Countless people are looking for ways to achieve goals: How do we increase productivity this month? What can we do now to see immediate results?
The goal-setting theory proposed by Dr. Edwin Locke provides answers to aid you in setting more effective goals.
As we have all likely experienced, setting goals and achieving them is easier said than done. Changing your habits can be nearly impossible without the right system in place.
Locke’s theory of goal setting can help you become the ideal version of yourself. Here, you will learn more about the goal-setting theory and how you can apply it to your life.
What is Locke’s Goal-Setting Theory?
Dr. Edwin Locke, an American psychologist from the University of Maryland, studied goal setting since the late 1960s. In a 1968 article, “Toward a Theory of Task Motivation and Incentive,” Locke developed the goal-setting theory.
He showed that employees motivated by well-defined goals and feedback had a higher chance of accomplishing these goals. The goal also had to be specific and challenging because if it was too easy, there would be a lack of motivation.
Wrestling with more difficult goals pushes employees to work hard and sharpen their skill sets. This helps improve work performance and in turn, leads to a greater sense of achievement.
Furthermore, in 1990, Locke would partner with Dr. Gary Latham to explore the effects of goal setting, publishing A Theory of Goal Setting and Task Performance.
This groundbreaking book introduced the goal-setting process required to achieve your goals and overcome obstacles. It has since delivered positive changes for countless people around the world.
5 Principles of Goal-Setting Theory
The goal-setting theory states that goals must be specific and challenging to be effective. Locke and Latham further expanded on the theory by defining 5 main principles for goal setting.
1. Clarity
Goals should be well-defined. The more detailed it is, the less likely the chance of misunderstanding. This ensures you know the direction you’re going and aren’t making the wrong steps.
For example, setting a specific goal like “I want to lose 30 pounds in one year” can lead to higher success than a non-specific goal of “I want to lose weight.”
2. Challenge
There is a positive relationship between challenging goals and success. Setting goals that are way below your capabilities won’t be satisfying and hence, it’s hard to be motivated in the long term.
On the other hand, establishing challenging goals that take effort can boost motivation and feel rewarding. But the goals shouldn’t be unattainable either. Finding the sweet spot will give you plenty of room to make progress.
3. Commitment
Staying committed is one of the strongest predictors of goal attainment. It means you stick to your objectives and fully support the goal you are pursuing. Say you’re a data scientist and have a strong dedication to performing analysis on a dataset.
You would persist longer in the face of adversity because you want to contribute an in-depth report to stakeholders. If you weren’t committed, it would be troublesome to work with diligence.
4. Feedback
Feedback is essential because it allows you to see how well or badly the task is done. Sometimes a goal may need to be corrected or clarified to better measure progress. This is to resolve questions like: How might I improve? What did I learn? Why did I fail or succeed?
That being said, if you don’t have any feedback at all, then you won’t know if you are on track to meeting your desired results.
5. Task Complexity
Some goals that are more complex than others may affect self-motivation. Goals that fall into this category should be broken down into smaller, manageable goals.
That is to ensure tasks don’t overwhelm or frustrate people from reaching their objectives. To illustrate, “boosting business revenue by 10%” may involve more mini-goals than “going out for a run each week.”
Examples of Goal-Setting Theory
If you still have some confusion about goal-setting theory, here are a few examples in real-world situations.
1. Getting into Shape
Let’s say you want to motivate yourself to get into shape. A vague goal like “lose weight ASAP” won’t cut it. You need a more defined goal to motivate yourself to do your best.
With goal-setting theory, lay out a challenging goal to squeeze out your full potential. For instance, try setting a goal of “lose 10 pounds by the end of the month.” Then, you can create smaller tasks from that goal, such as “workout at the gym” or “go for a run outside.”
By breaking down the goals into bite-sized tasks, you feel motivated as you check off each mini-goal. You can also regularly keep track of your weight using a spreadsheet to help you stay committed.
2. Job Promotion at Work
Say you aspire to get a job promotion at work. Instead of simply setting a goal of “get promoted at work,” you should shoot for a more specific goal like “take on additional responsibilities within three months.”
