🏆 How to set better goals

Most people’s goals suck for the same reason - the goal they set is outside of their locus of control.

You need to be able to directly influence the variable you are measuring. You need to be able to control the goal.

For example:

❌Goal: Get 10 new clients per month.

This is a bad goal because I cannot control whether somebody buys from me or not.

✅ Goal: Reach out to 10 potential clients per week

This is a good goal because it is SMART and process-based. I can directly control whether I reach out to 5 potential clients per week. I know the input (reaching out) is likely to lead to the output (paying clients). If I consistently take these actions, I’ve done my part. I’ve succeeded. Paying clients will come as a natural result of my efforts.

This small tweak in how you make your goals doesn’t only improve their effectiveness, it also helps you to take action on the goal more consistently.

Research in ‘97 by Zimmerman and Kitsantas showed focusing on the process rather than the outcome improved performance by 69.97%.

As I wrote back in January last year, when you focus on the process - not just the outcome - you focus on what you can control.

Make sure your goals this year are processed-based. You will achieve much more, much more easily.

Outcome-based goals vs process-based goals

Internal vs external locus of control. Spoiler: Entrepreneurs benefit most from

having an internal locus of control.

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I shared this in my Work Smart Wednesday newsletter. Want the full set of related insights? You can read them here: https://worksmartwednesday.substack.com/p/work-smart-wednesday-december-18

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