"Write your goals down" is one of the most repeated pieces of career advice. It is also backed by a famous statistic that turns out not to exist. So is writing goals down actually worth it? Yes, for practical reasons that are well supported, even if the popular story is not.
The myth first
You may have heard that a study of Harvard or Yale graduates found the 3% who wrote down their goals went on to earn more than the other 97% combined.
Did you know? The famous "Harvard (or Yale) goals study" appears never to have happened. Researchers and journalists who have investigated it could find no record of the study at either university. It is a good reminder to check the source behind motivational statistics.
There is, however, real evidence. In a smaller study, psychology professor Gail Matthews at Dominican University of California found that participants who wrote their goals down, shared them with a friend and sent weekly progress updates achieved significantly more than those who only thought about their goals.
Practical reasons to write goals down
1. Clarity. Writing forces you to be specific. A vague intention becomes a clear sentence with a deadline.
2. Memory. Goals in your head get crowded out by daily work. Written goals can be reviewed.
3. Commitment. A written goal feels more like a decision and less like a wish.
4. Shared understanding. When goals are written, you and your manager agree on exactly the same thing.
5. Evidence. Written goals, with progress notes, give you a record for reviews, promotions and job interviews.
6. Better planning. Once written, a goal can be broken into steps. See turn your goals into an action plan.
Writing also reduces mental clutter
Research by E.J. Masicampo and Roy Baumeister (2011) found that making a specific plan for an unfinished goal reduced intrusive thoughts about it. Writing down what you will do, and when, frees your mind to focus on the task in front of you.
How to write them down well
- Keep them in one place you look at often.
- Use a simple format. See our goal-setting template.
- Review them regularly. Written goals that are never read are no better than unwritten ones. See how often to review your work goals.
- Share them with someone who will ask about progress.
The bottom line
Writing goals down makes them clearer, easier to remember, easier to share and easier to track. You do not need a mythical statistic to justify it. For a structured way to document business and personal goals, see our Business Planning and Goal Setting course.