Goal setting: An underestimate superpower
Goal setting might be our most important work as leaders
If you have strong, compelling goals written down for the next 2 to 5 years, you’ve set yourself apart from the vast 95% of the population. If you’ve also created a concrete plan to achieve them, you are 10 times more likely to be successful than those who don’t. I know this works first hand and have come to realise that it’s one of my superpowers… relentless planning and action.
Goal setting’s importance doesn’t stop at your individual performance; it also affects the overall performance of the entire organisation. Leaders who empower teams through the act of collaborative goal setting see higher engagement and greater performance. Google adopts this as one of their management strategies: employees can use 20% of their time to work on any problems that they want. And surprisingly, they don’t waste this free time surfing the Internet or idling through their days, they produce better outcomes.
Clear and purposeful goals with autonomy over the ‘how’ significantly enhance productivity and effectiveness by tapping into key brain mechanisms that boost motivation, focus and memory—all essential for getting things done. Let’s take a look at the neuroscience and highlight several ways goals affect our brain’s performance and drive so you can take Key Steps to…
‘be the difference that makes the difference.’
- Increased motivation. When we set a clear, purposeful goal, our brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with reward and motivation. Dopamine reinforces actions that bring us closer to our goals by making progress feel rewarding, which increases motivation and encourages us to stay engaged. Each small achievement or ‘win’ along the way releases more dopamine and propels us forward.
- Enhanced focus. Clear goals activate our prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain involved in executive functions such as planning, decision-making and attention. This region helps direct our attention toward relevant information and filters out distractions, which is critical for prioritising. Without a specific goal, the brain is more likely to get distracted, overwhelmed or pulled in different directions.
- Boosted working memory. Purposeful goals help our brain’s working memory by establishing a framework of priority. Working memory, our ability to hold and manipulate information over short periods, is limited, but with a clear goal, the brain knows what information to retain and use. This helps manage cognitive load, making it easier to handle complex tasks without becoming overwhelmed.
- Enhanced problem-solving. When we set meaningful goals, we are more likely to engage in sustained effort, which promotes neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to form new connections. Neuroplasticity helps us learn from challenges and adapt our strategies, refining and enhancing our problem-solving skills as we make progress. Agility at its best!
- Increased persistence and resilience. Purposeful goals tap into our brain’s reward circuits, helping build resilience by making the sustained effort itself feel worthwhile. Research shows that when we have a sense of purpose, we’re more likely to perceive setbacks as challenges to overcome rather than threats. This resilience is partly due to the brain’s release of mood-regulating neurotransmitters, which help buffer stress and improve our persistence.
- Better long-term memory formation. The brain tends to retain information more effectively when it relates to meaningful goals. Purposeful goals help the hippocampus—a region critical for memory—form stronger long-term memories. This connection to meaningful tasks enhances our recall of information and skills relevant to our goals, making it easier to retain and apply what we’ve learned.
It is a no brainer! Just do it. Purposeful goals leverage multiple neural mechanisms to keep us motivated, focused and capable of adapting, which supports effective action and sustained effort. By aligning your goals with intrinsic motivations and team outcomes, you set your brain up to maintain engagement even in the face of challenges, creating a powerful cycle of accomplishment and reward.
There’s a month to Christmas. I wonder what goals you can set and Key Steps you can start taking to…
‘be the difference that makes the difference.’
