Goals you’ll actually reach.

Five questions, and the research behind each one.

Vague goals are easy to set and easy to drop. When you add a goal, Lifetick asks five questions so you finish with one you can measure, a reason that matters and a date to aim at.

1. S
   SpecificWhat is my goal? Run a half marathon.

   Specific goals beat “do your best”. Locke and Latham reviewed hundreds of studies and found clear, hard goals led to better results than vague ones.

2. M
   MeasurableHow will I know I have done it? Crossing the finish line.

   Progress you can see keeps you going. The same research found goals work best with feedback, which is what your reports and trackers give you.

3. A
   AchievableHow realistic is it for me? Challenging.

   Hard but possible is the sweet spot. Stretching goals lift effort, as long as you believe you can reach them.

4. R
   RelevantWhich of my values does it serve? Health.

   Goals you care about last. Commitment is what keeps a goal alive, so each one links to a core value you chose.

5. T
   Time specificWhen will I do it? By 13 December.

   Plans with a when get done. Gollwitzer and Sheeran found that deciding when you will act lifts follow-through, so every step gets a date and a reminder.

Sources: Locke, E. A. and Latham, G. P. (2002), Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation, American Psychologist. Gollwitzer, P. M. and Sheeran, P. (2006), Implementation intentions and goal achievement, Advances in Experimental Social Psychology.