Looking at the Bigger Looking at the Bigger PicturePicture

The 'Why' and 'How' of The 'Why' and 'How' of

Reflecting on Personal GoalsReflecting on Personal Goals

Dr Warren MansellDr Warren Mansell

Senior LecturerSenior Lecturer

School of Psychological SciencesSchool of Psychological Sciences

PlanPlan

• What is a decision?What is a decision?• What is a goal?What is a goal?• An 8 Step Plan of asking ‘How?’ An 8 Step Plan of asking ‘How?’

& ‘Why?’& ‘Why?’• SummarySummary

What is a Decision?

“Choice made between alternative courses of action in a situation of uncertainty”

Just leads to more questions…What is choice?Why do we engage in ‘action’?Why are there alternative actions?

Why are there alternative Why are there alternative courses of action?courses of action?

The Psychology of Goals The Psychology of Goals• William James (1892) – ‘mentality William James (1892) – ‘mentality

is the pursuit of a fixed end is the pursuit of a fixed end through various means’through various means’

• Self-regulatory approaches:Self-regulatory approaches:– Began in 1940s with ‘Cybernetics’Began in 1940s with ‘Cybernetics’– Control engineering in 1960s & 70s Control engineering in 1960s & 70s

(e.g. Powers et al., 1960; Powers, (e.g. Powers et al., 1960; Powers, 1973)1973)

– Self-regulation theory in Psychology Self-regulation theory in Psychology – e.g. Carver & Scheier (1980)– e.g. Carver & Scheier (1980)

What is a goal?What is a goal?

• Your target – where are you aiming for?

• e.g. the top left corner of the net

• What you perceive – what is going on right now?

• e.g. the ball next to your foot

• The difference between target and what you perceive

• e.g. the distance between the ball & the corner of the net

• The behaviour – to reduce the difference

• e.g. kick the ball

How do goals work? How do goals work? Negative FeedbackNegative Feedback

TARGET, e.g. ball in net

PERCEPTION, e.g. Ball next to

foot

DIFFERENCE, e.g. 10m

BEHAVIOUR, e.g. kick ball

Organism

EnvironmentWHAT IS

CONTROLLED?

e.g. foot position

DISTURBANCE, e.g. wind; goal-

keeper

Goals are everywhere…Goals are everywhere…

• Balancing: Balancing: – Target is to remain upright Target is to remain upright – Perception is current orientiationPerception is current orientiation– Behaviour is moving arms & legsBehaviour is moving arms & legs

• Getting work experienceGetting work experience– Target is to gain more knowledgeTarget is to gain more knowledge– Perception is what you currently knowPerception is what you currently know– Behaviour is practising the jobBehaviour is practising the job

What Stops Us Achieving Our What Stops Us Achieving Our Goals?Goals?

• The target may be too high

• e.g. going for the corner rather than centre of net

• The person may not focus on what they need to perceive

• e.g. need to focus eyes on corner of net

•There may be a limit in the amount of skill

• e.g. lack of practice shooting at the net

• The environment may be too challenging

• e.g. a very effective goal-keeper

• Another goal may be interfering – confusion; uncertainty

• e.g. want to get your team mate to kick the ball instead; want to hit the ball in the centre

Seeing the Bigger Seeing the Bigger Picture…Picture…

• According to various theories, goals are According to various theories, goals are organised in hierarchies (Powers et al., organised in hierarchies (Powers et al., 1960)1960)

• IllustrationIllustration– What is the current career you are involved What is the current career you are involved

in pursuing? Write this is the centre of A4 in pursuing? Write this is the centre of A4 pagepage

– Why are you going for this career?Why are you going for this career?– Why x 2Why x 2– How are you pursuing this career? How are you pursuing this career? – How x 2How x 2

Example of Goal Example of Goal HierarchyHierarchy

Type up notes

Visit library Keep track of deadlines

Ask lecturer for help

Print out in good time

To have a good life

To be capableTo take care of my health To have good relationships

Complete assignmentsRead regularly Not drink too much

Method of LevelsMethod of Levels

• Method of asking questions based on control Method of asking questions based on control theorytheory

• Helps people to ‘see the bigger picture’, to talk Helps people to ‘see the bigger picture’, to talk about their deeper goals, & how to achieve about their deeper goals, & how to achieve themthem

• Used in Teacher training in USA (Good, 2010)Used in Teacher training in USA (Good, 2010)• Evaluated in primary care; associated with Evaluated in primary care; associated with

reductions in distress over 3 months (Carey et reductions in distress over 3 months (Carey et al., 2009)al., 2009)

• Currently under detailed evaluation (Mansell, Currently under detailed evaluation (Mansell, 2009)2009)

1. Use a 1. Use a Sliding ScaleSliding Scale• What is your target?What is your target?• Draw a line to show the extremes.Draw a line to show the extremes.• Plot where you want to bePlot where you want to be• Plot where you are right nowPlot where you are right now• Is this what you expect or not?Is this what you expect or not?• EVIDENCE: Less extreme thinking EVIDENCE: Less extreme thinking

predicts reduced relapse of predicts reduced relapse of depression (Teasdale, 2002) depression (Teasdale, 2002) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

XXNo understandingof being a teacher

An expert teacher

Target for the endof this course

Where am I now

Now try it out!

