Avoid These 3 Goal Setting Traps
Goal setting can be a trap. It pushes you forward. But it can also push you over the edge.
Pieter Swart died chasing his dream of summiting Everest. He entered the death zone and never returned. Summit feverтАФobsession with the topтАФcost him his life.
тАЬIf you want to achieve your goals, donтАЩt focus on them.тАЭ тАУ Reggie Rivers┬аformer NFL running back
Goal setting defines direction. Daily action drives progress.
Avoid These 3 Goal Setting Mistakes:
Snare #1: Tunnel Vision
Over-commitment creates blind spots.
Climbers donтАЩt turn around in time. Professionals ignore values. Wells Fargo employees opened fake accounts to hit quotas. Volkswagen cheated emissions tests.
Ethics fade when results are all that matters.
Solution: Use the SEE Model:
- Systematize red flags. Use indicators to catch burnout, ethical issues, or drops in performance.
- Encourage ethical action. Congratulate self-care. Reward goal abandonment for the right reasons.
- Establish exit rules. Decide in advance when you will walk away.
Snare #2: Motivation Shift
Chasing numbers kills the joy of improvement. DonтАЩt defer joy until you hit the target.
Golfers focused on a low handicap forget to enjoy the swing. Leaders chasing quarterly targets come to despise daily work.
Pro Tips:
- Choose mastery over ego.
- Prioritize process. Love the work, not just the win.
Snare #3: Mistaking Luck for Skill
Sometimes bad decisions work. That doesnтАЩt mean they were right.
Avoid the snare:
- Ask, тАЬDid we make sound choicesтАФor did we get lucky?тАЭ
- Evaluate decisions, not just results.
Leadership Goal Setting Audit:
- Are they about egoтАФor mastery?
- Are they worth the cost?
- Do they align with meaning, relationships, engagement, and accomplishment?
DonтАЩt die on the mountain. And donтАЩt lose yourself on the way up.
Which idea in this post most resonates with you?
This post is inspired by the new book, The Psychology of Leadership by S├йbastien Page. I enjoy S├йbastienтАЩs use of the PERMA model developed by the founder of Positive Psychology, Martin Seligman. I encourage you to check it out.
