Goal-setting and rewards
Goals are important to us. They provide us with the opportunity to realise how our highs, lows, and everything in between all matter if we can use that experience to achieve the dream we have for ourselves.
Earlier, in Chapter 1, we discussed goal setting theory, which explains, amongst other things, how challenging and specific goals enable us to utilise the skills and knowledge that we have acquired over our lives and to help us reach new limits of performance and productivity. In this chapter, we are going to incorporate this theory into our own goals and discuss how to structure different types of goals to maximise their power. The structure of this book uses the underlying premise of goal setting theory to keep your motivation and performance at a high level regardless of where you are in your journey, because there are always new goals and milestones that you can achieve.
You might be asking yourself right now, “Sure, the theory is there but does it work, and will the goal setting in the quantum method bring me better results?” The short answer is, absolutely yes!
A recent study found that goal setting played a crucial role in promoting sustained behavioural change in an individual’s performance. [1] Meaning that it wasn’t just a quick alteration in their routine to accomplish something quickly, but goal setting allowed people to reap the benefits in the long–term.
That same study also found that the productivity and performance boost from goal setting could be further improved when each goal was tailored to the individual, accounting for a person’s ambitions, their desired goal difficulty and level of ability. This has already been incorporated into the quantum method by regularly using feedback to update your goal setting and ultimately, to improve your productivity. Importantly, there is room for personalisation and restructuring of your schedule so you can tailor it to whatever works best for you.
Another large study looking at nearly 6,000 people using goal setting to improve both their commitment and performance in a task found significant benefits, [2] and that a combination of short–term and long–term goals was most effective for increasing performance and overall benefit. This was particularly effective for fitness goals, but it will work for any purpose you can think of. Research studies such as this are the foundation for the Level 1, 2, and 3 goals described in this chapter. We want to gain the most benefit from how we structure our goals and rewards, and use peer-reviewed scientific methods to make sure that happens.
So, how do we set goals for ourselves, and which type of goals do we need to get the maximum benefit? Firstly, the goal needs to be specific. Of course, we can have one big dream that we focus on, such as becoming financially stable, growing a successful business, or achieving an academic degree, but research tells us that this alone will not be enough. What does work is when we break down the larger dream into smaller and more specific goals that we achieve along the way. Essentially, we need to set short, medium, and long–term goals. Goal specificity reduces a lot of variability in performance by reducing ambiguity about what needs to be done to achieve your goals. [3]
In addition, spacing out these goals with specific deadlines evenly throughout the year will have an increased benefit on your productivity, because this allows a person to remain at a consistently high level of performance without feeling overwhelmed and anxious about too many approaching deadlines. [4] To this end, a study with nearly 3,000 people, looked at the difference in performance and goal achievement between two different groups. [5] One group was given goals which were not specific and were aimed at simply working harder to get a better result, such as ‘do your best’. The second group had clearly defined goals whereby they needed to reach a specified number of completed tasks by a given deadline. The second group outperformed the non–specific group by a significant margin.
In short, specific and challenging goals consistently lead to much stronger performance in people who normally do not set any goals for themselves or set a goal of simply ‘doing their best’. The do–your–best goal allows for too many variables that could derail the plan, and it is not capable of providing a single target to focus on. On the other hand, specific goals have been consistently proven to enable us to achieve more and ultimately bring our dreams into reality. [3]
YOUR GOALS
Refer back to your journal where you answered questions 4–6. We will use your answers as a guide for this chapter. As with everything in the quantum method, we first need to break down our goals into smaller and more manageable segments. The reason for this is that if we think only about the bigger dream, it can be discouraging when it takes a long time to achieve it. However long it takes, it doesn’t mean you are not making progress. When you see Mount Everest 100 miles in the distance and walk 10 miles closer to it, the looming mountainous landscape will not have changed much in that time, even though you are closer than before.
Monitoring your progress is a simple and integral part of your process, because it is reassuring to look back over the previous time and recognise just how far you have come, and how much closer you now are to achieving your dream. The best way to do this is to have multiple types of goals, and then, of course, multiple types of rewards when you reach them.
Specificity and your goals
Level 1 goals
Highly specific Level 1 goals are ones that you will achieve in the short–term, generally between 2–4 weeks, and should be as specific as you can make them. For these goals, it is not about the bigger picture, only the short–term goal. This keeps motivation and performance levels high because it is always clear what needs to be done and how to obtain it.
Think of Level 1 goals as a traditional to–do list for your short–term goals. In fact, I encourage you to write down your short–term goals in a list, somewhere that is visible and definitely one that will be checked at least once per week. This will help to keep you focused on the weekly task to achieve these goals.
Don’t forget, just because they are short–term goals doesn’t mean that they should not be categorised by difficulty, or you should not break the tasks down further to understand where you can find time in your day to work on them. Try to incorporate all that you have read. The only difference here is that rather than working towards your final dream, you are using your new tools to work towards a smaller goal that is already in your sights.
