Goal-setting research summary. Whether in the workplace or not, goal-setting is crucial for making progress. It can make or break businesses or make it far easier to land your dream job. We’ve gathered all the latest goal-setting statistics, and according to our extensive research:
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People who set goals are 10 times more likely to be successful.
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Those who write down their goals are 42% more likely to achieve them.
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83% of people don’t set goals for themselves.
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People who set time-bound goals and report progress weekly to peers increase their chance of success by 40%.
For further analysis, we broke down the data in the following ways: Writing Goals Down | Success and Failure | Business Goals
Improving the success rate of goals
Goals are an essential step toward success, but there are additional ways to increase success further. Here are some examples of how people improve the success rate of their goals:
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90% of people perform better with relevant, challenging, and achievable goals.
Conversely, goals where people only have to “try their best,” or those that are too easy, don’t yield as impressive results.
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70% of people who share their goals with friends and family accomplish them
Sharing your goals enhances feelings of accountability, as you’ll want to show your friends and family you can succeed. By sharing, your successes are more exciting, and you’re less likely to give up as there’s more pressure to achieve.
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People are 76% more likely to achieve goals if they write action commitments and share weekly progress reports.
Writing down your goals already increases your chances of success by 42%, but you can increase those chances even more by writing action commitments and sharing weekly progress reports.
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People who set actionable tasks and report progress to their peers achieve goals 40% faster than those with written goals but no action commitments.
To achieve goals faster, setting actionable tasks and sharing progress with peers is crucial. The combination of writing goals down, setting actionable tasks, and sharing with others is the best way to succeed quickly.
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People have a 95% chance of reaching a goal if they have an accountability partner.
Publicly committing your goals to someone already increases your chances of success to 65%, but when an accountability partner is added to the mix, those chances go up to 95%.
Writing goals down
Writing goals down is a simple but critical factor in remembering and pursuing them. Here are a few key statistics about writing goals down:
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Only 3% of people write their goals down on average.
This low number is rather shocking, given that 48% of goal-setting Americans say they will write down their goals.
Goal-setting by those who write goals down
Goal-setting method Share of people No goal-setting 83% Goal setting without writing 14% Written goals 3% -
Only 16% of goal-setters write their goals down.
Only 17% of people set goals at all, with 14% being those who don’t write down goals. This means that 84% of people who set goals don’t write them down, and 16% do write them down.
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Those who write down their goals are 42% more likely to achieve them.
The few people who write their goals down are far more likely to achieve those goals when compared to people who don’t write goals down. In fact, writing goals down is one of the most essential factors in success, behind only actionable tasks and accountability partners.
Goal success and failure
As an eager job seeker, employee, or employer, goal success and failure depends on several factors. There are a few simple steps you can take to improve your chances of success, including:
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People who set goals are 43% more likely to achieve them.
While only 17% of people set goals, they are far more likely to achieve their goals just by setting them. After all, achieving something you haven’t thought about is hard.
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Only 8% of people who set goals actually achieve them.
While setting goals is a key first step toward achievement, it still doesn’t guarantee success. 92% of people who set goals fail to achieve them due to a lack of written reminders, actionable tasks, and an accountability partner.
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Only 9% of Americans achieve their New Year’s resolutions.
Of the Americans who set New Year’s resolutions, 23% quit by the end of the week, and 43% quit by the end of January.
American New Year’s Resolution goal achievement
Goal achievement Share of Americans Achieve New Year’s resolution 9% Quit by the end of the week 23% Quit by the end of January 43% -
43% of Americans give up on their New Year’s resolutions within the first month.
Nearly half of all Americans give up on their New Year’s resolution goals within the first month. Lack of planning is largely to blame, as many Americans forget about their goals or don’t use strategies to ensure that they stick to them.
Business goals
Goals are crucial for the success of businesses all over the US. Lack of goal-setting can be extremely damaging for employers and employees alike. Here are some examples of how goals impact the workplace:
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Only 14% of low-level employees understand their company’s priorities and goals.
This contributes to the fact that 85% of these employees are disengaged in the workplace. A lack of understanding of goals and priorities leads to apathy. This then has negative side effects, such as higher turnover and a loss in productivity.
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Employees with goals are 3.6x more likely to be committed to an organization.
Having goals allows employees to connect with their companies, increasing their drive to work and reducing turnover.
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90% of businesses fail to reach strategic goals.
Businesses often fail to reach strategic goals due to
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Not understanding problems and challenges
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Not understanding business capabilities
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Employees under too many other pressures
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Failure to match the cultural landscape
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Goal-Setting FAQ
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What percentage of goals are achieved?
Only around 8% of goals are achieved. That number reflects the meager 17% of people who actually set goals, showing how very few goals are accomplished.
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Why are goals not accomplished?
Goals aren’t accomplished for many reasons, with primary factors including a lack of actionable goals and accountability partners, as well as not writing goals down. Here are examples of how these issues impact goals:
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Lack of Clarity. Not writing goals down or discussing them with others makes it more difficult to define objectives precisely. Creating a roadmap for success becomes far more challenging due to confusion and a sense of directionless effort.
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Overwhelming Objectives. Setting overly ambitious or unrealistic goals can be counterproductive. When people aim too high without the ability to tackle manageable steps, they may feel overwhelmed.
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Procrastination. Delaying goal objectives can result in missed opportunities and a lack of progress. That’s why sharing goals with others can be so important, as it holds people accountable for important tasks and deadlines.
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Inadequate Planning. Without a well-thought-out plan, individuals often react to situations rather than proactively working toward their objectives. Effective planning involves writing important objectives down, setting actionable tasks, anticipating challenges, and adjusting strategies as needed.
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How does writing goals down help to achieve them?
Writing down goals helps you achieve them by providing clarity, commitment, and motivation. Having a visual reminder enhances your focus and memory, allowing you to stay on track. Documentation also promotes organization, facilitates progress monitoring, and boosts confidence.
By writing your goals down, you’re 42% more likely to achieve them.
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What are the 5 R’s of goal setting?
The 5 R’s of goal setting are Results, Reasons, Reflections, Resources, and Responsibilities. Here are these fundamentals of goal-setting outlined:
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Results. Through clearly defined outcomes and milestones, it’s easier to track goal achievement progress.
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Reasons. By providing motivations that align with your values, you can give yourself reasons to pursue your goals. In turn, identifying the “why” behind your objectives enhances commitment and resilience during challenges.
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Reflections. Regularly assessing progress and being able to adapt to new situations allows you to tackle challenges. Through reflection, you can celebrate successes, learn from setbacks, and make informed adjustments to your strategies.
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Resources. Ensuring you have resources and a reliable network is crucial for achieving your goals. Aside from physical items, resources can also include time, knowledge, skills, and external support.
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Responsibilities. Creating clear responsibilities and taking ownership of them allows you to stay focused and engaged. Plus, whether personal or collaborative, understanding each person’s responsibilities ensures accountability and efficient progress.
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Conclusion
Goal-setting is essential for accomplishing goals, which is why it’s a shame that 83% of people don’t set goals at all. In fact, only 8% of goal-setters even achieve their goals, highlighting how difficult the process can be.
Luckily, there are ways to increase the chances of success. For instance, those who write down their goals are 42% more likely to achieve them, and those who set time-bound goals and report progress weekly to peers are 40% more likely.
Overall, achieving goals is a challenging process that requires immense determination. Individuals and business can enhance their chances of success by writing goals down, committing to actionable tasks, and sharing goals with others.
References
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LinkedIn – Goal Setting: It is said that 14% of people who set goals are 10 times more successful
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Kindlepreneur – Goal Setting for Writers: A 3-Step Process to Achieve Success
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Bi Worldwide – Four keys to goal setting that increase employee performance and reduce attrition
Author
Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications. Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.
