Goal Setting Toolkit: Why Behavior Change Often Fails & How to Set the Right Goals for You

This episode will help you set the right goals for you. Goals matter. They make your life easier and they create a sense of purpose and meaning. But most people don’t set goals the right way, which is why they fail before they even start. That’s not going to be you. This episode is a comprehensive toolkit that will help you set the goals that inspire you and make you feel excited about the year ahead. And, it’s part of our month-long series covering the foundational research and topics related to creating a better life. Today, you’re not only going to learn the correct way to set goals according to research, you’re also going to identify 1-3 goals for yourself, and I’ll be doing the same thing right along with you. Have no idea what your goals are or where to even start? Don’t worry; you will by the end of the episode. You’ll apply the latest research every single step of the way. And that’s not all. You can access a free companion workbook at melrobbins.com/goals that will walk you through everything we’re talking about so you can go even deeper into this conversation. Expect your goals to change as you listen to this episode, so don’t worry about doing any of this “right.” By the end of this episode you will have even taken the first steps toward your goal. How cool is that? I can’t wait. Let’s get started. Xo Mel For full show notes, including all research mentioned in the episode, go to melrobbins.com/podcast. For a free worksheet that dives deeper into the episode and helps you apply what you learn, click here. In this episode, you’ll learn: 1:15: How do I set goals the right way? 2:56: Why setting goals is so important: the truth from research 8:24: The exciting new research about goals from Dr. Birkman that you need to know 10:56: My three goals for 2023 13:05: I’m answering your top question about goals 13:27: Four science-backed hacks to use when you’re not sure what your goals are 16:20: Three qualities of the best goals 21:48: Two components of a goal that you’ve got to have in order to achieve it 27:07: What neuroscience says about why your brain needs these two components 31:25: The five mistakes we all make when we set and try to achieve goals 42:41: A powerful question about goals from Columbia University researchers that you should ask yourself 44:57: Why setting a “high-low range goal” will make you more successful 50:33: The most important thing you should do once you set a goal 53:06: Here’s the crazy irony about achieving your goals Disclaimer