Don’t Talk About Your Goals if You Want to Achieve Them

Discussing your goals with others can impact your motivation and even the biology of your brain. Surprisingly, it might hinder your ability to accomplish those goals. Let’s delve into the reasons behind this phenomenon.

Have you ever come across the advice not to share your goals until you’ve achieved them? Well, it’s not just a superstition; there are solid reasons behind it. In fact, there’s evidence to suggest that talking about goals you haven’t achieved yet can lead to failure. The idea is straightforward: if you want to achieve your goals, it’s best not to discuss them with others. Let’s explore the reasons behind this principle.

This principle is applicable to various everyday scenarios, whether you’re contemplating a move, aspiring to start a business, or aiming to lose weight. However, the natural inclination is often to share your plans with others. Sharing valuable information about yourself, known as self-disclosure, is a way to build intimacy in relationships. Yet, before you do that, there are certain factors to keep in mind.

Don’t talk about your goals to anyone

To achieve your goals, believing in their achievability is crucial. You might be strongly confident in your plans, or you may harbor doubts and fears, feeling uncertain. Sharing your goals prematurely exposes you to a range of opinions and advice, many of which may not be supportive.

For instance, those close to you might hold a pessimistic view of your plans, consistently highlighting potential pitfalls and urging you to give up. Even if their intentions are not negative, their comments can sow doubt and hesitation. In some cases, it might even lead you to build a psychological barrier that limits your progress.

Your motivation might disappear

Biology can influence whether you succeed or face challenges in reaching your goals. Success is closely linked to neurotransmitters, which are chemicals in your brain. When your brain releases dopamine in response to something you did or experienced, it brings pleasure and a sense of reward. This positive feeling encourages you to want to do the same thing again or stay on the same path. In simpler terms, it motivates you to keep going.

When you set a goal and divide it into smaller tasks, achieving each one brings a satisfying sense of accomplishment. As a result, you stay motivated and keep going until you reach the end.

On the flip side, if you often talk about your goals, gaining support and approval, you still get a dose of dopamine. However, it’s not the same as making progress; you’re essentially just discussing your plans. This can lead to a loss of motivation because, scientifically proven, you prematurely feel as if you’ve already achieved the goal.

Be cautious about experiencing feelings of failure

Sharing your goals with others often leads them to inquire about your progress regularly. If, for any reason, you haven’t made the expected advancement, these conversations might make you feel a sense of failure and inadequacy.

As a result, you may lose confidence in yourself. Additionally, the absence of positive social feedback can lead to a decrease in serotonin levels in your brain. Since serotonin is crucial for concentration, it becomes more challenging for you to make progress toward your goal.

Excessive pressure and stagnation

In conclusion, it’s advisable not to talk extensively about your goals, as doing so can hinder your chances of achieving them. Procrastination is a key factor that stands in the way of reaching your objectives. Procrastination involves delaying or avoiding tasks by engaging in easier and unnecessary activities. While it may seem like laziness, it often reflects an underlying fear.

When a task appears too challenging, complex, or overwhelming, and you lack confidence in your ability to complete it or feel pressured by it, procrastination becomes a way of avoiding the responsibility you find difficult to handle.

Discussing your goals with others can elevate the pressure you feel regarding them. Now, it’s not just about achieving those goals for yourself, but you also sense the need to meet the expectations of those you’ve shared your goals with. Essentially, you feel the obligation to prove that you can succeed to them. If you tend to procrastinate, this added pressure can be a significant obstacle, potentially blocking your progress entirely.

Don’t talk about your goals, stay silent

Certainly, the choice of whether to share your goals is entirely yours. Nevertheless, it’s worth considering how such sharing might impact your motivation and your likelihood of achieving those goals.

If you’re keen on involving others, consider discussing the current steps you’re taking rather than your ultimate objective. Concentrate on the tasks and the ongoing process rather than the final outcome. This approach is more likely to help you maintain a positive, active, and focused mindset.

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Source: exploringyourmind.com/