If you have yet to reach your goals this year, we’ve got just what you need to get you there.

It all comes down to creating goals your brain loves and ensuring your most important goals have these 7 characteristics:

Be Positive

Framing your goal in a positive way – as opposed to something you want to avoid – is key to reaching your goals.

Make It Personal

Setting personal goals in a business environment may seem odd, but if your goals aren’t about something important to you – your brain isn’t interested.

Stay In The Present

It’s important to phrase your goal in the present tense. Using phrases like ‘I want….’ or ‘I will… ‘ will just keeping you wanting and willing. There’s a much more effective way to construct a goal.

Visualize

It may sound corny, but science has shown that envisioning your goals really works. Elite athletes do it. Successful entrepreneurs do it.

Let Goldilocks Be Your Inspiration

If a goal feels either too easy or too hard to achieve, our brain isn’t in the optimum chemical state to focus on it. But if a goal holds just the right amount of challenge – not too easy but also doesn’t seem impossible – then our level of motivation peaks.

Get Specific

When you set clear tasks to complete in a particular timeframe, doing so provides a mini ‘win’ and provides a massive boost to our brain chemistry, getting us a step closer to the bigger goal.

Be Action Oriented

Successful goal achievement requires action each day and regular reminders of the desired outcome. The right type of actions and focus help you build new wiring that nudge you closer to the finish line. Research shows that being able to cross actions off as you achieve them is highly rewarding to our brains. Literally drip-feeding your brain with the neurotransmitter dopamine, which keeps you curious and motivated.


Noesis delivers neuroleadership consulting and training to organizations handling everyday change and major transformation initiatives. We help our Fortune 500 clients scientifically improve leadership.