(Don’t) Set Big Goals

Seems like a strange title doesn’t it? Aren’t we always hearing that we should set our goals high? There’s even an acronym for such a thing. Ever heard of BHAG? It stands for big, hairy, audacious goal. I recently read an article that argues that for many, setting the bar really high doesn’t work.

According to BJ Fogg, a behavior scientist at Stanford University, people who are stressed or overwhelmed, “cannot make big changes and aren’t likely to even try.” To increase your chances for success, focus on small, event tiny changes, such as increasing your 401(k) contributions by 1%.

Dr. Fogg even wrote a book about this subject. It’s called “Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything.”

You see how small this blog post was? That’s me following Dr. Fogg’s advice.