top of page
Search

4. Moving FORWARD - Let's put the plans in motion


"You know what you want to achieve - better grades, getting into university, landing that internship, or just feeling more confident. But somehow knowing what you want and actually making it happen feels like completely different skills. How do you bridge that gap?"



🧠 Why Smart People Struggle with Goals 

Your brain is designed to keep you safe, not to chase big dreams. When you set ambitious goals, part of your brain sees them as threats to your comfortable current reality.


Three goal-setting mistakes that kill progress:

  1. Outcome obsession: Focusing on results you can't control ("Get into Oxford") instead of actions you can control ("Study 90 minutes daily")

  2. Perfectionism paralysis: Waiting for the perfect plan instead of starting with a good enough plan

  3. All-or-nothing thinking: One missed day becomes "I've failed" instead of "I'm human"


Research shows successful people don't just set goals - they set systems. Instead of "I want to get fit," they say "I go to the gym every Tuesday and Thursday." Instead of "I want better grades," they say "I review notes for 20 minutes after each class."


The motivation myth: Motivation gets you started, but systems keep you going. You don't need to feel motivated every day - you need habits that work even when you don't feel like it.


Your brain on progress: Every small win releases dopamine, which makes you want to continue. That's why breaking big goals into smaller steps isn't just practical - it's neurologically smart.



❤️ Your Story of Growth 

Where you've been: Think about challenges you've already overcome. Learning to read, passing exams, making friends, handling family changes. You have evidence that you can grow and adapt.


Where you are: Right now, you're building the skills that will serve you for life. Every challenge you face - academic pressure, social situations, decisions about your future - is practice for bigger challenges ahead.


Transformations:

Sam's breakthrough: "I stopped waiting to feel confident and started acting confident. Turns out confidence comes from doing things, not from feeling ready first."

Taylor's insight: "My failures taught me more than my successes. Each mistake became information about what works and what doesn't."


Where you're going: The person you're becoming through these experiences - more resilient, more skilled, more confident - that's not an accident. That's the result of choosing growth over comfort, again and again.



🙌 Your Action System 

Let's Rethink Goal Setting:

  1. Pick three types of goals:

    • Academic: Something about your studies or grades

    • Personal: Something about relationships, health, or interests

    • Future: Something about your career or next steps

  2. Make them system-based:

    • Instead of "Get better grades" → "Review notes for 15 minutes after each class"

    • Instead of "Make more friends" → "Start one genuine conversation each day"

    • Instead of "Figure out my career" → "Have one career conversation weekly"

Weekly Progress Review: Every Sunday, spend 10 minutes asking:

  • What worked well this week?

  • What didn't work, and what can I learn from it?

  • What's my most important focus for next week?

  • What obstacles might I face, and how will I handle them?

Help-Seeking Strategy: Identify one person who can support each goal:

  • Academic mentor: Teacher, tutor, or study buddy

  • Personal supporter: Friend, family member, or counsellor

  • Career guide: Professional, alumni, or industry contact


Quick Wins Tracker: Each day, celebrate one small victory. Finished an assignment early? Called a friend? Researched career options? Progress is progress.



Checkpoint:

Which feels harder right now - knowing what you want or taking action toward it? Both are learnable skills.

  • Knowing what I want.

  • Taking action



Let the people know:

Share one system or habit that's actually working for you. What makes it stick when motivation fades?




References

Habits vs Goals:

  • Wood, W., & Rünger, D. (2016). Psychology of habit. Annual Review of Psychology, 67, 289-314. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-122414-033417

  • Wood, W., Mazar, A., & Neal, D. T. (2022). Habits and goals in human behavior: Separate but interacting systems. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 17(2), 590-605.

  • Clear, J. (2020). Forget about setting goals. Focus on this instead. James Clear Blog. Retrieved from https://jamesclear.com/goals-systems

Neuroscience of Goal Setting:

  • Berkman, E. T. (2018). The neuroscience of goals and behavior change. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 70(1), 28-44.

  • Wood, W. (2024). Habits, goals, and effective behavior change. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 19(5), 876-893.

Dopamine and Progress:

  • Schultz, W., Dayan, P., & Montague, P. R. (1997). A neural substrate of prediction and reward. Science, 275(5306), 1593-1599.

  • Wise, R. A. (2004). Dopamine, learning and motivation. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 5(6), 483-494.

  • Matsumoto, M., & Hikosaka, O. (2009). Two types of dopamine neuron distinctly convey positive and negative motivational signals. Nature, 459(7248), 837-841.

Small Wins and Motivation:

  • Amabile, T., & Kramer, S. (2011). The power of small wins. Harvard Business Review, 89(5), 70-80.

  • Kaplan, F., & Oudeyer, P. Y. (2007). In search of the neural circuits of intrinsic motivation. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 1, 225-236.

Goal Psychology:

Systems Thinking:


bottom of page