Habit technique · Goals & planning · A few minutes

Set a behaviour goal

Level: Beginner · Free — no account needed to read

Instead of only naming the result you want (“get fit”), name the specific action you’ll take (“walk 20 minutes after lunch on weekdays”).

Why it may help

A behaviour goal tells you exactly what to do and lets you see whether you did it. Outcomes move slowly and are partly outside your control; behaviours are yours today.

When to use it

• Starting any new habit
• When a goal feels meaningful but nothing is changing
• When outcomes are slow to show

How to apply it

1. Write the outcome you want.
2. Ask what you would be doing on an ordinary day if it were happening.
3. Write that action with how often, when and where.
4. Keep the outcome as the reason, and track the behaviour.

An example

“Save money” became “move a set amount to savings every payday, and pack lunch four days a week.”

The common mistake

Writing a behaviour so vague it can’t be ticked off, like “eat better”.

Practise it

Rewrite one of your goals as a behaviour someone watching you could see.

What the evidence says

Supported by multiple studies: Many studies, often pooled in reviews or meta-analyses, point the same way. It still works better for some people and situations than others.

Goal-setting research consistently finds specific goals outperform vague ones, and a meta-analysis found goal setting has a small-to-medium effect on behaviour change on its own. It works best combined with feedback and planning.

Behaviour Change Technique Taxonomy (v1) codes: 1.1, 1.3.

Sources

• Locke & Latham (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A 35-year odyssey. American Psychologist. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.57.9.705
• Epton, Currie & Armitage (2017). Unique effects of setting goals on behavior change: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. doi:10.1037/ccp0000260