Aside from being slightly irritating, does publicly declaring your goals make it more likely that you’ll eventually achieve them?
According to at least one research project, the answer to that question is a resounding no.
The results were unambiguous … As described in the May issue of the journal Psychological Science, those who had made their intentions known to the experimenter—that is, to the public—failed to follow through with intensity. They talked the talk, but given the opportunity to walk the walk, they dodged it.
I’ve patterned my own goal-setting strategy after politicians. I set the completion date of the goal so far into the future, I can’t possibly be held accountable. For example, I recently promised my wife I’d lose six pounds by 2030.
