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What Really Helps People Reach Their Goals?

By Mike Sullivan

Teaser: You might be wrong about why you don’t reach your goals—it’s probably not your personality.

Have you ever noticed that you easily achieve some of your goals but fail miserably to make any progress on others? Or maybe it feels like you’re bad at achieving any goal you set? These feelings are common because most people struggle to achieve their goals.

We often assume that we’re the problem. “I never achieve what I set out to do because I’m lazy.” “I gave up on my goal to get straight A’s because I’m not very smart.” Thankfully, recent research from our lab shows these explanations matter much less than people think, and other factors like motivation and planning play much larger roles.

To find out what really helps people achieve their goals, our lab spent years systematically reviewing the scientific research. We collected all relevant studies (over 300!) and put them into a massive spreadsheet so we could identify common factors that help people achieve their goals. A few clear patterns emerged:

1. Many factors influence whether people achieve their goals—but most play pretty small roles.
2. Personality factors (e.g., how energetic, hardworking, and emotionally stable you are compared to other people) tend to matter much less than people think.
3. The kind of motivation you have for your goals is important. People are more likely to achieve goals that are personally meaningful, valuable, and enjoyable compared to goals they feel like they should or have to pursue.
4. The amount of effort you put into your goal makes a big difference. This may seem obvious, but it’s worth stating explicitly. You are far more likely to achieve your goals when you work consistently toward them.
5. Planning is underrated. If you are struggling with one of your goals, try using an if-then plan. For example, if you want to lift weights five times a week, your if-then plan could be: if I get home on a weekday before 6:00 PM, then I’ll immediately go to the gym.
6. It’s harder to achieve your goals if you’re not feeling well. Prioritizing rest and other healthy habits makes achieving your goals a lot more likely.   

So that’s it, a brief overview of what five years of research tells us will help people achieve their goals.

Next time you notice that you’re struggling with one of your goals, consider coming back to this list. Remember that even if you’re in a negative headspace, there’s a lot you can control. Ask yourself: is this really a goal I personally care about? Am I working hard enough to achieve it? When you stumble, try an if-then plan. And do your best to maintain healthy habits and a balanced life so you can put in a lot of effort to achieve your goal.

Good luck!