I used to think goals were private, write them down, forget about them, repeat. Turns out, saying them out loud can flip everything upside down, sometimes painfully, but mostly for the better.
But I realized that when I shared my goals publicly, something happened…
The Kombi Adventure
A few years ago, I told a friend, “I’m going to buy a Kombi (VW Bus) and travel South America.” It was the kind of confident nonsense you say after a beer, then immediately forget.
Except my friend didn’t. A year later, they asked, “How’s the Kombi trip?” Panic. I didn’t even own a Kombi. Instead of admitting defeat, I blurted out, “It’s happening soon!”.
Next week? I bought one, quit my job, and hit the road. No clue what I was doing, but that trip became one of the best decisions of my life, all because I ran my mouth to the wrong, or right, person. It wasn’t to prove anything to my friend, it was in respect of my young self dreams.
Besides traveling, I occasionally served as the lunch bus driver.
The 100 books challenge
In 2022, I let Goodreads peer pressure me into being a better reader. I set a goal, and that little progress bar guilted me into finishing more books than the past three years combined. I didn’t hit 100 books that year, but it left me motivated to keep going in the years after.
The 500-mile bike ride
Then came a fundraiser and a 500-mile bike ride from San Francisco to LA. Fundraising and training sucked, so I built Sf2.la, a site that publicly displayed my Strava data and helped me raise money. Suddenly, skipping rides wasn’t an option when people could see my stats or lack of them. I hit my fundraising goal, completed the ride, and met amazing people along the way.
How to set goals that stick
I’ve learned that vague goals die quietly. The trick is structure.
- SMART Goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.
- Instead of “read more,” I set “Read 101 books in 2025, 50 of them graphic novels.”
- OKRs (Objectives & Key Results): Break big goals into measurable steps.
- Objective: Ride SF to LA
- Key Results: Ride 300 miles in training, complete two 80-mile back-to-backs
Make it public (and embrace the chaos):
Whether it’s a friend or a social post, sharing your goals makes them real. You’ll get accountability, support, and maybe even a cheer squad to keep you going, or to laugh with you when it all goes sideways.
Why this works? Or maybe it doesn’t?
Some studies say sharing goals can decrease motivation by tricking your brain into thinking you’ve already accomplished something. Maybe. But for me, it’s about the process. Whether I’m fumbling through 101 books or sweating through a ride, the magic is in the doing.
So I’m leaning into Open Goals. Science may disagree, but it keeps things interesting.
What about you?
Got a goal you’ve been keeping quiet? Say it out loud. Post it. Tell a friend who will hold you to it. It might just change everything.