Fitness Pudding - Where The Proof Is
Are Setting Goals Good or Bad?
Most health and fitness behaviors are organized around goals. We set goals for ourselves, and then enact behaviors that will get us to that goal – at least that is what we hope. We have decades of research on the positive effects of proper goal setting on health behavior change and maintenance.
However, recent lay reports are telling us that goals are now bad for us?
Why Setting Goals Could Wreck Your Life
Why Setting Goals Can Do More Harm Than Good
A bit dramatic, don't you think? A classic case of 'click bait'.
Goals Gone Wild
Most of these comments stem from a working paper, Goals Gone Wild (great title, by the way) put together by an excellent group of business/management faculty. The authors highlight many important aspects of goal setting that optimize or thwart human behavior in business.
Their suggestions are an expansion of current goal setting theory and understanding, which is normal to the scientific discovery process. They are not saying that goals will 'ruin your life' or 'make you fail in any attempt you make at reaching a goal', as some would have you believe.
'Stretch Goals' and Health
The issue that has been linked to health and fitness efforts are 'Stretch Goals', or the goals that are set beyond our current capacity in hopes of motivating us to over-achieve. It is sort of like President John F. Kennedy's proclamation that we would go to the moon in under a decade. Now, that's a stretch goal!
The problem, as is argued, is that such goals can be demotivating, and even drive people to pursue unethical behavior. This makes sense to me, especially with what we know about having goals that are perceived as unrealistic. Take the following example stretch goal, would you perceive it to be MOTIVATING or UNREALISTIC?
Your New Goal
Look like a fitness magazine cover model by then end of next year
I have seen many people respond in a positive way to such goals, but others shut down at the simple thought of a seemingly unrealistic goal. Also, how disappointed would you be if you did not reach this goal?
This is why we are trained to set individualized goals for patients and clients – based on the person, their beliefs, their background, and their life. Also, this same perception is why others write in praise of stretch goals (and from the same Forbes source).
Expert Thoughts: Dr. Erik Gnagy
Dr. Erik Gnagy is a great friend, and expert in goal-setting, decision making, and stress – especially as they relate to optimizing health, fitness, and athletic performance. In response to stretch goals, he states:
"How we frame our goals will impact our experience and our likelihood for achieving them. If we see our goals as absolute, inflexible standards that we HAVE TO OR MUST achieve, we create a stressful state that disrupts our ability to adjust to temporary setbacks or challenges along the way. We then view failure as a sign of incompetence, which diminishes confidence and can lead to the abandonment of goals.
Goals setting should consist mainly of goals about the behaviors or process (Process Goal) – challenging, but attainable goals that move an individual closer to a desired state, reward, or outcome (Outcome Goal).
As such:
- Process Goals should be flexible. Each little success should be viewed as meaningful, and failures viewed merely as a sign that a minor adjustment or tweak in behavior is needed.
- Process Goals should be seen as very meaningful achievements. Outcome Goals are great – like the "icing on the cake" – but the cake is what fills us up!
The Take Home Message
Goal setting has long been a controversial topic, especially in what is the ideal way to set goals. We are still learning more and more about what makes goals work for all people.
We are shown that setting goals that are too broad, too narrow, too restricting, too focused on outcomes, and unattainable put us at risk of giving up on them. However, they will not ruin your life.
'Stretch Goals' work for some and not others – as one on might view it as realistic and motivating, while the other might find it unrealistic and amotivating. For you, make sure your goals are challengin, but realistic and attainable.
So, go ahead and set new health and wellness goals, and focus on the helpful tips provided below to help you on your way:
- Set goals that are challenging, yet attainable.
- Set goals that are specific, but still comprehensive enough to allow for focus on other important behaviors.
- Focus on the behaviors that will get you to your outcome, instead of only focusing on the outcome.
- Be flexible with your goals, and focus on the ones that have meaning for you.
- Set goals, but know they are 'icing on the cake'.
