Huberman Lab

Goals Toolkit: How to Set & Achieve Your Goals

Aug 28, 2023

Discover the science behind setting and achieving goals effectively. Learn how to define priorities, assess challenges, and create measurable action plans. Explore the power of intrinsic motivation, and why keeping goals private can boost your focus. Uncover a structured 12-week framework for reaching objectives and master techniques to enhance your concentration. Plus, debunk common myths about goal pursuit and harness the motivational power of visualization. Get ready to transform your approach to goals!

01:32:16

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Quick takeaways

Select one specific and challenging goal to focus on for maximum motivation and success.

Quantify the amount of time spent on goal pursuit and set specific verb actions to enhance measurability and progress.

Utilize visualization techniques to boost motivation by envisioning positive outcomes or negative consequences of goal achievement or failure.

Maintain motivation and focus during goal pursuit by incorporating visual focus techniques and implementing random intermittent reinforcement for rewards.

Deep dives

Goal setting and pursuing goals

This podcast episode discusses the importance of goal setting and provides a toolkit for achieving goals. The speaker emphasizes the need to select one specific goal to focus on, rather than pursuing multiple goals simultaneously. It is recommended to set a challenging goal that feels slightly out of reach, as easy goals may not generate enough motivation. Measurability is key in goal pursuit, with the importance of defining specific verb actions and quantifying the amount of time spent on each action each day and week. The episode also dispels common myths about goal setting and accountability.

How to Motivate Yourself When You're Not Motivated

01:04

Continually write out goals each day to remind yourself

02:09

The 12 Week Cycle of Goal Pursuit

03:08

The Properties of Dopamine and its Effects on Motivation

01:30

Intro

2min

Understanding the Science and Protocols of Goal Setting

15min

Strategies for Effective Goal Setting and Debunking Myths

16min

The Power of Intrinsic Motivation in Goal Pursuit

2min

The 12-Week Goal Achievement Framework

15min

Harnessing Motivation: Techniques for Goal Achievement

6min

Enhancing Focus for Goal Achievement

36min

Understanding the Science of Goal Achievement

3min

In this episode, I describe science-based protocols to set and achieve your goals in a way that maximizes the likelihood of reaching them. I explain how to define a priority and reach a specific goal by systematically assessing the challenge level, measurability, milestones, and action states needed to make progress from start to finish. I also explain research-supported tools to improve your performance during cognitive or physical goal work — including directed visualization, variable reward timing, and optimizing your physical environment. I also dispel common myths about goal setting and achievement. This episode provides a science-supported toolkit of zero-cost strategies for goal-setting, goal-pursuit, and goal-completion that can be applied to any physical or cognitive endeavor.

For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com.

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Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

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

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Goal Setting Toolkit

(00:02:26) Sponsors: LMNT & Waking Up

(00:04:43) Biology of Goal Setting & Pursuit

(00:08:50) Tool 1: Choose a Priority Goal

(00:12:04) Tool 2: Pursue Lofty Goals

(00:17:23) Tool 3: Define Verb Actions, Measurability & Specificity; Writing vs. Typing

(00:24:06) Tool 4: Visual Reminder Myth; “Post-It Fallacy”

(00:26:44) Tool 5: Accountability Myth, “Don’t Tell the World” Rule

(00:31:35) Intrinsic Motivation & Goal Achievement

(00:33:22) Sponsor: AG1

(00:33:54) Tool 6: Measurable Goal; Quarterly Cycle

(00:37:35) Tool 7: Quantifiable Goals; Book Writing

(00:43:34) Tool 8: Visualization of End; Motivation & Negative Thinking

(00:50:38) Sponsor: InsideTracker

(00:51:44) Tool 9: Visual Target/Finish Line Training & Perceived Effort

(01:05:50) Tool 10: Distance from Phone

(01:08:31) Tool 11: Random, Intermittent Reinforcement; Cognitive Rewards

(01:17:11) Tool 12: “Middle Problem”; Time Chunking

(01:23:16) Tool 13: Circadian Rhythm & Attention

(01:30:09) Tool 14: Protocol Flexibility, Subjective Feelings

(01:32:13) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Momentous, Neural Network Newsletter, Social Media

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Huberman Lab

Goals Toolkit: How to Set & Achieve Your Goals

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Goal setting and pursuing goals

Motivation and visualization

Tools for goal pursuit

Goal initiation and overcoming resistance

The Power of Visual Focus in Increasing Motivation

Random Intermittent Reinforcement for Sustained Motivation

Overcoming the 'Middle Problem' and Optimizing Focus

How to Motivate Yourself When You're Not Motivated

Continually write out goals each day to remind yourself

The 12 Week Cycle of Goal Pursuit

The Properties of Dopamine and its Effects on Motivation

Thank you to our sponsors

Timestamps

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts