In January, I went all in on learning about goal setting and achievement. (I mean…‘tis the season!)
The 3 TED Talks I shared in this email helped me:
- Transform paralyzing fears into actionable steps
- Discover the psychology behind lasting motivation
- Understand when to focus on standards instead of goals
If you want to do the same, I’d recommend getting started with these.
TED Talk #1: “Why You Should Define Your Fears Instead of Your Goals” by Tim Ferriss
I chose this TED Talk because it introduces a completely counterintuitive approach to achievement: fear-setting instead of goal-setting.
My big 3 takeaways were:
- The ancient practice of “premeditatio malorum”—visualizing worst-case scenarios—actually helps you get over the fear of getting started (thankfully, we’re great at this as lawyers – thanks, law school!)
- Most of what we fear is completely preventable with simple steps
- The cost of inaction is usually far greater than the cost of action
This is why I recommend watching this TED Talk first.
TED Talk #2: “How to Set the Right Goals and Stay Motivated” by Ayelet Fishbach
I’d recommend this to anyone who wants to understand the science of motivation and goal pursuit.
This talk taught me a lot about:
- Why immediate rewards beat delayed gratification for long-term success
- Solutions for getting over the “middle problem”
- The crucial difference between means and ends goals
TED Talk #3: “Why You Should Stop Setting Goals (Yes, Really)” by Emmanuel Acho
This provocative talk taught me a lot about the difference between goals and standards. Some golden nuggets I took away:
- Standards are about who you are, goals are about what you want to achieve
- When you raise your standards, achieving goals becomes automatic
- Your daily standards matter more than your yearly goals
Watch these 3 and then go and take action on them (instead of watching more TED Talks ☺️).
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