Want to Accomplish A Goal? Then Keep it To Yourself

keep it secret.

Here is a fun bit of psychology for you.  If you have a personal goal that you really want to accomplish then do not tell anyone about it.  Studies have shown that any time you share a personal goal with someone, you are less likely to accomplish said goal.  Hmmm interesting.


One would assume --by "one" I mean me-- by announcing our goals to the public we would be obligated to accomplish them; otherwise, everyone would think we are fools and failures.  And though it is true that you are obligated and that people will think of you as a fool, this does not actually help motivate you toward a goal. Sorry.

Goals are great. Let me explain. They give us something to do, and then we get satisfaction for accomplishing them.   Fact is accomplishing goals triggers a part of the brain that I call the reward center (wikipedia calls it the pleasure center). Disclaimer for geeks: This pleasure center of the brain is actually a distributed system of brain regions spanning over the nucleus accumbens, ventril pallidum, hypothalimus,septum pellucidium, antiriour cingulate, orbitolfrontal cortex..... 

"If I tell, my wish won't come true"

Usually the brain is not happy until the goal is accomplished.  Unfortunately the brain is easily fooled. And so by telling someone about your goal you accidentally trigger a false sense of satisfaction. This is called a social reality.  The mind is tricked into thinking the goal has already been done.

This is a two way street though

On the negative side, sure you are probably never going to learn that second language, travel to Europe, run a marathon, or whatever it is you aspire to do.

On the positive side, you get to feel good about doing something for free without any actual work.

So let me ask you. Which would you choose, feel good without any work or accomplish a goal? Think about it. Honestly. Tell the truth.