Thank you for joining the Huberman Lab Neural Network — a once-a-month newsletter with science and science-related tools for everyday life. This newsletter aims to provide you with actionable information in a condensed form.
Here I explain how to set and achieve your goals. These topics have been discussed in several Huberman Lab episodes including The Science of Setting & Achieving Goals and Goals Toolkit: How to Set & Achieve Your Goals.
Goal Setting: 6 Steps to Make the Process Easier and Make You More Productive
To begin, you’ll need to pick a goal. That might seem obvious. But many people fail to achieve their goals. Why? They don’t spend time defining their specific goal(s). To do so, follow steps #1-6:
Step 1: Choose a Priority Goal
During goal setting, people often want to overhaul too many habits at once. For example, start a diet, workout, sleep more and start meditating. All starting January 1st. Pursuing too many goals simultaneously often leads to failure of all goals. Instead, set a priority goal by asking: What is the one goal I can give the necessary time and energy to pursue right now?
Step 2: Pursue a Lofty Goal
Your chosen goal should be ambitious. Simple goals won’t cause sufficient levels of neural arousal and stress to stimulate real growth and learning. Therefore, aim for a lofty goal.
Step 3: Define Specific Actions
While overarching goals like “get fit,” “write a book” or “run more” are helpful to list during brainstorming, you must identify the actions involved in achieving each of these ‘macro’-goals. Break down your desired outcome into specific actions steps to significantly improve your likelihood of achieving your goal. For example, run three times per week.
