Huberman Lab

The Science of Setting & Achieving Goals

Jan 17, 2022

Dive into the fascinating world of neuroscience and goal achievement. Discover how brain circuits influence your ability to set and pursue goals effectively. Learn about the '85% Rule' that encourages embracing mistakes for enhanced learning. Explore intriguing visualization techniques like 'space-time bridging' to boost your focus. Uncover how dopamine plays a vital role in measuring progress and motivation. This insightful discussion provides practical tools for improving performance in all areas of life, from work to personal growth.

01:48:05

Creator website

AI Summary

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Focusing visual attention on a specific point activates neural circuits that increase readiness for goal pursuit.

Visual attention techniques enhance motivation and persistence in pursuing long-term goals.

Setting moderately challenging and realistic goals increases motivation and the likelihood of success.

Foreseeing potential failures and negative consequences can be highly motivating in achieving goals.

Deep dives

Focusing Visual Attention for Effective Goal Pursuit

Focusing our visual attention on a particular point beyond our immediate personal space activates neural circuits that increase our readiness for action. This can be harnessed to pursue and achieve goals effectively. By narrowing our visual focus on a specific location, we activate a neural pathway that enhances our cognitive attention and increases our willingness to move forward in pursuit of our goals. Research has shown that this visual tool can be applied to various types of goals, whether they are related to physical exercise or cognitive work. By simply focusing our visual attention for 30 to 60 seconds on a single point, we activate neural circuits that prepare our brain and body for action, allowing us to pursue our goals with less perceived effort and increased efficiency.

The 15% Rule

02:25

Increasing Concentration For Any Kind of Pursuit

01:04

Is Visualizing Big Goals Effective?

01:19

How to focus on one line to increase performance

00:36

Intro

4min

Embracing Errors for Enhanced Learning and Neuroplasticity

4min

The Science of Goal-Setting in Humans and Animals

4min

The Science of Goal-Setting

1h 25min

Harnessing Visualization Techniques for Effective Goal Achievement

14min

In this episode, I discuss the science of setting, assessing, and pursuing goals. I explain the neural (brain) circuits that underlie goal setting and pursuit. Then I describe nine science-supported tools anyone can apply toward their goals. I explain when and how to use goal visualization, when to use multitasking and how to use specific rewards to improve the likelihood of reaching your goals. I also explain why envisioning failures and their consequences are effective and how to set goals of the appropriate level of challenge. I also explain how the molecule dopamine is used to gauge our progress toward milestones and long-term overarching goals and how to leverage dopamine for goal pursuit. Finally, I explain a unique tool called 'space-time bridging' that can be used to support all aspects of goal setting, assessment, and pursuit. This episode ought to be useful for anyone seeking to improve their performance in work, school, exercise, athletics, or personal development.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) The Neuroscience of Goals

(00:01:56) Tool 1: Learn Fast(er) by the 85% Rule

(00:06:18) Sponsors: LMNT & Waking Up

(00:13:55) Brain Circuits for Setting & Pursuing Goals

(00:21:52) Determining the Value of Goals

(00:24:33) Psychology of Goal Setting: Assessing Value, Action Steps

(00:30:29) Peripersonal Space vs. Extrapersonal Space

(00:35:39) Visually Focusing on a Goal Line Improves Performance

(00:43:50) How Vision Improves Performance: Blood Pressure

(00:51:55) Tool 2: Use Focal Vision to Initiate Goal Pursuit

(00:54:40) Tool 3: Use Aged Self-Images to Self-Motivate

(00:59:33) Tool 4: Visualization of Goals is Only Helpful at the Start

(01:02:05) Tool 5: Visualizing Failure is the Best Ongoing Motivator

(01:07:26) Tool 6: Make Goals Moderately Lofty

(01:13:05) Tool 7: Avoid Goal Distraction; Focus on 1-2 Major Goals Per Year

(01:15:57) Tool 8: Ensure Specificity of Goals, Weekly Assessment

(01:19:57) Dopamine, Motivation & Pleasure in Seeking Goals

(01:22:43) Dopamine Reward Prediction Error, Controlling Dopamine

(01:34:26) How Dopamine Influences Vision & Vice Versa

(01:38:10) Interim Summary of Goal-Pursuit Steps

(01:39:50) Tool 9: Space-Time Bridging

(01:49:59) Summary

(01:51:50) Subscribe, Sponsors, Supplements, Instagram, Twitter, Newsletter

Disclaimer

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.

Huberman Lab

The Science of Setting & Achieving Goals

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Focusing Visual Attention for Effective Goal Pursuit

Changing Focus for Enhanced Goal Pursuit

Leveraging Visual Attention for Long-Term Goals

Applying Visual Attention Techniques

Focusing on the Future Enhances Goal-Directed Behavior

Specificity and Realistic Challenge in Goal-Setting

Foreshadowing Failure and Concrete Planning

Utilizing the Visual System for Goal Pursuit

The 15% Rule

Increasing Concentration For Any Kind of Pursuit

Is Visualizing Big Goals Effective?

How to focus on one line to increase performance

Thank you to our sponsors

Timestamps

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts