10 Research-Based Truths About Goals That Will Change the Way You Chase Success

Most people treat goals like wishlists. We scribble them into a notebook once a year, make a vision board if we’re feeling cute, and then forget about them the moment life gets loud again. But what if you knew that setting the right goals, and setting them correctly, could dramatically increase your success, motivation, and even mental health?

This isn’t about woo-woo manifestation (though visualizing can help). This is about science-backed, data-supported strategies that can shift the way you approach everything from your bank account to your body to your business.

Let’s dig into 10 research-backed facts about goals that every entrepreneur, creator, and builder should know.

1. Writing Your Goals Down Makes You 42% More Likely to Achieve Them

Let’s start with something simple: grab a pen.

According to a study conducted at Dominican University of California, people who write down their goals are 42% more likely to achieve them than those who just think about them. That’s almost half the battle won by just externalizing what’s in your head.

Why? Because writing creates commitment. It clarifies intention and shifts your goals from "abstract idea" to "concrete target." It’s also a form of self-accountability.

Action step: Keep a running goal list somewhere visible. Whether it’s a whiteboard in your office or a sticky note on your mirror, make your goals hard to ignore.

2. Vague Goals Are Almost Never Achieved

"I want to make more money." Cool. So does everyone. That’s not a goal, that’s a wish.

Psychologists Edwin Locke and Gary Latham, creators of Goal Setting Theory, found that specific and challenging goals lead to higher performance than vague or easy ones.

"Save $5,000 in six months" beats "Save more." "Land 3 new clients by next quarter" beats "Grow my business."

Why it works: Specific goals give you something to aim for. They help your brain understand what "done" looks like.

Action Step: Write down what you want out of life AND how you plan to get there. Remember, be specific.

3. Goal Setting Activates the Brain’s Reward System

Setting a goal doesn’t just make you feel productive, it actually lights up your dopaminergic pathways. In plain English? Your brain releases dopamine, the chemical responsible for pleasure and motivation.

And the best part? You get hits of dopamine just by progressing toward your goal, not only when you complete it.

Action Step: Break big goals into smaller wins to keep your brain engaged and motivated throughout the process. Dopamine loves momentum.

4. Short-Term Wins Fuel Long-Term Progress

You want to build a 7-figure business? That’s great, but unless your brain can see how that’s possible, it’ll default to overwhelm and shutdown.

Research from Harvard Business Review confirms that the most effective way to stay motivated is to focus on small wins. They add up, they build confidence, and they prevent burnout.

Example: Instead of saying, "I'm going to become financially independent," start with: "I'm going to open a high-yield savings account and save $50 a week."

Small wins create self-trust. They prove to your brain that you’re capable of following through.

5. Accountability Increases Goal Success by Up to 95%

According to the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD), simply having an accountability partner makes you 95% more likely to achieve a goal.

That’s not a typo. Ninety-five.

Here’s the nuance though: the type of accountability matters. Your best friend might not be as effective as someone you admire or someone who’s already achieved what you want to do.

Action Step: Join our forum’s accountability group or if you’re feeling bold, send the We Make Millionaires team an email outlining your primary goal and the actionable steps you’ll take to get there and we’ll respond with real, actionable feedback to support you.  

6. Visualizing the Process Beats Visualizing the Outcome

It turns out there’s a right and wrong way to visualize.

A UCLA study found that students who visualized the actions required to study performed better than students who only visualized themselves getting a good grade.

In other words, daydreaming about the finish line is fine, but your brain wants to see the reps, the strategy, the effort. That’s what builds readiness and reduces anxiety.

Action step: Instead of imagining yourself crossing the stage or posting the big win, visualize sitting down to work, writing the post, pitching the client, or clicking "invest."

7. Goal Overload Kills Momentum

Stanford research shows that multitasking goals can dilute your cognitive resources, which leads to lower follow-through.

If you’re trying to launch a business, start a workout routine, write a book, grow your following, and master crypto all at once... you’re probably going to stall.

Laser focus is underrated. Pick one transformation to pursue at a time, or at least one per life category (e.g., one money goal, one health goal).

Less chaos = more clarity.

Action Step: Sit down and think about your goals. Write down all of the goals you have, then number them based on how important they are to you. Pick one or two to focus on right now and save the rest for later.

8. Clear Goals Reduce Anxiety

This isn’t just about productivity, it’s about peace.

Studies in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology show that people with clear, structured goals experience “less anxiety, more resilience, and stronger internal motivation.” Why? Because the brain likes knowing what’s next. It craves structure. A goal gives your life direction, and direction lowers existential dread.

So the next time you feel scattered, instead of trying to do everything, try setting one clearly defined goal with a deadline. Watch your mental fog lift.

9. Going Public with Goals Can Boost Success 

There's a lot of debate here. Some say sharing your goals makes you feel like you've already accomplished them (and lowers drive). Others say sharing “creates social pressure that drives you forward”.

The truth? It depends who you share with.

Sharing with someone who respects you, or someone on a similar path, increases the odds you’ll follow through. Sharing with someone who will hold you to your word- that’s the move.

Example: If you're trying to save $10K in a year, share that with a financially-savvy friend or accountability group and not with your buddy who impulse-buys gaming chairs.

Action Step: Create a post on the WMM accountability forum or pick up the phone and tell a friend with a similar mindset about your big goal.

10. You Underestimate the Time, Overestimate the Difficulty

Thanks to something called the “Planning Fallacy”, people regularly underestimate how long it will take to reach a goal. At the same time, we often overestimate how hard that goal will be.

This contradiction paralyzes people. We think, "I should be further along" and "I could never do that."

Solution? Give yourself more time than you think you need, but also recognize that the work isn’t as impossible as you imagine.

Success is usually less about genius and more about consistency over time.

Wrap-Up: So What Do You Do With All This?

Here’s your quick blueprint:

• Write your goals down.

• Make them specific and time-bound.

• Break them into short-term wins.

• Share them with the right people.

• Visualize the process, not just the win.

• Track your progress.

• Focus on fewer goals at a time.

• Stay flexible, but stay committed.

It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being deliberate.

If you're building something that matters whether it's a business, a financial future, or a new identity, your goals are the blueprint and science just handed you the cheat codes.

So what are you waiting for?

Grab a pen. Set the goal. Build the plan. Show up.

(You’re closer than you think).