Approach Your Goals Like a Scientist

"Goals can be motivating, as they help you plan for the future and have something to strive for. They can also be demotivating when you don't complete them perfectly. You might criticize yourself for not achieving the goal fast enough or not sticking to the goal. Self-judgment can make you want to give up or not even try to set future goals. Recognize the unhelpful patterns you have around goals and intentionally reframe how you think about setting and working toward your goals."

"Use that information to create a hypothesis that is "SMART": specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-focused. Break the hypothesis down into small steps. Gather the needed supplies and support personnel, as well as set aside time to work on the research. Collect data along the way on what is working and what improvements/adjustments need to be made. Stay curious throughout the process and check in on how aligned you feel with all parts of the process."

Goals can motivate by providing future plans and things to strive for, but they can also demotivate when expectations of perfection cause self-criticism. Self-judgment about speed or consistency can lead to giving up or avoiding future goals. Reframe goals as testable hypotheses by applying a scientific approach: review past experiences, form SMART hypotheses, break them into small steps, gather resources and support, and schedule focused time. Collect data, stay curious, check alignment regularly, and practice self-care. Map goals backward for long-term planning and routinely reassess whether goals remain a good fit.

Read at Psychology Today