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 fever—obsession with the top—cost him his life.

“If you want to achieve your goals, don’t focus on them.” – Reggie Rivers former 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 don’t 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. Don’t 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:

1. Choose mastery over ego.
2. Prioritize process. Love the work, not just the win.

Snare #3: Mistaking Luck for Skill

Sometimes bad decisions work. That doesn’t mean they were right.

Avoid the snare:

• Ask, “Did we make sound choices—or did we get lucky?”
• Evaluate decisions, not just results.

Leadership Goal Setting Audit:

• Are they about ego—or mastery?
• Are they worth the cost?
• Do they align with meaning, relationships, engagement, and accomplishment?

Don’t die on the mountain. And don’t 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 Sébastien Page. I enjoy Sébastien’s use of the PERMA model developed by the founder of Positive Psychology, Martin Seligman. I encourage you to check it out.