Goal Setting - My Disappointing Discovery -

Home
>
Goal Setting
>
Goal Setting - My Disappointing Discovery

Goal Setting - My Disappointing Discovery

Goal setting has become almost an industry in itself with countless books and techniques available online and in published form promising to help you achieve your most cherished desires. I have read many articles and looked at many products in the course of keeping up-to-date in my profession.

In much of the material, authors refer to a study conducted at Yale in 1953 in which the graduating class were asked if they had clear, written goals. 3% of the students said they had written goals, 13% had goals they had not written down and 84% had no clear goals.

At the class reunion 20 years later, further investigation discovered that the 3% with written goals were worth more than the other 97% put together!

A striking story indeed, and one which is commonly used to illustrate the power and necessity of writing down goals. I was planning to use it on my website and decided that I needed to know more about this fascinating study. It was a disappointment, therefore, that on looking into it more closely, a simple search on Google brought up many claims that the so-called research never in fact took place and that the source of the statistics cannot be found!

So that has blown my fabulous introduction to goal setting for my coaching and courses! It does not, however, affect my responsibility to my clients to ascertain before they embark on coaching that their goals are realistic and achievable at the same time as being challenging and exciting.

Andy Britnell is an executive coach who works with businesspeople in both the private and public sectors who wish to achieve better results. See my website at http://executive-coaching-for -business-growth/goal-setting.html for some useful goal setting strategies.

Sign up for my FREE monthly newsletter Grow and Learn at http://andybritnell.co.uk/ for short and incisive tips on better understanding yourself and others.

Previous newsletters can be found at http://www.andybritnell.co.uk/resources/in dex.html

In The News:

Jones: Realizing the dream takes wise goal-setting, persistence
Northwest Herald, IL - Sep 5, 2008
Setting aside time to engage in a planning process provides the opportunity to develop incremental goals that lead to the realization of the desired vision. ...

SwimmingWorldMagazine.com
Swimming Technique Focuses On Early-Season Goal Setting In ...
SwimmingWorldMagazine.com, AZ - Sep 4, 2008
In this issue of Swimming Technique, author Daniel Carl outlines a system for setting seasonal and yearly goals. Five key areas for goal setting are ...

Establishing & Achieving Goals
Long Beach Post Sports, CA - 17 hours ago
As a business strategist, leadership/motivational teacher and speaker I am often asked about the best practices in goal setting. ...

SKOL: Here’sa good goal: watch for twisting language
Holmen Courier, WI - 10 hours ago
... government speak, apparently as either a way to suggest that a goal is not really a goal or that one is aspiring to have a goal rather than setting one. ...

Setting up to dominate centre stage
Independent Online, South Africa - 36 minutes ago
Chelsea lead the pack, on goal difference from Liverpool, with Manchester United likely to join them when they win their game in hand against Fulham. ...

• United Way sets campaign goal, plans 'Day of Caring'
The Saginaw News - MLive.com, MI - 3 hours ago
The Underground Railroad needs assistance in setting up a new resale store. ''There are volunteer opportunities for everyone,'' Benchley said. ...

Late field goal lifts CSU past Sac State
Greeley Tribune, Colorado - 1 hour ago
Turning point: Colorado State's defense came up with a turnover at the perfect moment, setting up the winning field goal, but the Rams' 16-play drive that ...
CSU beats Sac St., 23-20, on last-second score International Herald Tribune
DeLine kicks Rams to victory Denver Post
all 35 news articles

Washington Post
Fans flock to game, have fun setting attendance record
El Paso Times, TX - 2 hours ago
Jose Martinez banged through a 30-yard field goal and UTEP led 3-0. Martinez then boomed home a 49-yarder and the Miners led 6-zip. ...
Notebook: McCoy tosses first interception Austin American-Statesman
Horns take care of Mack’s business in El Paso Big Red Report
Third and Longhorns: Quick kicks; grades, please Austin American-Statesman
El Paso Timesall 193 news articles

Telegraph.co.uk
Abu Dhabi: the Sheikh's real goal
Times Online, UK - 13 hours ago
Etihad, the state airline, also put in a £21 billion order for new planes in July, setting it up as a genuine alternative to the more established Emirates ...
Is Manchester City Really Better Off with New Owners? EPL Talk
Our goal is to make this football club one of the best in the ... GiveMeFootball.com
all 2,131 news articles

School district meeting focuses on setting goals
Enterprise-Record, CA - Sep 4, 2008
In addition to the goal setting session, the board welcomed 15 new staff members to the district, with the principal of each school introducing their new ...

goal setting - Google News