Want to know why you should stop talking about your goals?
We understand what happens when you have a genius idea. You’re excited, and you want to yell it from the rooftops—but this isn’t always the best course of action.
There are a few reasons to keep your goals to yourself, but for the most part, we’re talking about the actual science behind it—the intention-behavior gap.
But there’s more to discuss when it comes to keeping goals to yourself.
Let’s explore the notion of goal-planning, but first, let’s get into the science behind the intention-behavior gap.
What is the Intention-Behavior Gap?
The intention-behavior gap describes how some people fail to turn their intentions into action. This psychological obstacle breaks down into two different parts, the motivational phase, and the volitional phase.
The motivational phase is also known as the intention phase. It’s the moment you have a stroke of genius and develop a specific intention towards a goal.
The volitional phase is the planning and action phase that requires the necessary behavior to complete your intention. This is where you need to create an action plan and make yourself accountable for seeing your plan through. As you can imagine, this is where a lot of people fall short of their own expectations.
It takes a good amount of self-efficacy, and self-regulation is needed to stay consistent and execute your goals.
How does this tie into not telling others what you have planned?
It comes down to something called social reality. This occurs when you eagerly inform people of your hopes, goals, and dreams and feel good about it afterward, but these “good feelings” are where it ends.
In all actuality, verbalizing your plans makes it less likely that you’ll follow through. You might be saying to yourself, “No, not necessarily,” but check out this Ted Talk from Derek Sivers and see if it sways your opinion.
Let’s explore a few other reasons to keep your goals to yourself.
Adds Another Layer of Stress
When you tell people about your goals, it adds another layer of stress to the equation.
Often, we set out with heaps of motivation, but motivation levels waiver as procrastination and other issues arise (unless you’re one of the few people on planet earth this doesn’t apply to).
If you tell people you’ll complete x, y, or z within a given amount of time, it may create unnecessary feelings of tension and frustration.
Working on your goals and achieving them shouldn’t be a stressful experience. Sure, there may be bumps in the road, but this is life in general, correct?
Besides, when you maintain a positive attitude and state of mind, you’ll attract the same things back tenfold.
Do They Really Care?
We’re not saying your friends and family don’t care about your goals, but your goals are more of a personal process.
Think about the last time you told a friend or family member about some grand idea you had. You told them, they smiled, said that’s nice, and moved onto the next topic of discussion.
It’s simply not as important to them because it doesn’t directly involve them—the harsh reality of the situation.
If You Must—Talk to Yourself
Sometimes you feel like you have to talk it out.
If this sounds like something you experience, why not practice some positive self-talk and affirmations?
Positive self-talk is an excellent way to maintain the self-confidence needed to push through towards your goals. Affirmations are statements you say to yourself on a continued basis.
This works to reprogram the mind, eliminating any negative thoughts—the more you say it, the more you begin to believe it!
The dialogue you engage in with yourself sets the tone for your day. So keep it simple, and adopt a few key phrases to keep yourself pumped and motivated.
A Few Extra Goal-Planning Tips
Everyone has their own process regarding goal-planning, but it never hurts to usher a few new ideas into your routine. Who knows, it may be that extra little something you were missing.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when planning your goals.
Be Realistic
We’re firm believers you should always reach for the stars (excuse the PBS tone, but we felt it fitting), but you have to make sure you’re realistic in the planning phase.
When you have realistic goals, you plan more effectively and make progress in a timely manner. This is important because it directly affects your confidence and motivation. If you’re making progress, you feel good about yourself and the whole idea of goal-planning and achieving.
Make a List and Prioritize
Who doesn’t love a good list? If you’re not shaking your head in agreement, let’s see if we can change your mind.
There are several benefits associated with to-do lists, including decreased stress and anxiety, focused attention, improved time management, and it helps you see where you’re making progress.
When you make a list, you also ensure you don’t forget something important—who hasn’t done that before?
On a cognitive level, your mind retains the information and stores it for later, so you know what’s on your list without looking at the list.
Keep Your Cool
It’s crucial to maintain your cool while you’re working on your goals. There may be times you feel like you’re not making enough progress, but most times, we’re too hard on ourselves.
Think about it like this. If you’re doing one thing towards your goal every day, then you’re still making progress.
In the meantime and in-between time, it’s helpful to sprinkle a little CBD into your daily routine to keep a much-needed layer of chill present. Whether you prefer a few puffs of a fast-acting vape pen or the easy-to-manage CBD gummy servings, there’s something for everyone.
Besides, when you’re chill and level-headed, you work more efficiently—and you’re happier.
Are You Up to the Challenge?
We challenge you to keep your next set of goals to yourself. Take time to reflect and see what feels different and how it affects your process.
So, who’s ready to smash some goals—quietly?