The Goal Myth: Why Setting Goals Can Hamper Your Progress (And What to Do Instead)
The moment you set a goal, you might inadvertently make it harder to achieve. Why? Because a goal exists in the future. You don’t have to act on it right now. There’s always more time. Plus, it’s unrealized, which means there’s no accountability. So a goal can be thought of as an aspirational wish for the future you. This is not an actionable strategy.
If your success depends on the actions of a future, aspirational self, those actions remain optional and often unfulfilled. Even if achieved, they’ll likely be the result of sheer willpower, which is not sustainable.
Instead of setting a health goal, adopt the mindset of a person who prioritizes health and watch what happens…
While regular exercise, healthy eating and good rest are all required, they are simply the tools of someone who prioritizes health, they do not, in the end, reflect the desired outcome.
The desired outcome is optimized health and physical capacity.
By adopting the mindset of someone who’s already successful, you internalize the actions that are required to achieve that success. Those actions then start to define who you are. You literally become “a gym person” a “runner” or a “healthy eater” not because they are goals on your “to do” list but because they are necessary for you to be who you are - a person who prioritizes health.
Make the “healthy person” mindset yours and the behaviors necessary to get healthy become just part of who you are .
This approach, rooted in psychology, is akin to “fixed-role” therapy (FRT). Developed in the 1930s by psychologist George Kelly, FRT involves acting out a made-up role for a set period of time to explore new ways of thinking and behaving. Rather than setting a goal, adopt a role or mindset consistent with the desired version of yourself. And then Act as though you are already that person.
Here are some key aspects of fixed-role therapy:
Role Assignment: adopt a “wellness” role based on your: desired outcomes, preferences and unique circumstances. This is what the Mayo Clinic would call your wellness vision.
Purpose: This approach encourages exploration of alternative behaviors and new ways of thinking
Benefits: This approach fosters consistency while identifying and breaking unhelpful patterns.
Creativity: It draws on your strengths in a creative process of exploration using a growth mindset
How This Works in Everyday Life
Imagine that you are already a person with optimized health and physical capacity. What behaviors would define you?
Healthy eater?
Regular gym goer?
Bedtime vigilante?
With the mindset of a person who prioritizes health those behaviors wouldn’t be optional or aspirational; they’d be a non-negotiable part of your daily life.
The key is to BECOME NOW the person who exhibits the desired behaviors. Once you identify as that person (the gym goer, the healthy eater…), the behaviors stop being “goals” and start being part of who you are. For example:
A parent doesn’t have a “goal” to take care of their kids; it’s simply what they do.
A committed professional doesn’t “aspire” to work hard; it’s simply required for that role.
A community volunteer doesn’t see helping others as a “goal” for the future; it’s urgent and part of their identity now.
The Future Is a Fantasy Until You Make It Real
Take action today! Assume immediately the identity of someone who prioritizes health. Whether you’re starting with walking, cycling, or weight training, the activity itself doesn’t matter, what is critical is adopting the mindset of the person who engages in this type of behavior.
At first this will seem as though you are acting or pretending. This is because it’s a new role and will take time to feel familiar. Over time, you’ll refine your approach through practice and persistence.
How to succeed with this approach:
Shift Your Identity: Stop thinking of behaviors as goals and start thinking of them as part of who you are.
Act Now: Begin embodying the identity you aspire to today. Even small steps align your actions with your new role.
Focus on the Big Picture: Use this approach for major paradigm shifts, or advanced skill mastery. For smaller, task-oriented stuff, like keeping your inbox empty (haha) traditional goal setting methods like S.M.A.R.T. goals can still be quite effective.
Final Thoughts
By adopting a mindset instead of a goal, you’ll transform aspirational wishing into non-negotiable behaviors. Be patient, stay consistent, and embrace the identity of the person you want to become. Over time, those behaviors will no longer feel like effort — they’ll just be part of who you are.
