When pursuing a goal like exercise, focus your attention on a specific target (e.g., the finish line or a lamppost) as if a spotlight is shining on it, ignoring peripheral distractions. This strategy can increase speed and reduce perceived effort, as demonstrated by people moving 23% faster and reporting 17% less pain in studies.
Recognize that your visual perception can be a misrepresentation of reality, and intentionally use this ‘perception-reality gap’ to your advantage through self-deception to boost motivation and performance. Changing what your eyes focus on can alter your visual experience, leading to psychological consequences like increased self-efficacy and belief in your resources.
Set goals that are ‘just right’ in difficulty – challenging enough to be engaging but not so large they seem impossible, nor too small they become boring. If a goal is too large, getting started seems impossible; if too small, you’ll get bored, but if it’s just right, you become unstoppable.
If a goal feels impossibly hard, break it down into smaller, more manageable sub-goals to make it feel achievable and prevent your body from giving up before you start. Goals that seem beyond the realm of possibility can lead to a physiological shutdown, making you give up prematurely.
When brainstorming big-picture goals (like with vision boards), immediately couple these with concrete action planning, identifying specific steps you can take this week or month to advance progress. This ties the big vision to actionable steps, helping you know where to start and how to move forward.
During the planning stage of a goal, intentionally think about potential obstacles and create backup plans (Plan B, Plan C) so you can pivot quickly when challenges arise. This proactive approach provides a mental map and safety net, making it easier to navigate setbacks without losing momentum.
Don’t just identify potential obstacles and backup plans; mentally or physically practice these alternative strategies so you can instantly pivot without losing momentum when an obstacle occurs. Michael Phelps’s success in the Olympics, despite goggle malfunction, was attributed to practicing his backup plan of counting strokes.
For important, long-term goals, plan your time allocation a week in advance rather than just daily, as this allows you to find more time and prioritize effectively before your calendar fills up. Studies showed people found two and a half more hours for their goals by planning a week out compared to daily planning.
Treat your personal goals and self-care like important meetings by scheduling them into your calendar a week or more in advance, making it easier to work other commitments around them. Your calendar seven days out is freer, and you’re more likely to prioritize scheduled blocks for yourself.
Recognize that when planning for the distant future, you focus on what’s desirable, but for the immediate present, you focus on what’s feasible. This awareness helps avoid overcommitting, as many desirable plans become infeasible when you consider the realities of the present moment.
Intentionally design your visual environment to spark desired actions by making healthy choices more visible and accessible (e.g., healthy food at eye level) and unhealthy choices less so (e.g., in opaque containers or on lower shelves). What you see predicts what you do, so curate your surroundings to encourage good habits.
Place visual cues in your environment that prompt desired behaviors, such as laying out workout clothes or running shoes where they are easily seen to encourage exercise. Conversely, avoid visually cueing yourself towards unwanted behaviors like relaxing when you intend to be active.
Implement visual tracking methods, like chore charts with stars for adults, to accurately assess your progress on goals, counteracting faulty memories and providing motivating feedback on successes. This helps you be a better accountant of your own progress and acknowledge achievements.
Define what constitutes ‘success’ at micro-moments within a larger goal (e.g., ‘go down, not up’ in weight over six weeks instead of a large weight loss target), allowing for more frequent positive reinforcement. This makes the goal feel more achievable and sustains motivation over time.
Prioritize successfully navigating the very first obstacle you encounter on a goal, because if you can do that once, it becomes reinforcing and makes it easier to handle subsequent challenges. This initial success builds confidence and resilience.
Instead of solely focusing on distant outcome goals (e.g., lose 20 pounds), set daily process goals (e.g., ‘my goal is to eat healthy today,’ ‘my goal is to go to the gym today’) to create more consistent and sustainable progress. This shifts focus to actionable steps in the present.
When you experience a setback or don’t hit a goal, reframe it not as a personal failure but as a diagnostic learning opportunity to evaluate what didn’t work and what changes you can make. This mindset encourages creative self-exploration and prevents demotivation that comes from labeling oneself a ‘failure’.
When feeling stressed by competing priorities, practice patience with yourself and avoid multitasking, recognizing that some roles (e.g., scientist and mom to a baby) are incompatible and require dedicated, focused attention. Compartmentalize your time to make progress on each important identity.
When engaged in an activity, especially with loved ones, commit to staying present and enjoying that moment, rather than being distracted by other tasks or future obligations. Recognize that you can’t do two things at once, so fully immerse yourself in the one you are doing.
Recognize that not everyone will like you due to different personalities, styles, or values, and it’s unhelpful to expend effort trying to force compatibility in relationships you must maintain. Focus on being productive in necessary relationships rather than seeking universal approval.
Define personal success as being happy and appreciating what you have, rather than constantly striving for something that isn’t possible or desirable for your life. This mindset encourages contentment and avoids the unhappiness that comes from unachievable aspirations.
Actively avoid comparing your life to others, as this often leads to unhappiness and a failure to appreciate the good things available in your own situation. Social comparison can make you want things you don’t truly desire or can’t have, detracting from your own well-being.