m already late, why bother” or “I’ve failed before, I’ll only fail again” or “People like me can’t do that”.
We’ll share other strategies to help combat these and help you achieve your SMART goal. One effective strategy that helps build momentum and a sense of progress is using intentions.
Intentions are a useful way to commit often to a set of smaller actions or changes that will take you closer to achieving your goals. Research shows that people who set intentions are more likely to change their behaviour. Of course the intention needs to be:
- Within your control (like in the SMART goal resource check)
- You need a positive view of the activity, and
- You need to believe others will approve
An intention creates momentum toward your goal. Whilst your Career Goals (for PickleWork users read this as your Ultimate Career Goal) are off in some future time, the intentions are the small, frequent steps you need to take to help you achieve your goal. Examples include:
- Each day actively learn something new
- First Monday of every month post a LinkedIn article on my special interest topic
- Each month connect with someone in my dream role
- Complete an activity / task each week that shows or builds my current skills
Some next actions
Don’t leave achieving your ambition to chance. If you start taking an active role through SMART goals, even if you don’t achieve your goals initially, you’ll have insight into why and the chance to fix it, which you wouldn’t have had if you just relied on hope alone. So what actions can you take:
- Dust off your career goals and make sure they’re SMART and run the simple test on them.
- Set two very simple intentions that you can achieve. One within the next 24 hours, and one over the week.
- Share your goals and intentions with someone.
- Ask someone you admire how they set goals.
Learn more
- Learn more about how unconscious bias can affect your decisions
- For resources on SMART goals visit Mindtools
