Want to Accomplish More? Research Says Stop Trying to Achieve So Much at Once
Studies show the average person is pursuing seven different goals at the same time. Science suggests that’s part of the problem.
EXPERT OPINION BY JEFF HADEN @JEFF_HADEN
Goals: we all have them. While estimates vary, at least one study says that most people set goals.
And since we’re all ambitious, in our own ways, we tend to have a lot of goals. Another study determined the average (goal-setting) person is actively pursuing seven different goals at any given time.
Which sounds good at face value, but research
Which sounds good at face value, but research shows can also be a problem. According to a study published in Journal of Consumer Research, pursuing more than one goal at a time makes it much less likely you’ll achieve any of those goals.
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The benefits of implemental planning for attaining a single goal do not typically extend to multiple goals.
Instead, implemental planning draws attention to the difficulty of executing multiple goals, which undermines commitment to those goals relative to other desirable activities and thereby undermines goal success.
Let’s unpack that. In simple terms, implemental planning is a step-by-step process for achieving a goal. Decide to make lasagna, follow the recipe: do this, then that, then that… In that case, implemental planning works well.
Implemental planning is also involved when you want to make changes, where one thing triggers another: “In [this] situation, I will take [that] action.”
Source: www.inc.com
