Caroline Adams Miller on the Keys to Achieving Big Goals | EP 548

Dec 19, 2024

In this episode, Caroline Adams Miller, a renowned positive psychology expert and author of 'Big Goals', shares insights on the science of effective goal setting. She presents her BRIDGE methodology and emphasizes the importance of aligning goals with personal purpose. Caroline discusses the unique challenges women face in achieving their aspirations and the role of grit and resilience in personal growth. Her journey through psychology and recovery highlights how overcoming adversity can lead to a fulfilling life, inspiring listeners to unlock their true potential.

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Intro

00:00 • 4min

Unlocking the Science of Goal Setting for a Fulfilling Life

04:19 • 3min

Rediscovering Purpose: A Journey Through Psychology and Recovery

07:38 • 17min

Trustworthy Wireless Solutions and Hair Loss Treatments

24:59 • 2min

The Cost of Complacency: Lessons from Boeing

27:09 • 10min

Revolutionizing Goal-Setting: Evidence-Based Approaches for Modern Challenges

37:17 • 6min

Breaking Barriers: Gender and Goal-Setting

42:57 • 15min

Cultivating Grit and Goal-Setting

57:46 • 17min

Transforming Aspirations into Achievements

01:14:34 • 5min

Positively Caroline

Caroline Adams Miller

Caroline Adams-Miller's "Positively Caroline" continues the narrative from "My Name Is Caroline," focusing on her sustained recovery from bulimia. It explores the long-term challenges of maintaining recovery and the role of positive psychology in overcoming addiction. The book offers practical strategies and insights for cultivating a positive mindset and building resilience. It emphasizes the importance of self-compassion and self-acceptance in the recovery process. The book serves as a guide for individuals seeking lasting recovery from eating disorders.

Scare Your Soul

Scott Simon

Scott Simon's "Scare Your Soul" explores the importance of courage in achieving goals and living a fulfilling life. It delves into the concept of facing fears and embracing challenges. The book offers insights into the psychological and emotional aspects of courage. It provides practical strategies for building resilience and overcoming obstacles. Simon's work emphasizes the importance of stepping outside one's comfort zone and taking risks to achieve personal growth.

Woman's inhumanity to woman

Phyllis Chesler

In 'Woman's Inhumanity to Woman', Phyllis Chesler delves into the often-overlooked topic of women's aggression towards other women. The book, which took 21 years to write, is based on extensive research including primate and anthropological studies, workplace analyses, sociological data, and hundreds of original interviews. Chesler argues that women internalize societal biases and misogyny, leading to behaviors such as gossip, exclusion, and competition that undermine female solidarity and empowerment. The book explores various contexts, including relationships between mothers and daughters, sisters, friends, and women in the workplace, highlighting the need for women to recognize and overcome these internalized biases to achieve true sisterhood and personal growth.

My Name Is Caroline

Caroline Adams Miller

Big Goals

Caroline Adams Miller

Caroline Adams-Miller's "Big Goals" delves into the science of goal setting, providing a practical framework for achieving ambitious objectives. The book draws upon decades of research in positive psychology and goal-setting theory, offering a structured approach that moves beyond simplistic methods. It emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between learning and performance goals, and incorporates elements of decision-making science, relationship dynamics, and personal resilience. The book includes numerous worksheets and exercises to guide readers through the process, making it accessible to a wide audience. Ultimately, "Big Goals" empowers individuals to set and achieve challenging goals with a higher likelihood of success.

Measure What Matters

Laura Patterson

John Doerr's "Measure What Matters" explores the power of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) as a goal-setting system. The book showcases how OKRs have been used by companies like Google and Intel to achieve ambitious goals. Doerr emphasizes the importance of setting clear, measurable objectives and tracking progress regularly. The book also highlights the importance of aligning goals across teams and organizations. It provides a practical framework for setting and achieving ambitious goals in various contexts, including business and personal life.

