Why have you been so successful in reaching some of your goals, but not others? If you aren’t sure, you are far from alone in your confusion. It turns out that even brilliant, highly accomplished people are pretty lousy when it comes to understanding why they succeed or fail. The intuitive answer — that you are born predisposed to certain talents and lacking in others — is really just one small piece of the puzzle. In fact, decades of research on achievement suggests that successful people reach their goals not simply because of who they are, but more often because of what they do.
1. Get specific. When you set yourself a goal, try to be as specific as possible. « Lose 5 pounds » is a better goal than « lose some weight, » because it gives you a clear idea of what success looks like. Knowing exactly what you want to achieve keeps you motivated until you get there. Also, think about the specific actions that need to be taken to reach your goal. Just promising you’ll « eat less » or « sleep more » is too vague — be clear and precise. « I’ll be in bed by 10pm on weeknights » leaves no room for doubt about what you need to do, and whether or not you’ve actually done it.
Lire la suite sur le blog de la Harvard Business Review