For a variety of reasons, people respond very strongly to goals. Whether your goals are set for you, or you set them yourself, the simple fact of having a fixed point of reference against which to measure your performance creates a whole new and improved environment in which to perform.
But not all goals are created equal. Goals can be motivating or frustrating, energizing or draining, generate enthusiasm or lethargy.
Much depends on the process by which the goal is set, and how the goal relates to your interests and capabilities.
Choose Your Goals Wisely.
Ever notice what motivates greyhounds to race at the dog track? It’s a mechanical rabbit that moves just fast enough to stay out of reach. The dogs are motivated to run their fastest, but they can never catch the rabbit. That seems to work for dogs, but people who never “catch the rabbit” quickly lose interest, energy, and motivation to succeed.
So whether you’re setting your own goals or looking at goals someone else sets for you, think before you run. If the goal is set too high to be attainable, keep your expectations low enough so you won’t be disappointed when you fall short. Goals that are too demanding eventually force you into frustration, resentment, and disappointment.
On the other hand, goals that are too easy to reach let you get lazy and contemptuous of success. The best goals require your best efforts, but no more than that.
Research and experience also show the best goals set specific standards for what you are asked to accomplish. When a goal is expressed as an objective standard (97% correct, for example, or a 2% productivity increase), the most common result is an increase in motivation to achieve it.
In addition, the most effective goals tend to be set against a time frame. So while “a 2% productivity increase” is clear and specific enough to be motivating, adding “this month, compared with last month”
adds a new element that generally triggers an extra measure of desire to meet the goal.
Buy In.
One of the biggest problems with goals that others set for you is that you may feel little or no “ownership” of the goal. Humans, unlike dogs, generally perform better when they have an emotional commitment to what they are doing. Whether this commitment is achieved by discussion and agreement, by financial incentive, or some other way, having your “heart and mind” committed to achieving the goal makes it far more likely you’ll succeed.
One reason successful people often have the habit of setting useful goals is that such objectives are the basic building blocks of a powerful system for increasing motivation, productivity, and results.