Hidden Potential

The Science of Achieving Greater Things

Adam Grant

In 'Hidden Potential,' Adam Grant dismantles the myth that success is primarily due to innate talent. He argues that potential is not fixed but can be cultivated over time through effort, persistence, and continuous learning. The book emphasizes the development of 'character skills' such as proactivity, determination, and the ability to embrace discomfort and learn from failure. Grant uses compelling stories of late bloomers and underdogs who achieved greatness through sheer determination, highlighting the importance of support systems, motivation, and the willingness to push beyond comfort zones. The book offers a new framework for raising aspirations and exceeding expectations, applicable in various domains from education to the workplace and beyond[2][4][5].

Authentic Happiness

Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment

Martin Seligman

In 'Authentic Happiness,' Martin E.P. Seligman introduces the revolutionary science of positive psychology, challenging the traditional focus on mental illness by promoting an approach that fosters positive emotions, strengths, and virtues. The book provides practical exercises, brief tests, and a dynamic website program to help readers identify their highest virtues and use them to improve all aspects of their lives. Seligman emphasizes the importance of 'signature strengths'—unique personal traits that enhance happiness and fulfillment—and explores how these strengths can be applied in relationships, work, parenting, and education to create healthier, happier communities.

Grit

The Power of Passion and Perseverance

Angela Duckworth

In this book, Angela Duckworth presents a compelling argument that success is driven more by grit, a fusion of relentless passion and perseverance, than by talent. She explains what grit is, how to identify and develop it, and how it can be grown through stages such as developing interests, consistent practice, finding a pro-social purpose, and cultivating optimism. The book is structured in three parts: explaining what grit is and why it matters, how to grow grit from the inside out, and how to grow grit from the outside in, targeting parents, coaches, teachers, and organizational leaders. Duckworth supports her arguments with personal stories, historical insights, and interviews with high achievers from various fields.

In this enlightening episode of Passion Struck, we’re joined by Caroline Adams Miller, a trailblazing positive psychology expert and author of Big Goals. With a career spanning decades of research, coaching, and personal transformation, Caroline takes us on a journey to uncover the science behind setting and achieving meaningful goals that lead to flourishing lives.

Caroline reveals strategies beyond ambition, offering actionable frameworks like the BRIDGE methodology to help you overcome obstacles, stay motivated, and accomplish the goals that truly matter. From leveraging the science of grit and resilience to understanding how goal-setting theory can transform your person.

Link to the full show notes: https://passionstruck.com/achieving-big-goals-caroline-adams-miller/

Call to Action: Caroline Adams Miller’s insights into the science of setting and achieving big goals are a testament to the transformative power of intentionality, resilience, and grit. Whether she’s guiding individuals to unlock their potential, helping organizations achieve meaningful transformation, or sharing her groundbreaking research, Caroline demonstrates that true success comes from aligning ambition with purpose and happiness.

This episode will resonate with anyone looking to break through barriers, embrace personal growth, and take actionable steps toward creating a fulfilling and purpose-driven life.

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In this episode, you will learn:

Expert Insights on Goal-Setting: The episode features Caroline Adams Miller, a renowned positive psychologist and best-selling author, who shares her extensive knowledge on the science of goal-setting, grit, and success.
Introduction of the BRIDGE Framework: Caroline introduces her revolutionary BRIDGE framework, which blends science, grit, and the psychology of flourishing to help listeners set and achieve transformative goals.
Challenging Traditional Notions: The discussion challenges conventional goal-setting methods, particularly the SMART goals framework, emphasizing that it lacks scientific backing and can undermine goal achievement.
Personal Journey of Resilience: Caroline shares her inspiring personal story of overcoming bulimia, illustrating the importance of resilience and the power of setting big goals in the face of adversity.
Connection Between Happiness and Success: The episode highlights research showing that happiness precedes success, reshaping how listeners can approach their own goals and aspirations.
Focus on Equity in Goal-Setting: The conversation addresses gender biases in goal-setting practices and offers insights on how organizations can create more equitable environments for women.

Connect with Caroline Adams Miller: https://www.carolinemiller.com/

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