“Take a moment to remember how hard you have worked, because you deserve your rewards”
Level 1 rewards — The fun part
Of course, completing your goals and making progress towards may be a reward on its own, but it shouldn’t stop you from taking a moment to enjoy the achievement. Reward yourself after each Level 1 goal that you achieve. It doesn’t need to be anything costly or extravagant, as you still have a lot of work to do. But try to take the time to treat yourself. Maybe that means a dinner out with friends and family, a movie night, or a simple relaxing bath one evening. Whatever you think is appropriate to feel positive about your progress and remind yourself of the hard work you have put in over the last few weeks.
The reason we have Level 1 rewards is because cognitive neuroscience tells us that the closer we are to completing a task or receiving a reward, the harder we work and are more productive we become. [6] By incorporating Level 1 goals and rewards, we take advantage of our natural strengths to focus and motivate ourselves to achieve what we need to, and early achievement can be an effective way to increase overall achievement. [7]
Level 2 goals
We will use Level 2 goals to remain specific enough to our tasks, while allowing for growth in the months leading up to them because each Level 1 goal will complement each other and contribute to the Level 2 goal. The spacing of Level 2 goals should be evenly distributed, around 3–6 months apart.
Level 2 goals were created for the quantum method based on research showing that when we create time landmarks, or ‘fresh starts’, we tend to have short but highly effective performance boosts, particularly when starting a more challenging activity. [8] Therefore, we incorporate Level 2 goals because once you achieve them, you have the opportunity to set a new goal, which will act as a catalyst to improve productivity as you raise your limits to face the new challenge.
Small bites of the pie are usually enough to finish the meal, but we can’t always rely on them alone — not if we want to dream big and reach our potential. Unlike the Level 1 goals, where your progress towards your final dream may not be immediately obvious, the Level 2 goals should resemble a recognisable part of your bigger dream or goal. Using an analogy, say we have a 10,000–piece jigsaw puzzle. Level 1 goals would be the individual pieces, whereas Level 2 goals would form an entire section, revealing a main feature of the puzzle picture. Level 3 goals, which we will discuss next, would be akin to finishing an entire quarter of the puzzle, revealing the concept and details behind the picture, and making the finished design more obvious.
What would a Level 2 goal look like? When most of us make New Year resolutions, we say something like, “this year I’m going to lose 100lbs”, or “by the end of the year I will buy a house”. Level 2 goals would be the check–in period of, say, six months, where you would be aiming to have lost 50lbs or saved around 50% of the house deposit.
Take a moment to think deeply about each of your goals. Try not to make them so easy as to limit your progress, or too grand and unrealistic, which can lead to disappointment. Find a balance, stick to your plan with consistency and focus, and you will achieve it. Remember to set your Level 2 and 3 goals as challenging but achievable. Level 1 goals should always be easily attainable, but the longer–term goals will provide you with better performance and productivity when additional difficulty is added to them. [4]
Level 3 goals
Level 3 goals, which are the (potentially multiple) year–long goals you set for yourself, will be tailored to your final dream. They will be natural checkpoints and powerful motivators because they allow clear progress to be demonstrated while still feeling less overwhelming than your final goal.
The Level 3 goals should be placed every 12 months, ideally at the end of the year, which creates a natural ending to your goals and targets. As with all your goals, be sure to set your Level 3 goals with a degree of difficulty. They should be challenging but achievable. The greater the challenge, the more likely you will push yourself to more extraordinary performance and overall achievement. [7] Make them ambitious because you have the time within those 12 months to adjust your schedule to ensure you achieve Level 3 goals.
Remember to tell friends and family when you achieve these goals. They are likely a part of your success and would love to be updated on your achievements. Allow those close to you to share in your joy and progress.
These goals and rewards along the way are just as important and valuable as any bigger dream you may have. So, please take the time to enjoy them!
To see the full un-redacted chapter, why not check out the book?
The Quantum Method – the science of productivity (Mike Tranter PhD)
References:
1. Baretta, D., et al. (2019). Implementation of the goal-setting components in popular physical activity apps: review and content analysis. Digital Health; 5.
2. McEwan, D., et al. (2016). The effectiveness of multi-component goal setting interventions for changing physical activity behaviour: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Health Psychology Review; 10 (1).
3. Neubert, M. J. (1998). The value of feedback and goal setting over goal setting alone and potential moderators of this effect: a meta-analysis. Human Performance; 11 (4).
4. Ariely, D., & Wertenbroch, K. (2002). Procrastination, deadlines, and performance: self-control by precommitment. Psychological Science; 13 (3).
5. Kleingeld, A., et al. (2011). The effect of goal setting on group performance: a meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology; 96 (6).
6. Milkman, K., & Brabow, K. (2020) www.scientificamerican.com. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-feeling-close-to-the-finish-line-makes-you-push-harder/
7. Cheng, P. Y., & Chiou, W. B. (2010). Achievement, attributions, self-efficacy, and goal setting by accounting undergraduates. Psychological Reports; 106 (1).
8. Dai, H., & Li, C. (2019). How experiencing and anticipating temporal landmarks influence motivation. Current Opinion in Psychology; 26.