45 - Friday Fix: A Simple Trick to Increase the Chances of Reaching Your Goals

The Verywell Mind Podcast

Dotdash Media Inc.

Health & Fitness, Self-improvement, Mental Health, Education

5 • 703 Ratings

🗓️ 5 February 2021

⏱️ 9 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Sometimes a slight shift in the way you establish a goal can greatly increase your chances of success. Setting a goal like, “I’m going to lose three pounds a week,” or “I’m going to pay off $500 in debt this month,” aren’t actually good goals to set. Sure, they’re measurable. But they involve a sort of all-or-nothing mentality. And a "success versus failure" mindset can zap your motivation and cause you to quit. So today I’m going to teach you the science behind goal setting. I’m sharing a secret formula for establishing a goal that can motivate you to succeed. In fact, when you set a goal like this, studies show you’ll probably exceed your expectations. It’s not just studies that convince me it’s effective. I’ve seen this simple strategy work well in my therapy office as well as in my own life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Very Well Mind podcast. We've interviewed over 100 authors, experts, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, and others to help you learn strategies to care for your mental health.
0:22.9	This episode is hosted by psychotherapist and bestselling author Amy Morin. Now let's get into the episode.
0:55.0	Okay. You're listening to the Friday fix. Every Friday, I share a quick mental strength exercise that will help fix the thoughts, emotions, and actions that will drain you of the mental strength you need to be your best. Now, let's dive into today's episode. Today, I'm sharing a
1:01.8	strategy that will increase the likelihood that you'll actually reach your goals. A common question I get
1:07.9	from readers and from listeners is, why can't I succeed?
1:12.2	Most people blame themselves for the lack of success when they're trying to go to the gym more
1:16.6	often or they want to lose weight or save more money or spend less time scrolling through
1:20.6	social media.
1:22.0	They have trouble staying motivated after just a couple of weeks.
1:25.4	That's one of the reasons why New Year's resolutions tend to dismally
1:28.7	fail. Statistically, only about 8% of people turn their resolution into a reality, and most people
1:36.1	abandon their goals by about the third week in January. But most of the time, it's because goals aren't
1:42.8	set in a way that's helpful.
1:46.4	I've talked about this a little bit before.
1:51.5	People tend to set goals like, I want to be healthier, or I want to be a better person.
1:55.6	They set themselves up for failure because you can't measure those things.
1:58.1	Goals that are vague just don't work.
2:03.3	You have to set an action-oriented measurable goal. That's where you start.
2:09.5	But if you really want to succeed, take it one step further. And that step is to establish a goal range for yourself. So instead of saying, I want to lose three pounds a week, you'll actually
2:15.6	be more likely to succeed if you set out to lose one to three
2:19.6	pounds a week. There's a lot of research behind this. Apparently, if you reach the low end of your
2:25.5	goal, which in this case would just be losing one pound, then you'll feel really good. And if
	...

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