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Spencer/Shenk/Capers & Associates, Inc. is a behavioral science consulting firm whose core business is to increase personal and organizational productivity by developing leadership excellence. Our expertise in both behavioral science and business management assists organizations and their leaders through consulting, coaching and training. We help our clients address the critical "people" issues that powerfully influence success or failure.

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Wisdom in Action

 

The Definitive Case Against Goal Setting

By Dr. Bradford F. Spencer

Most of you know me as “the goalmeister.” The man who incessantly preaches the value of writing down your goals, collecting them from you each January and then revisiting them to review your progress the following December.  Therefore this article’s title may be a bit puzzling, or maybe you think it’s a shameless bait and switch to encourage readership. In the end, I hope you will find this to be a stimulating exercise that encourages introspection. And yes, I will be setting my goals again this year.

I have come to know many accomplished and happy people, I have come to the realization that they are not often one and the same.  That is, many of the happiest people I have known would be characterized as underachievers. And many of those who have maximized their gifts and accomplished more than their peers (in their field) would not, when replying candidly, state that they felt very happy.

Following this line of thinking, I posed a small set of questions to people I know, including, but not limited to clients...

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Desktop Coach - How Well is Goal Setting Working for You?
 

Ask yourself the following questions:  

1)       In general over your lifetime, how do you rate your happiness on a scale of 1-10? 

2)       In general over your lifetime, how do you rate your success on a scale of 1-10? 

3)       Looking back over your lifetime, how do you rate your ability to approach life as a  goal-setter on a scale of 1-10?

Follow the link below to plot your results on the graph in the middle of the page, with the far right of the X axis representing a 10 on the success scale and the top of the Y axis representing a 10 on the happiness scale.

Now think about your score on dedication to goal setting based on your answer to question 3 . What is the corollary between your commitment to setting goals and the happiness and success you've achieved in your life? 

Plot your results...

 

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"The Definitive Case Against Goal Setting"
by Dr. Bradford F. Spencer