Yes, it's that time of year. Goal setting personally, or professionally. How do you feel when you are setting the SMART goals? Dread? Have you not achieved some goals from last year? Even thinking about goals, makes you feel demotivated, and reluctant to try? Are you using the right language for your SMART goals? Wait a minute, I did set SMART goals. Why does the language matter?
The language used, for your SMART goals, has a profound impact on actions taken, and motivation for present and future outcomes.
Whether you reach your goal or Not is not dependent solely on the actions you took. It depends on your thoughts and interpretations, and how those impacted your actions/steps toward the goal. Our brain interprets language in very different ways, and certain language triggers different "Automatic thoughts", interpretations, "cognitive distortions" and subsequent actions, and outcomes are impacted. Cognitive Behavioural Assessment Is a scientific method to analyse: * The Actions * The Thoughts and Interpretations when you took those actions. It asks you to reflect on your key actions, and what “Automatic thoughts” and interpretations were triggered, that impacted your actions, and therefore the outcomes. "Automatic thoughts" like, "I failed" lead to "I'm terrible at this", when that isn't truly the case. The language used in the goals themselves, can trigger thoughts that are not objective in our brains, and other people's brains when assessing or judging your efforts. How does reflecting on your efforts using the Cognitive Behavioural assessment help? Let’s look at an example goal, the results and the thoughts and interpretations, on the outcome. (It is an extreme example, but highlights the impacts). Tom’s SMART Goal - language Example 1:
I want to sell 150 widgets every month, to Achieve a 10% profit growth for the company, so that I get a 5% raise this year.
Tom’s SMART Goal - language Example 2:
I want to improve the quality of my work, to increase my sales to 150 widgets, for as many months as I can, so that my company’s profit grows by 10%, and I increase my pay by 5% so that my family enjoy more than 1 holiday this year.
Language Example 1, and triggers. Sell 150 Widgets over target every month. Binary result each month. Fail or succeed 10% profit growth for the company, this year. Binary result for the year for the company. Fail or succeed. 5% raise. Binary result for Tom. Fail or succeed. Example 1 Tom's Results and interpretations. Tom sells 180 widgets, for ten months and 115 for two months. Fail. - Binary. Company doesn’t get 10% profit growth, it achieves 8.5%. Fail. Binary. Tom doesn’t get his 5% raise. He gets a 3.5% raise. He doesn’t take his family on 2 holidays. Fail - Binary. During the year, if Tom doesn't hit is monthly goal, he feels that he is failing his goal, and is progressively, demotivated. At the end of the year, Tom, his company's interpretation is that he has failed his goal, using the numeric metrics. Tom's mood and motivation is low, for setting the next goal, and his future success is impacted. Example 2 Tom's results and interpretations During the year, Though Tom, didn't achieve that month's increase, he can see improvements, and continues to be motivated. At the end of the year, Tom has “improved" the quality of his work, to get the “increase“ from 150 to 180 widgets over “many” months The company’s profit’s have “grown" by 8.5% in the year. Tom gets an "increase" of 3.5%. He and his family enjoy 1 long holiday, and a short break. Tom, his company see the improvements, and the positive outcomes that his work has brought, to his professional and personal life, even though he didn't achieve the numbers the goal stipulated. There are 2 key differences in the Language of the goal: 1. In Example 2, the results are specified Not only with Arbitrary numbers. They include the improvements to get to the numeric goals. They are non-binary. 2. In Example 2, The reasons, and results for improvement, are also articulated. There is an additional personal uplifting mood association with it as well as the company association. Same goal, Different language. Same outcome. Different Thoughts, interpretations and motivations, for the future. Throughout the duration of the goal, there are different thoughts, interpretations and different impact on the actions he took for the goal, as well as different impact on Tom's motivation levels, for the next SMART goal. In, both examples, Tom did not achieve the numeric goal. What if Tom had succeeded? Example 1 would have only indicated he succeeded to hit an arbitrary number, and not recognise the improvements that had been made for him, his company or the impact on his personal life. Which Goal example, provides the more objective triggers for thoughts, interpretations no matter what the outcome? Which Goal example triggers a more objective interpretation of the goal outcomes with the uplifting mood association, personally for Tom. The language in Example 2 encourages a more objective, and triggers more helpful "Automatic thoughts" by our brains, and the association with the uplifting mood, related to his and his family’s enjoyment is motivational. Numbers alone, used in the Concise Example 1, don’t provide that. The gradual scale language as well as the articulation of the uplifting outcomes that impact Tom's mood, (his enjoyment of the holiday), helps trigger objective thoughts, interpretations and subsequent actions and outcomes, as well as providing positive motivation So go easy on yourself, and your staff. In our HR systems, it may be good to write concise company’s numeric goals.
The language used, has a profound impact on actions taken, and motivation and present and future outcomes.
For Tom changing the language to non-binary, helps him, and his company have different "Automatic thoughts" and less "cognitive distortions" are prompted. This means a more objective view of the results, that provide motivation, and a higher chance of Tom achieving goals in the future. Cognitive distortions are natural, in any human brain. Any brain, healthy or otherwise.It is extremely helpful for people's motivation and general well-being, to know how to overcome them. I learned this when studying psychology, and thought it would help raise awareness. To learn more about about how Cognitive Behavioural Assessment can aid you overcome Cognitive Distortions, there is a useful article here: https://positivepsychology.com/cbt-cognitive-restructuring-cognitive-distortions/ Understanding This Cognitive Behavioural Assessment method, and reflecting on what "automatic thoughts" and "cognitive distortions" are triggered by the language of the goals, will also help you be more objective about your efforts, now and in the future. It will also help your set SMART goals, using language that automatically trigger a more objective view, dramatically impacting outcomes. Watch your language, for Happy SMART goals this year!

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