You can guarantee your success with a few proven psychological goal-setting secrets. This is not some BS self-help doctrine. This is real. I’ve used these strategies in my own life continuously to accomplish many of my biggest and most ambitious goals. Everything from running marathons and Spartan Races to landing jobs and developing new skills. So I know they work.

These 3 goal-setting secrets that I’m about to share with you in this article are based on psychology. Not theory. And the best part is that anyone (who’s serious) can use them to win. If that’s you, then read on.

1. Linguistic Certainty

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”

— Proverbs 18:21

When I decided I wanted to go from freelance copywriting to working in-house for an agency. I did something interesting… I wrote down the ambition. But rather than just writing the goal and leaving it at that, I write it as if I had already accomplished it: I have an in-house copywriting position at a reputable agency.

Then, I took that sheet of paper and taped it to my wall, where I reviewed it every day. The result? Two and a half months later, I not only found a copywriting position… But it was an  EXACT match to what I wrote down—everything from the culture to the salary.

Speak About Your Goals With Certainty To Bring Them To Life

There’s a concept in psychology known as Linguistic Certainty. How does it work? It speaks in definites. It uses absolutes. There’s no hedging or ambiguity. The tone of language is one of certainty. And this is expressed with words like “I know, I will, I have, I am, etc.” Notice in my story above that I wrote my goal down in the present tense?

I wrote it as if it were already a fact—like it was already MINE. And sure enough, it eventually became true. That’s Linguistic Certainty in action. And it’s used everywhere:

• Speeches and inaugural addresses
• Marketing and advertising
• Comedy jokes and skits
• Even in music and song lyrics, etc.

And the cool part is that YOU can use it, too. All you have to do is start speaking about your goals in the affirmative. It’s a form of brainwashing, in essence. Get a sheet of paper. Write your goals down in the present tense—I am, I have, I earn, etc.—and repeat those affirmations to yourself every day.

2. Commitment and Consistency

“Consistency is activated by commitment. The more effort that goes into a commitment.”

— Robert Cialdini

In his book, “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion,” Social Scientist Robert Cialdini talks about the psychological lever of commitment and consistency. It’s the idea that we’re more likely to follow through (be consistent with our commitments) when we tell someone else about them. Don’t keep your goals to yourself. Tell the world.

This can help you in a few ways:

• Keeps you committed to your goal
• Boosts your motivation for action
• Stops uncertainty in its tracks
• Makes you more confident in yourself

Why is this so effective? Consistency pressures squeeze you to act in alignment with your commitments when you know someone (or a group of people) is watching you. And this makes sense. Inconsistent people are often seen as two-faced, flaky, or unreliable. Not a flattering look if you care about the respect of others.

Use The Power Of Consistency To Fuel Momentum

I have an accountability partner where, every week, we call each other. The reason? To check in to see if we’re staying committed to our goals. Our weekly check-ins are all about ensuring we’re being consistent—that we’re following through. It’s been one of the most valuable relationships in my life. I highly recommend you form a similar relationship.

Here’s what to look for in an accountability partner:

• Motivated and driven
• Shares similar goals, values, and interests
• Trustworthy and reliable
• Goal and growth-oriented
• You respect their opinion

Your accountability should be someone you can trust. Someone you respect. And they should prioritize self-improvement in themselves and their relationships. In other words, they should be like you. These are the winning combination of qualities.

3. Environmental Structuring

“In the long-run (and often in the short-run), your willpower will never beat your environment.”

— James Clear

I have 3 alarms on my phone. One at 8 am, another at 12 pm, and then a final one at 5 pm. Why? Because they’re not just alarms. They’re triggers that remind me to review the goals I’ve committed to. Every time they go off throughout the day… I stop what I’m doing. Pull out my phone. Look at my screensaver with my list of goals, and review them.

I really focus on them. Feel them. It’s called Environmental Structuring. I’m creating cues in my environment that act as reminders to refocus my attention on my goals. It reduces friction toward my daily reviews.

Move Toward Your Goals With Environmental Structuring

When it comes to psychological goal-setting secrets, this one is simple to execute. And it’s a versatile one as well. You can also “curate” your environment through physical and social means. Here are a few examples to consider:

• Physical structuring: Want to wake up earlier but struggle to get out of bed? Set your alarm at a specific time and place it on the other side of your room. This forces you to get out of bed to turn it off, making you more likely to get up and get after it.
• Habit zones: You can create a “zone” for a specific habit. Use a chair that’s only for reading or use a desk that’s only for writing (no YouTube), etc. This creates a feeling of exclusivity that’s reserved for the habit in question, making it more likely you’ll do it.
• Reminder triggers: This has been one of the best goal-setting secrets… I shared it earlier in this blog. Setting triggers to remind me of my goals. Alarms, that when they go off, I stop what I’m doing to review my aims and recenter my focus on them.

Environmental structuring is all about reconfiguring your surroundings so that they become assets to helping you achieve your goals. Don’t sleep on the power your environment plays in your success. It’s one of the most overlooked or ignored elements of winning in life.

What’s Next? Execute On These Goal-Setting Secrets

Learning is great, but don’t let that be where your self-improvement stops. Knowledge is only potential power. It becomes power when you put it into ACTION. Consistently. So, take these goal-setting secrets and use them in your daily life. They will make a difference. But you have to execute. Get it done. And remember: Stay Motivated And Disciplined.