Specific Goals > Unspecific Goals

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Unspecific goals don't work.

Psychologists¹ Locke and Latham proved it.

In 1975, the two researchers set up a real-world experiment at a logging company.

Drivers were only loading trucks to 60% capacity.

For the control, all staff members were given an unspecific goal:

Unspecific goal = “Do your best.”

Performance did not increase.

The researchers then asked staff what a hard but fair goal would be.

They said 94%.

That became their new specific goal.

Specific goal = “Load trucks to 94% capacity."

One month later, capacity averaged 70%. Two months in, it was 80%. And four months, nearly 94%.

And it stayed there.

Why?

Because specific goals give people something to aim at.

My goal before year-end? 35k YouTube subscribers — Phill

P.S. Taken from Colin Fisher's great book The Collective Edge.

¹Latham, G. P., & Baldes, J. J. (1975). The “practical significance” of Locke’s theory of goal setting. Journal of Applied Psychology, 60(1)

As a behavioural science practitioner, I believe in the peak-end rule.

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