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Neuroscience of Goal Setting

Guest post by: Kristen Hansen

Article Overview: Neuroscience provides us now with many research based ways to enhanse our abilities to set and acheive goals. Start 2011 with a headstart - allow your brain to get into gear to acheive your goals.

Neuroscience of Goal Setting

The Neuroscience of Goal Setting

Get your brain into gear to achieve your goals this year!

In the past year I have learnt more about how the brain works than I had previously understood in living a lifetime with one. My Post Graduate studies in the Neuroscience of Leadership and all the related reading have given me critical insights into how to set and achieve goals using the power of the brain.

Activating whole-brain thinking, imagination and neuroplasticity are three key concepts that have greatly improved my clients' and my own success in goal-setting.

We all know that making a New Year's resolution usually does not go very far without a structure to support it. We may consciously want to make a change or achieve a goal but without a strong commitment and dedication to action, a resolution becomes a "one night stand". It is not enough to change the habits or practise the new behaviours required to achieve our goals.

Many of us are aware of setting SMART goals - goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, in a Time Frame. This is a logical, structured and useful way to set a goal. It caters primarily to our "left brain". To activate the "right brain" we need to engage concepts, sensations, creativity and emotion. I came across the acronym SAFE as a reminder of right- brain activation tools to use once a goal is established- See It, Accept It, Feel It and Express It. Once we have a goal, we really need to make it come as alive as possible in our brains.

Our imagination is one of the most powerful tools to achieve our goals. Recent research has tested the power of imagination and found that the same regions in our brain light up whether we imagine it or actually do it. New neural pathways are developed in our brain just by imagining and these contribute significantly to achieving our goal- whether the activity involves shooting baskets, flexing muscles or learning music.

The process of neuroplasticity - the ability of our brain to change - is generated not only by doing, but also by imagining. The key to neuroplasticity is attention. If we pay regular attention to our goals, our brains can change in as little as a few weeks, enough to be seen on a brain scan.

To put the brain into a state of high alert to our goals, we can experience our objective in our imagination using the platform of the senses. Visualise it, smell it, hear it, what does it feel like? This alertness activates the Reticular Activating System (RAS), which is like a filter that captures anything related to the achievement of our goal bringing it to conscious awareness. Our attention is then triggered by a word or phrase we hear someone use, even at a distance, if linked to our goals.

When you set your goals using a whole- brain approach, they become embedded in your thinking and your self-image and your brain will draw your attention to relevant information. Pay attention to them every day, mentally and physically. Combine planned and opportunistic action and even your challenging 2011 goals will be surprisingly achievable.

Happy goal setting in 2011!

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Article Tags: coaching, goal setting, imagination, neuroplasticity, neuroscience, right brain, SAFE, visualisation



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