10 Best Articles on Goals
The most useful articles and videos on goals from around the web—beginners to advanced—curated by thought leaders and our community. We focus on timeless pieces and update the list whenever we discover new, must-read articles or videos—make sure to bookmark and revisit this page.
Top 5 Goals Articles
At a glance: these are the articles that have been most read, shared, and saved on goals by Refind users in 2023 so far.
Videos
Watch a video to get a quick overview.
Startup Lab workshop: How Google sets goals: OKRs
Google Ventures Startup Lab | GV partner Rick Klau covers the value of setting objectives and key results (OKRs) and how this has been done at Google since 1...
Tim Ferriss: Why you should define your fears instead of your goals
The hard choices -- what we most fear doing, asking, saying -- are very often exactly what we need to do. How can we overcome self-paralysis and take action? Tim Ferriss encourages us to fully…
How to ...?
How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big
Don't set goals. Passion is bullshit. Mediocre skills are valuable. These are just a few of the unexpected truths you'll discover in Scott Adams' new book. Here are 10 more takeaways.
«You can’t be generous to others if you’re not in a good place. Adams argues that once your needs are met, you can focus on the needs of others.»
How to Achieve Your Goals By Creating an Enemy
If used correctly, scapegoating can be a powerful tool for resisting temptation and sticking to hard goals.
Short Articles
Short on time? Check out these useful short articles on goals—all under 10 minutes.
The Paradox of Goals
Here lies the paradox of goals: Setting goals is a guarantee for disillusionment whether we reach the desired state or not, and yet working toward goals is an important part of evolving as a person.…
«It is tempting during such liminal moments to cling on to a ladder – any ladder – to regain an illusory sense of control and progression.»
To make great changes in your life, follow the philosophy of kaizen
When we set insurmountable and unrealistic goals, it's easy to get demoralized and just give up. Kaizen offers us another (better) way.
«There’s something wrong with each of us. Even if you tried to live a faultless, blameless, perfect life, there is always something left to criticize.»
How to Set Achievable Goals
And why qualitative goals are more helpful than you might think
The arrival fallacy: why we should decouple our happiness from our goals
“When I achieve this goal, then I will be happy.” We often mistakenly believe that achieving our goals will make us happy. That tendency is called the arrival fallacy.
«Although completing a goal may lead to the arrival fallacy, Dr Tal Ben-Shahar maintains that having objectives is essential to personal growth.»
Everything is Aiming
Kyūdō, the Japanese martial art of archery, offers an alternative philosophy where aims matter more than goals, and where success is the process itself.
«It is not the target that matters. It is not the finish line that matters. It is the way we approach the goal that matters. Everything is aiming.”»
Long Articles
These are some of the most-read long-form articles on goals.
With Goals, FAST Beats SMART | MIT Sloan Management Review
Goals that are SMART (“specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound”) aren’t, in fact, the most intelligent choice for your firm – so say strategy consultant Charles Sull and managment lecturer Donald Sull in this research-laden MIT Sloan Management Review article. For best results, the Sulls urge, set goals that are FAST: “frequently discussed, ambitious, specific and transparent.”
Publications
We monitor hundreds of publications, blogs, newsletters, and news sources in Goals, including:
Ness Labs
The learning community for ambitious knowledge workers. Join us to think better, learn faster, and work happier: http://nesslabs.com/membership 🧠✨
Mark Manson
3x #1 NYTimes bestselling author. Best known for F-Bombs and uncomfortable truths. Giving life advice that doesn't suck since 2008.
MIT Sloan Management Review
Transforming how people lead and innovate.
Trello by Atlassian
Trusted by millions, Trello is the visual collaboration tool that creates a shared perspective on any project. ✏️ Need support? Go to: http://trello.com/contact
LifeHack
LifeHack helps busy people get the most out of their lives in the shortest amount of time, through actionable, step-by-step systems that multiply results.
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Which sources does Refind monitor on goals?
We monitor hundreds of sources on goals, including Ness Labs, Mark Manson, MIT Sloan Management Review, Trello by Atlassian, LifeHack, and many more.
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