Commit to less

Setting difficult, ambitious goals and committing to them has a much bigger impact than people realise.

Edwin Lock, who pioneered the experimental study of goal-setting, found two things:

• Harder goals produce better results, provided you stay comm...

Unfortunately, setting goals that are too ambitious has a major downside. When we don’t reach our big goals, we experience failure. Failing often can reduce your self-confidence and ability to trust yourself.

Instead of setting one big goal, try setting many little goals that put you in the...

People often add overly ambitious plans that seem daunting and set them up for failure, but a manageable plan makes us less likely to procrastinate. Drop off or delegate what you can, reevaluate what you’re expected to do and start asking for help.