Over the years I’ve had a lot of discussions even debates about setting goals. Most often the debate with individuals end up revolving around reasonableness of the goal or failure to meet goals.
There are some “motivational speakers” or “success coaches” (jeez I hate those terms) who take the approach that goals are useless. They even have anecdotal examples to support their cases. “Joey Bob Millionaire got there and never set a goal in his life…” Or, “Janey Whiner failed constantly until she didn’t set a goal…” They go on to explain how not setting goals leads to the ultra-successful and that goals actually set limits to performing even BETTER than that limit. In fact one such speaker calls goal setting “pop-psych rubbish that simply doesn’t work.”
The problem is that they ignore the research on the topic. Those are nice taglines and PR to get attention and sell books. However, it’s half truths twisted to fit their marketing angle. The facts do not support their assertions. Well, OK, truth be told, if they use the approximately 15% of the population who in fact do not thrive on goal setting, then they are correct. I’ll stick with research and what helps most people most of the time… PROVIDING YOU FOLLOW THE RIGHT PROCESS!
Set a goal too high and you set yourself up for failure. (See goal setting doesn’t work!)
Set goals to low and you drift away because they don’t fire you up. (See goal setting doesn’t work!)
Don’t set goals and you succeed in not failing to reach them. (See NOT goal setting works!)
“Screw the Goals Pass me the Donut” is the title to my new eBook now available. My new book is really a “goal setting for the cynic” or a goal setting for dummies type book (which of course I can’t use because lawyers would be pissed off at me for using that title). It demystifies the process of goal setting. It absolutely does not take the typical sports psychology “fluff” approach. It does not promote that “you-can-do-anything-if-you-put-your-mind-to-it” or “if-you-set-goals-the-world-will-be-yours” crap. The examples are real.
I have a built in cynic to guide us along the goal setting path throughout the book – Christina the Cynic. She helps keep it real. You can read more about her on her blog. She’s a real person – just like most of you! (PS Read her blog on donuts.)
So if you want to learn how to set goals in such a way to actually have them work for you and not against you; or if you want to learn some specific day-to-day strategies to achieve your goals; then this is the book for you! On the other hand, if you are in the 15% that just refuse to buy into goal setting – cool. Buy the book and be entertained.
Ordering information for this eBook will be out before the end of the month. When you order you will also get a free copy of my eBook “Focus for Fitness” the perfect companion book.
With these two publications, you’ll start to see that goals are just a bunch of dreams (just like those motivational speakers I mentioned up top would claim) unless you have a proven process and you do something today, now, this minute about those goals.
Filed under: Book, Motivation, Science & Running, Sports Psychology, Sports Psychology Book, The Critic
If you’d like a tool for setting your goals, you can use this web application:
http://www.Gtdagenda.com
You can use it to manage your goals, projects and tasks, set next actions and contexts, use checklists, schedules and a calendar.
A Vision Wall (inspiring images attached to yor goals) is available too.
Works also on mobile.
Dan,
I checked this out. It does look interesting and will work for some people. I wish it weren’t a monthly fee though… It should be a stand alone software that in fact could integrate with other products even – like Outlook for instance. (I know someone working on just such a product.)
But, it does look like something that is set up nicely and will work for some people.
Thanks