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The Power of Written Goals

If someone told you writing down your goal, and then sharing that goal with someone would increase the likelihood of you achieving it by approximately 42% - would you do it? While this may seem like an obvious question, majority of us don't write down our aspirations. We sit on them or worse forget them. Keep reading to learn a simple goal-setting technique ..and start making your goals a reality!

According to a study by Dr Gail Matthews, 'writing down your goals can increase the likelihood of achieving them by about 42%!'


This article is going to discuss the concept of goal-setting (again) and re-emphasize the importance of 'written goals'.


Many of us have or think of 'goals', but less of us write them down, and even fewer of us actually attain these goals. Dr Gail Matthews found in her study of 276 participants, the one's who didn't write down their goals were least likely to achieve them, while the inverse was true for those that wrote them down. She goes on to conclude there are two reasons for the benefit of writing down your goals: a scientific component and an accountability component.

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  1. The neuroscience behind physically writing down your goals, is that when we do so, we engage more areas of the brain via i) information storage  (visually or repeatedly seeing our goals, makes it is easier for our brain to recall and re-engage/focus on that goal), and ii) encoding (information processing, enhances our long-term memory of the goal, reinforcing it into our thoughts). See Graph (below).


  2. Accountability - while this seems so simple, many of us steer away from accountability, as it means we can't give into laziness or excuses. And it is no surprise, that in Dr Matthews study, the one's who had someone check in on them on a weekly basis, were the most likely to achieve their goals. (Groups 4 and 5).

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Having someone check-in on you on a weekly basis, may not be a sustainable option for everyone, but here is a practical and structured technique that Dr Matthews recommends and is widely used by many successful people that will get you moving on the path towards your desired goal - It's called the 'SMART' goals technique:

  1. S - SPECIFIC - write down a clear goal, don't be vague. A clear goal, with a clear path to follow is more actionable, and thus, attainable. I separate my goals in categories each year (professional &  personal) and put them on my fridge, so I am reminded of them every morning.

    - Eg. Get into medical school by 2014 (this was one of my goals)

    - Eg. Work with the Canadian/US soccer team at FIFA World Cup (2030)

    - Eg. Be in bed by 9pm!

    - Eg. Relax (yes, this is a repeated goal of mine.. which I often find written down on crumpled Qantas napkins in my pockets). 

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  2. M - MEASURABLE - set smaller goals or stepping stones in place, to achieve the larger goal (ie. dreams).


  1. A - ACHIEVABLE - write down steps that are attainable and realistic.         - This is a commonly skipped stepped in athletes, which repeatedly see leads to injury. A great example of this, people who sign up for a Marathon as a 'health goal', and then do little to no preparation, only to hobble across the line and into my office days later.      - Write down (and break down) your goals into baby steps. Eg. I want to complete a Triathlon in 2026. Wise baby steps might include: i) Need 6months of preparation in 3 different sports (swimming, running, cycling) ii) Gather information from people who've already successfully completed one  iii) Make a training calendar to complete daily sessions: cycle (2x/week), swim (2x/week), cycle (2x/week) iv) Get a triathlon coach (accountability)  v) Get a nutritionist (to ensure adequate fueling) vi) Find a buddy to run and attack this goal with (accountability!)


  1. R - RELEVANT - Does this idea or goal align with your values and/or business model?     -  Well, it should, otherwise it is going to be a very slow road to attaining it. I can personally say when I've deviated from what I'm good at or what I truly believe reflects myself through my work, it has been a very hard road (and often times surrounded by people who just don't share the same beliefs that one needs to make it!)

  2. T - TIME-SPECIFIC - Set deadlines for completion.

    - 90 days - A Harvard study (2015) found that 90 days is the optimal goal time-frame to strive for, as it's close enough to create a sense or urgency, but not so far away that you lose momentum or motivation.

    - I personally use short-term (weekly) and longer-term (monthly/yearly) goals. Ultimately, use time-frames that work best for you!


I will leave you with some food for thought.  "A goal properly set is halfway reached." 

-Zig Ziglar


Hopefully this will kick-start a recent idea or dormant dream you've had for some time, to be put into written form. Don't sit on your ideas -  for the remainder of 2025, start writing down your goals and the appropriate plan of attack to achieve them.


In happiness and health,


Dr Kristyn Bell

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