The PhD Life Coach 5.03 Why you’re probably setting the wrong goals
Oct 19, 2026
SMART goals can still steer you wrong. Explore the difference between action and outcome goals, challenge the “shoulds” shaping your ambitions, and uncover the real reasons behind what you pursue. The conversation also covers supportive accountability, realistic tradeoffs, restarting after setbacks, aligning goals with your strengths, and using milestones and accumulation goals to make progress more sustainable.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Choose Actions You Actually Enjoy
- Dr Vikki Wright repeatedly chose half-marathon outcome goals despite disliking the running required to achieve them.
- Enjoyable military fitness classes kept her fit enough to complete events, showing that different actions can support the same result.
Question Productivity Shoulds
- Check whether a goal reflects your values or merely someone else's idea of productivity.
- Starting work at eight matters only if it genuinely serves your priorities rather than an imposed academic norm.
Find The Goal Beneath The Goal
- Clarifying why you want a goal can reveal better routes to the underlying outcome.
- Wanting conference connections may point toward attending the event, not necessarily presenting at it.