Why Specific Goals Matter for Your Success

As the new year is fast approaching, you’ve no doubt thought about what you want to achieve in 2019. Perhaps you’d like to eat better or work out more. Maybe you want to be more productive or spend more time with your family. Those are all great goals…in theory. But they are missing one important element: specificity.

According to the Harvard Business Review, “abstract ambitions—such as “doing your best”—are usually much less effective than something concrete, such as bringing in 10 new customers a month or walking 10,000 steps a day.” So instead of ‘spending more time with your family,’ agree to plan one two-hour family activity every weekend. And instead of ‘eating better,’ eat three vegetarian meals per week or cook at home five nights per week.

Another tip mentioned by the Harvard Business Review’s Ayelet Fishbach is to choose a goal that is intrinsically motivated instead of extrinsic. For example, if you want to work out more, you may set a goal to attend a yoga class once per week. Once you attend the yoga class, you’ll feel great and de-stressed. That’s a better motivation than say rewarding yourself with a coffee every time you leave the gym. In short, choose a goal that you actually find enjoyable. While working out might not be everyone’s cup of tea, there is probably some sort of way to work out that you enjoy more than others.

Now here’s your homework: write down three areas of your life that you’d like to improve in the new year. Now translate those items into an actual goal that’s measurable and can be achieved on a weekly or monthly basis. What will your goal be? Good luck!

Image via Steven Depolo/Flickr.