2: Zoom Out: ‘2: Zoom Out: ‘WhyWhy this this goal?’goal?’• Notice yourself pursuing the goalNotice yourself pursuing the goal• Ask yourself, why am I pursuing Ask yourself, why am I pursuing

this goal?this goal?• What do I want to achieve for What do I want to achieve for

myself, and people around me?myself, and people around me?• EVIDENCE: High level ‘construal’ – EVIDENCE: High level ‘construal’ –

‘Seeing the wood for the trees’ ‘Seeing the wood for the trees’ predicts better self control predicts better self control (Kentaro et al., 2006)(Kentaro et al., 2006)

Now try it out!

‘‘Zoom’ by Istvan BanyaiZoom’ by Istvan Banyai

3: Ask yourself – What Do I 3: Ask yourself – What Do I REALLY REALLY Want!REALLY REALLY Want!

Now try it out!

4: 4: VisualiseVisualise the What the What You WantYou Want

• Try to create a mental Try to create a mental picture of what you picture of what you wantwant

• Fill in the detailsFill in the details• Give yourself time to Give yourself time to

picture it fullypicture it fully• EVIDENCE: Visualising EVIDENCE: Visualising

goals increases rates goals increases rates of achievement of achievement (Greitemeyer & Wurz, (Greitemeyer & Wurz, 2006)2006)

Now try it out!

4. Notice New 4. Notice New IdeasIdeas

• Just notice what comes to mindJust notice what comes to mind• Give yourself time for thoughts to Give yourself time for thoughts to

pop into your headpop into your head• Just let it happen!Just let it happen!• EVIDENCE: People trained to be EVIDENCE: People trained to be

more ‘mindful’ experience less more ‘mindful’ experience less distress (Allen et al., 2006)distress (Allen et al., 2006)

Now try it out!

5. Think of Many 5. Think of Many WaysWays to to achieve what you want & achieve what you want &

select one to tryselect one to try• Ask how will I achieve Ask how will I achieve

what I wantwhat I want• Generate as many ways Generate as many ways

as you can think ofas you can think of• Imagine doing each, Imagine doing each,

and select one to try and select one to try outout

• EVIDENCE: Problem-EVIDENCE: Problem-solving training reduces solving training reduces distress (Nezu et al., distress (Nezu et al., 1989)1989)

Now try it out!

6. Break it down to 6. Break it down to Smaller Smaller StepsSteps

• What is the first thing I can do?• Any journey is made of many steps• How would I know when I make

the first step?• EVIDENCE: Graded steps towards

facing fears is an effective way of overcoming them and achieving one’s goals (Lindsay, 2007) Now

try it out!

7. IF... THEN… 7. IF... THEN… plansplans

• For your first step, form an IF… THEN… For your first step, form an IF… THEN… planplan

• IF… I notice….IF… I notice….• THEN… I will….THEN… I will….• E.g. “If I see my supervisor then I will ask E.g. “If I see my supervisor then I will ask

for some information about careers in for some information about careers in catering”catering”

• EVIDENCE: Making IF… THEN… plans is EVIDENCE: Making IF… THEN… plans is more effective in achieving goals than more effective in achieving goals than intending to do them alone (Gollwitzer, intending to do them alone (Gollwitzer, 1999)1999)

Now try it out!

……Back to the Back to the Sliding Sliding Scale Scale againagain

• What was my target?What was my target?• What have I achieved?What have I achieved?• Reached target? WELL DONE! Go back to Reached target? WELL DONE! Go back to

the bigger picturethe bigger picture• Not reached target? Not reached target?

– Carry on as planned?Carry on as planned?– Try to make a smaller step? Try to make a smaller step? – Try out another way of approaching the goal?Try out another way of approaching the goal?– Think of the bigger picture. Is this what I Think of the bigger picture. Is this what I

really want? really want?

Use the Sliding ScaleHow is progress?

Look at the Bigger Picture

What is Your Goal?

Ask yourself what you really really want!

Visualise what you want

Notice your own ideas Think of ways to get what you want & select one to try

Break it down into steps

Make an IF… THEN… Plan

?

?

SummarySummary

• Decision-making involves making Decision-making involves making choices among goalschoices among goals

• To have a goal, you need to know your To have a goal, you need to know your target, your measure of where you are target, your measure of where you are now, and a meansnow, and a means

• Goals are best rated on a sliding scaleGoals are best rated on a sliding scale• When you are not progressing as fast When you are not progressing as fast

as you would like…as you would like…

Ways of making better Ways of making better decisions…decisions…

• Zoom outZoom out & look at the Bigger Picture & look at the Bigger Picture• Ask yourself what you really, really Ask yourself what you really, really wantwant• VisualiseVisualise your goals your goals• Generate Generate many waysmany ways of reaching your of reaching your

goals, imagine doing them, and select onegoals, imagine doing them, and select one• Break down what you do into Break down what you do into smaller smaller

stepssteps• Plan to do things using Plan to do things using IF… THEN…IF… THEN… rules rules• Keep measuring progress using a Keep measuring progress using a sliding sliding

scalescale……

Questions please…Questions please…