You then break that down into small tasks to show your manager that you are focused on achieving objectives for the team. And as you accomplish each task, you receive a dose of motivation.
Thus, the goal-setting theory includes creating goals that are clear, concise, and attainable. You must commit to your ultimate goal and be open to feedback to improve productivity and performance.
5 Steps to Using Goal-Setting Theory in Your Life
Here are 5 steps you must take to integrate the goal-setting theory into your own life:
1. Identify Your “Why”
Before you set any goals, you need to ask yourself: Why do I want to achieve this goal in the first place?
For example, perhaps you are afraid of declining health and want to exercise to get back in shape. Running a marathon as a goal would make sense because it brings you closer to a healthier lifestyle.
So figure out your reason for setting a goal. People motivated by a purpose are more likely to persist in their goals over time and are less vulnerable to distractions.
2. Use the SMART Framework
The next step is to start setting the best goals you can. And how do you do that? By making your goals SMART.
SMART goals are:
- Specific: Narrow down your goals for effective planning
- Measurable: Define what goal progress looks like
- Attainable: Can be reasonably achieved within a timeframe
- Relevant: Aligns with your long-term objectives
- Time-based: Set a realistic and ambitious end date
The SMART framework is key to following goal-setting theory and laying the groundwork for lasting success.
3. Take One Step at a Time
You shouldn’t be inclined to take huge steps all at once. But neither is it great to make zero progress. Taking small steps means breaking down your goals into milestones.
As you reach each checkpoint, you feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that you’re at least improving—even if it’s just a little.
Tackling a life goal is difficult. And some people may feel intimidated or threatened. Reframing goals as an exciting challenge that you chip away at can make things more manageable in the long run.
4. Review Your Progress
Once you have set your goals, remember to keep track of your progress along the way. Write down your successes and failures.
Keeping a goal journal could be a fantastic way to get a clearer picture of where you stand now compared to the past. It will help remind you of your objectives. And if you fall short of your goal, there is no need to panic.
Perhaps your goal was too ambitious or the timeline wasn’t realistic. In these situations, pick yourself up and adjust your goals as needed until you finally achieve them.
5. Be Open to Feedback
Feedback is one of the key principles of goal-setting theory. Whenever you are working toward goals, constructive feedback plays a huge role in success.
Using feedback can help you strengthen your performance since you have a better idea of how well you’re accomplishing something.
Of course, to receive useful feedback, the person giving the feedback should know the situation and have the skill to judge outcomes accurately. If no one fits the bill, you can also turn to self-evaluation.
Benefits of Goal-Setting Theory
Here are numerous benefits of applying the goal-setting theory:
- Goal achievement. Goal setting provides a clear blueprint on how to reach goals effectively.
- Improved performance. This theory supports constructive feedback, which helps you improve at completing tasks regularly.
- Satisfaction. Goal setting encourages a sense of accomplishment when reaching goals, which can be a fulfilling experience.
- Increased motivation. You will receive a boost in your motivation level and diligence, whether in the workplace or school.
- Self-efficacy. Goal setting can lead to higher self-efficacy, where people put more effort toward goals and are less likely to be discouraged from failure.
Limitations of Goal-Setting Theory
Here are some potential limitations to know about when using goal-setting theory in your life:
- Narrow focus. This theory has been criticized for being too narrow as goals alone are not enough to invoke motivation at work.
- Unethical behavior. People who do not achieve their ideal outcome result may resort to unethical and risky behavior to get what they desire.
- Misaligned goals. In an organization, the goal of a specific employee may not align with the company’s goal, which can lead to conflict and poor performance.
- Stretched too thin. Goals that are too arduous could cause people to be burned out from trying to reach them.
Final Thoughts
Many people are afraid of failure and avoid pain whenever possible. This mindset can lead to frustration as they don’t try to improve themselves.
Plenty of thought leaders and coaches flaunt their life-changing goal-setting approach, and there is no doubt that they work wonderfully.
But if you are looking for a theory backed by decades of research, Locke and Latham’s framework sets the foundation for helping people stay motivated to reach their goals.
While this methodology is not a magic formula that guarantees results, it can help you become more aware of your motivations, desires, and behaviors.
