The Science of Reaching Goals
I recently listened to a couple of interesting podcasts on The Huberman Lab hosted by Dr. Andrew Huberman, professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. The topics were about the science of setting and reaching goals. I am fascinated with brain science, particularly neuroplasticity – an expanding body of work that proves, as King David mused, that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Neuroplasticity, dummied down to my level, means we are created with the power to rewire our own brain. It’s not easy, mind you, but achievable.
Dr. Huberman’s focus on these podcasts was inspired by the work of Emily Balcetis, PhD, professor of psychology at NYU, and she was his guest on the second one. A lot of her team’s research centered on the impact of visualization in setting and achieving goals.
Engage your visual system
In goal setting and progress.
Tomes have been written about goal setting but the volume of new year's resolutions about fitness and weight loss (year by year) followed by a quick scan of any American beach come July 4th will suggest we’re not very good in toto at hitting our targets. If we’re not reaching our exercise and diet goals, we’re probably not checking off our other goals, either.
Doctors Huberman and Balcetis are avid proponents of engaging our visual system (which is the hungriest user of brain resources) in the goal process. Here are a couple of takeaways from the research:
To spur us to action, a goal should be moderate – not too easy, not too hard. Easy goals provide no reward, giant goals may be perceived as impossible or too exhausting and never get out of the starting gate. A just-right goal is difficult and will stretch us but feel doable.
Does this mean we give up dreaming big dreams? No. It means we break them down into manageable segments – eating the elephant one bite at a time. (Is there any other way? I mean, if you're going to eat an elephant and you put part of it in your mouth – isn't that a bite? What if you carve out a large hunk or put two pieces on your fork? Once shoved between our teeth, I think that’s a bite. Is the other option swallowing the elephant whole – or being opened up and having the elephant surgically implanted in our stomach? I digress.)
2. Narrowing our visual field of focus helps us be more productive while using less energy. This is very interesting. We may be gunning for the horizon but will be better served to stare at a single, closer target until we hit it. Dr. Balcetis gives the example of a marathoner focusing on a leading runner's red shorts to overtake. Once by, find some other shorts on which to fixate.
The key to big achievements is quickly recalibrating our vision on the run. To me it feels like setting a series of finish lines, but only seeing one at a time. Break one tape and instantly raise your gaze to focus on the next one. The healthy dopamine hit from crossing one line will give us energy and excitement to keep going.
Narrowing the scope of our focus
increases productivity and saves energy.
It is important to remember that goal setting and accomplishment is deeply personal, and we should include a careful accounting of our available mental resources and wellness. Mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health are vital for achieving our goals.
After an exhausting tax deadline my well is usually depleted for a time and I catch myself staring at my socks and wondering if they might be able to climb on my calves unaided. Perhaps not the time to set a BEHAG (big, hairy, audacious, goal). Sometimes we need a jump start by visualizing very small goals and very positive things. “Imagine how handsome my feet will look with those bright orange mermaid socks I got in Hawaii. I best don a pair.”
I do and we’re off.
So, let’s visualize, but narrow our gaze to accomplish goal after goal.
