Goals

Goals: Overview

Setting and achieving goals is an inherent part of human nature. From aspiring to climb the career ladder, committing to a "couch to 5km" jogging program, or aiming to master a new language, our ambitions propel us forward and shape our daily actions.

A goal is any desired outcome that wouldn't otherwise happen without some kind of intervention. Or, to put it colloquially, a goal is what you're striving for, something that won't just fall into your lap — you've got to hustle for it. In simpler terms, a goal is a detour from the path of least resistance.

Goals differ from automatic behaviours, habits and reflexes. Goals are,

Purposeful: directed towards achieving a specific outcome,
Motivated: driven by a desire or need,
Planned: often, a strategy or series of steps needs to be implemented to achieve the goal).

Setting goals is easy; achieving them is hard. When discussing goals and behaviour change, the phrase ‘sense of struggle’ refers to the difficulties that come with change. It recognises that change isn't always simple or easy.

People often feel reluctance, discomfort, or a pull towards the familiarity of old habits when they try to change, whether to stop a bad habit or start a good one. Hard work, emotional upheaval, and a constant recommitment to the goal are all parts of this battle, especially when problems or setbacks happen.

The Neurobiology of Goals

From a neuroscience perspective, goal setting is about imagining future possibilities. Setting goals harnesses our unique human capacity to imagine the future, forming ‘future-thinking’ mental maps that require us to devise strategies to achieve them.

Goal Setting and Future Thinking

Cognitive neuroscience defines a goal as “a cognitive representation, stored in memory, that we compare against our current state”. It represents a goal for the future that shapes and changes what we do now, acting as a wish, a motivator, and an incentive to act.

Future thinking is a complicated process that depends on our memories of the past, especially our autobiographical and semantic memories. Here are some useful definitions:

Semantic Memory: The accumulation of general knowledge not linked to personal experiences, such as facts and concepts like Paris being France's capital.
Autobiographical Memory: The recall of personal experiences and events with specific temporal and spatial details, including emotions, like remembering a visit to the Eiffel Tower.
Future Thinking: The act of imagining or planning for potential future events, which aids in decision-making and goal-setting, like dreaming about a trip to Paris.

The Neuroscience of Future Thinking

Memory and imagining the future are deeply linked to how our brains work.

In neuroscience research, there is a link between the brain networks that control autobiographical memory and the ability to imagine the future. Both abilities develop along similar timelines, are impacted similarly by neurological damage, and engage comparable neural networks, as revealed by brain imaging studies.

The ability to think about the future directly and positively influences achieving goals. This encompasses various aspects of life, including:

Academic success: can inspire people to keep learning.
Health outcomes: imagining healthier states might make you act in ways that lead to them.
Managing emotions: lowering your anxiety by picturing feeling relaxed in a potentially stressful situation.
Prospective memory: preparing future tasks, such as remembering to take action later.
Spatial navigation: visualising routes for better planning and execution.

The brain's ability to reflect on the past significantly enhances our capacity to plan for and achieve future objectives.

The Role of Mental Imagery in Goal Setting

Mental imagery (MI), or visualisation, is the practice of mentally rehearsing or practising actions or future events without physically performing them.

MI enhances skill and performance across various domains. In sports, it sharpens motor skills and muscle strength; for injury rehabilitation, it improves motor coordination and muscle strength and reduces pain. Dancers, musicians, and surgeons use MI to boost skill acquisition, performance, regulate emotions and manage anxiety.

Practising MI in the first person means envisioning actions and events from your perspective, as if you are inside the experience, actively participating rather than observing from the outside.

MI should be a detailed and multisensory process, incorporating all senses—sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell—to create a vivid and immersive mental rehearsal.

People with aphantasia, a condition in which they can't make mental images, need different language cues like 'imagine' instead of 'visualise' to be able to practise MI.

The Psychology of Setting Goals

The psychology of goal setting is a vast literature. Well-known theories include:

SMART Goals: The SMART framework ensures goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, a strategy research shows can lead to higher performance due to clear benchmarks and deadlines.
Implementation Intentions: Also known as ‘If-Then’ planning. People who specify exactly when, where, and how they will achieve their goals are more likely to act upon them, as this approach bridges the gap between intention and action.
Self-regulation and feedback: Monitoring progress through continuous self-assessment and feedback loops is crucial for goal achievement, as it allows for timely adjustments to strategies.
Mastery versus performance goals: Focusing on mastery goals, which emphasise learning and development, has been linked to greater intrinsic motivation and resilience, as opposed to performance goals, which can lead to anxiety and avoidance behaviours.
Developing a growth mindset: Embracing a growth mindset, which is the belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work, has fostered persistence in the face of challenges and a greater willingness to learn.
Social Support: Sharing goals with a supportive community can enhance motivation, provide accountability, and increase the likelihood of goal attainment through encouragement and shared experience.

Additional Strategies for Setting Goals

Understanding Motivation

Motivation is the catalyst for setting and pursuing goals.

Intrinsic motivation: fuelled by personal satisfaction, like dancing simply for the pleasure it brings.
Extrinsic motivation: driven by external rewards such as bonuses, prizes or social status for extra work.

Intrinsic motivation is key for sustained commitment and complex tasks like academic achievement. However, extrinsic rewards are also effective for short-term, boring or routine tasks (e.g. factory line work).

Self-determination theory posits that intrinsic motivation thrives when three fundamental psychological needs are met:

Autonomy: a sense of control over one's actions.
Competence: the desire to master tasks and develop skills; and
Relatedness: need for connection with others.

These elements are critical for deep motivational engagement. For an in-depth discussion, visit the Neuro Nudges section on motivation.

For a more comprehensive exploration of motivation, refer to the Neuro Nudges pages on motivation.

Understanding Your Values

Value is the worth, usefulness, or importance you attach to something.

Understanding your values provides a clear compass for goal setting, ensuring alignment of the goal with your core beliefs. When goals are compatible with your values, you’ll experience more motivation and perseverance, resulting in higher chances of achieving the set goals.

For a more comprehensive exploration of values and sense of self, refer to the Neuro Nudges pages on self-awareness.

Goals: Summary

In conclusion, goal setting is like sailing the mental seas with neuroscience as your guide. While habit and comfort may entice you to drift, anchoring your efforts in motivation, values, and memories can lead you to success. So, plan your route, use your senses, and maybe daydream. The brain thrives on a bit of fun amid the serious business of change.

The Neuro Nudges team wish you all the best as you visualise the future and shoot for the stars!