and I had a fantastic call last Friday and one of the topics that came up was in relation to vision, intention, and execution of goals. (Find his group here: Personal Growth School --he has a goal setting workshop coming up and his energy is solid--what a delight it was to talk to him! Absolutely love his energy. :) ) Additionally also has a group associated with planning/executing Executive Skill Journey -you've seen some of his helpful comments/feedback on here!:) Amongst other things, we talked about the different type of things that contribute to people falling short on their goals and getting discouraged and the types of things that build momentum and keep us focused.
I'm kind of curious about everyone's process to goal execution. What do you do? What's your approach?
I typically do a vision board--something that reminds me of the broader things/values that i want to focus on and embody. I want to focus on who I want to become/nurture as a person and take action that coincides with that. (e.g. the word connection or a picture of friends may be on the board). In addition to this, I may then break it down and have some action steps that's separate from the vision board (e.g. set up a date with a friend). I don't always put timelines on things and I also don't make it so stringent that if I somehow miss the mark it becomes discouraging. It's too easy to become discouraged.
Below are some approaches that some people take (chat GPT did help with the pretty structuring and some of the info!)
1️⃣ Outcome Based Goals
Focus is on the end result.Example: “I want to lose 10 pounds” or “I want to finish my degree.”
✔️ Good for direction and clarity
⚠️ Can feel overwhelming if not broken down; people often fail these without a strong why and without a strong process
🧠 Brain focus: prefrontal cortex for future planning and vision
2️⃣ Process Based Goals
Focus is on behaviors you repeat.Example: “I walk 30 minutes five days a week” or “I write 300 words a day.”
✔️ Builds consistency and reduces pressure
✔️ Increases follow through
🧠 Brain focus: basal ganglia and habit formation circuits
3️⃣ Systems Based Planning (I like this approach in combination with the next one)
You design an environment that supports success.Example: prepping meals, blocking time on a calendar, removing distractions.
✔️ Reduces reliance on willpower
✔️ Supports long term change
🧠 Brain focus: executive function and decision fatigue reduction
4️⃣ Values Based Goals (This is my favorite because it allows for flexibility of what the action steps can look like)
Goals are tied to meaning, not just outcomes.Example: “I train because I value health” or “I study because I value growth.” "Who do I want to become? How do I want to show up in the world?"
✔️ Increases intrinsic motivation
✔️ Helps with resilience during setbacks
🧠 Brain focus: limbic system and motivation pathways
5️⃣ Adaptive Goal Execution
You adjust instead of quitting when things shift.Progress over perfection mindset.
✔️ Supports nervous system regulation
✔️ Prevents all or nothing thinking
🧠 Brain focus: cognitive flexibility and emotional regulation
Question: Which style do you tend to use most, and which one might you need to add? How do you guys go about goal planning and goal execution???