Start Something!

Set a goal? Go small or go home

- Krissy Brady

Going after big new goals (like, say, running a marathon or learning to speak another language) may be desirable – but it’s also daunting. If you don’t feel like you’re crushing it from Day One, you’re more likely to give up altogether, says clinical psychologist Anna Kress. Plus, when you’re given a large but vague target (be happier this year, get in shape), your prefrontal cortex – the part of your brain responsible for goal-directed behaviour – can’t tell which steps to prioritise and ends up being less effective in helping you achieve your goal.

Your solve? Microgoals. Setting small, stupidly achievable objectives is the key to rocking life. Quickly making progress – even if it’s in baby steps – is more motivating than achieving something major, according to a recent study in the Journal Of Applied Psychology. Fun-sized ambitions allow your brain to manage your mental resources more effectively. In fact, your entire noggin loves going micro: whenever you hit a teeny milestone, it releases dopamine, a feel-great chemical that motivates you to repeat the behaviour. ‘Over time, mini-goals become habits that are rewarding and wired into our brain,’ says Kress.

She suggests starting with no more than three specific nano-goals at a time. Keep reading for more success strategies.

BIG FAIL

Be asleep by 10pm every night.

BIG FAIL

Live at your standing desk.

SMALL WIN

get up at about the same time every day.