When you retire, you’ll be leaving many things behind at the office. One thing to leave there is SMART goals—but not goals themselves. You’re retiring from full-time work, not retiring from life. In your new life, you can set your sights on new, meaningful goals. Think big about what you can do in the years ahead. Your goals may be different in your next phase of life and this book will get you started on the right track.
Caroline Adams Miller’s explores the psychology and practical application of goal setting, drawing from both scientific research and real-world examples. The book builds on Miller’s expertise as an executive coach and Positive Psychology practitioner and her personal experiences as a recovered bulimia patient who went on to become an accomplished athlete, executive coach, and author.
At its core, the book demolishes the common practice of setting SMART goals, arguing instead for “hard goals” – objectives that push us beyond our comfort zones. She makes a compelling case that pursuing ambitious goals, when done correctly, leads to greater satisfaction than settling for easily attainable targets. Instead, Miller recommends applying the principles of Goal Setting Theory by Edwin Locke & Gary Latham, which leads to different approaches for learning goals versus performance goals.
One thing that stands out about this book is its basis in research, particularly drawing from the field of positive psychology. Big Goals covers concepts like “grit” (popularized by Angela Duckworth) and “flow” (developed by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi), showing how these can be leveraged in goal pursuit. She examines why some people consistently achieve difficult goals while others struggle, identifying specific habits and mindsets that make a difference.
The book is structured around Miller’s “BRIDGE” framework:
Bold: Setting audacious rather than incremental goals
Resilient: Developing the capacity to bounce back from setbacks
Inspiring: Choosing goals that energize and motivate
Doable: Breaking down big goals into manageable steps
Growth-oriented: Focusing on continuous improvement
Emotionally charged: Connecting goals to deep personal meaning
Miller provides practical strategies for implementing her framework and relatable stories that bring the science to life. Best of all, Big Goals includes a treasure trove of insightful exercises and tools. She also emphasizes the importance of social support and accountability in goal achievement and suggests ways to build these elements into your strategy.
What sets this book apart is its balanced approach. While advocating for ambitious goals, Miller acknowledges the pitfalls of perfectionism and unhealthy striving. She addresses how to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy goal pursuits, drawing from her own experience with eating disorders to illustrate the importance of keeping things in perspective and focusing on your overall well-being while pursuing challenging objectives.
Big Goals is an inspiring, insightful, and illuminating book with research-backed strategies that help you set new goals in a way that tilts the odds of succeeding in your favor. It will change how you’re approaching your most meaningful pursuits in the years ahead.
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