SMART Goals Flow: the Art and Science of Pursuing Happiness

Having goals and plans is a very effective way to achieve progress
and experience happiness in perusing worthy ideals and goals.
There is an art and science in "right-sizing" the goals, and that can be learned.

"Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood
and probably themselves will not be realized.

Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble,
logical diagram once recorded will never die..."
- quote from Daniel Burnham (an architect and urban planner)

That is to say it is best to have ambitious, challenging, goals.
On the other side, if a goal is too challenging, it is self-rejected and not helpful.
A good goal is one that you can believe can be achieved if you work very hard.
The magic number is "4% above your current maximum ability"
There is a real science behind this, it is not just a belief.

Below is the key diagram explaining optimal process of setting and achieving the goals.
It is based on human brain physiology and reflected in psychology,
This is described in significant research results of
book: Flow - The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

To function in optimal "flow" state, here are the pre-conditions:

1. Clear Goals, both major and minor step by step, not confusing and contradictory
2. Immediate Feedback: is what you are doing getting you closer to goals or not
3. Challenges matched with skills of a person (or an organization!).

That is also a description of "SMART" goals acronym:

• Specific, clear goals
• Measured? to provide immediate feedback
• Ambitious! (+4%!) to inspire, this is my innovation :)
• Realistic, for challenge to match skills
• Time-bound 

The key difference with "next best" diagram below is that smart goals should step into anxiety zone.
It is a subtle but key distinction. To improve, one needs to cross the current limits!

elearn Magazine: Gamification: Using Game Mechanics to Enhance eLearning


The Top 10 Mistakes Derailing Your Goals [Podcast] - Michael Hyatt


Goals!: How to Get Everything You Want -- Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible: Brian Tracy: 9781605094113: Amazon.com: Books

1. Unlock Your Potential. (What would you do if you knew you could not fail?)
2. Take Charge of Your Life. (No excuses. Be Proactive)
3. Create Your Own Future. (If you had no limits, what would you do)
4. Clarify Your Values.  (live in integrity with your deepest values)
5. Determine Your True Goals. (Clarity "what do you *really* want?")
6. Decide Upon Your Major Defnite Purpose. (your #1 one goal that, if achieved, would have the most positive impact)
7. Analyze Your Beliefs. 
8. Start at the Beginning. (embracing reality)
9. Measure Your Progress.
10. Remove the Roadblocks.
11. Become an Expert in Your Field. (top 10%)
12. Associate with the Right People. We’re the average of the fve people with whom we spend the most time.
13. Make a Plan of Action. (An ordinary person with a well-thought-out-plan will run circles around a genius without one.)
14. Manage Your Time Well. (Eliminate distractions)
15. Review Your Goals Daily. (writing down and reviewing goals every day)
16. Visualize Your Goals Continually. 
17. Activate Your Superconscious Mind.
18. Remain Flexible at All Times.
19. Unlock Your Inborn Creativity. 
20. Do Something Every Day. 
21. Persist Until You Succeed. 

Success Through Goal Setting, Part 1 of 3  by Brian Tracy
Success Through Goal Setting, Part 2 of 3
Success Through Goal Setting, Part 3 of 3

Goal Setting | OPTIMIZE with Brian Johnson

Video: How to Set Goals That Will Actually Make You Happy! | OPTIMIZE
How to Set Goals That Will Actually Make You Happy! - YouTube


So is it really true that: 

3% of Harvard MBAs Make Ten Times as Much as the Other 97% Combined

Maybe not, but sure it sounds motivational...

Peer_Bulletin_255 Quoting Research That Never Existed Harvard-Yale Written Goals Study:
Fact or Fiction by Mike Morrison