Walking Through Life Boldly: The Alternative View On Goal-Setting

Forbes

3 days ago

Mikhail Saidov, master coach instructor, creator of Metacognitive Programming, a coaching and therapeutic technique. Founder & CEO of IMCP.
Over the past few decades, goal-setting has become a science—and sometimes, a cliché. Latham and Locke, among others, suggest that goals should be not only specific but also difficult, because difficult goals generate higher performance than vague or easy ones.
More recent frameworks, like behavioral goal-setting theory, emphasize the SMART model: goals must be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Vague intentions, it turns out, can dilute motivation and leave individuals or teams in a fog.
But in the age of constant reinvention—of industries, identities and entire life paths—is 'achievable' still the gold standard? I don't believe so. At least, not if we want goals that don't just organize our calendars, but rewire who we are.
While overlapping with both of these perspectives, my view takes a slightly different route. I believe that life and goals should be walked boldly. Boldness is not a trait reserved for certain professions, personalities or stages of life. It's a stance. The most powerful goals are not the ones we check off; they're the ones that shape us in the pursuit.
My take on goal-setting is inseparable from boldness. Below are five criteria I use when helping individuals and teams set bold goals—not just difficult ones, but goals that stretch identity, shift perception and demand transformation.
1. The Desirability Of The Path
People want the outcome. Very few want the path. They want the thriving business, but not the seasons of doubt, discipline and rebuilding. They want the marathon medal, not the long mornings of sore muscles and rain.
This is where most goals fail, not because people aren't 'motivated,' but because the process required is misaligned with who they are or want to be. A meaningful goal is one where the path itself feels alive. The work, even when it's hard, offers dignity or depth. You don't need to love every moment of it, but you need to want the journey more than the reward. If you dread the daily grind of getting there, it's likely the wrong mountain.
2. End Over Means
We rarely want what we think we want. We say we want money, but we're craving security. We chase applause, hoping it fills a hole in self-worth. We frame success in external terms while quietly longing for peace. Many goals are means to an emotional end, but we confuse the two. And then, once the outer goal is reached, the inner need remains unmet. The shift happens when you start setting goals not to impress, fix or escape, but to evolve. To grow in the direction of the person you want to become. When that's clear, the goal becomes less of a checkbox and more of a compass.
3. Nearly Impossible Is The Point
Latham and Locke taught us that difficult goals improve performance. I suggest going one step further: make them nearly impossible. Set goals that stretch your identity. The kind that feels beyond your current self—just far enough that you're not sure if you can do it, but close enough that you want to try. What I'm saying may seem contradictory to the A (achievable) from Rachmad's SMART goals.
But, I'm not saying we should aim for 100% impossible goals. Instead, nearly impossible (but still achievable) is what I'm proposing. The paradox is: when the outcome isn't guaranteed, the focus shifts to the process. And that's where transformation happens. You don't have to reach the end for the goal to be worth it. You just have to show up for who you become on the way.
4. Clarity Of Outcome
I suggest this point in line with the theories by Latham and Locke, Rachmad and many others. Even if your goal is extraordinary, it still needs definition. Ambiguity drains energy. Without a clear outcome, the brain spins in uncertainty, the body hesitates and the mission loses coherence.
Clarity doesn't mean inflexibility. It means you know what direction you're moving in, even if you never fully arrive. Define what success looks like. Give it shape, weight and language. Not to get attached, but to aim with intention.
5. Time And Steps—Especially The First Ones
Ten-year plans make great TED talks. But in real life, they often act as a hiding place for fear. In a world that reinvents itself every eighteen months, five years is the outer limit when it comes to goal setting. Anything beyond becomes conceptual and convenience masquerades as patience.
Once the timeline is grounded, define your next actions. Especially the first ones. They are not logistical, they are psychological. The first steps are where identity starts to shift. If those first steps spark energy or resistance, take them seriously—it will make it easier for you to face the challenges. That's where growth begins.
Final Thoughts
These five criteria may partially mirror traditional frameworks, but the shift they require is foundational. We don't set bold goals to accumulate more. We set bold goals to become more. To trade predictability for possibility. To let who we are today meet who we're capable of becoming.
So if this resonates, give it a try: Choose a goal that makes you slightly nervous to say out loud. Make sure the process is one you're willing to love or at least respect. Define the destination, commit to a real timeframe and take the first step that makes your voice shake.
And then reflect. Relentlessly. Because progress without reflection becomes motion without meaning. A journal can help. The Efficiency Journal is one tool, but any method that keeps you honest with yourself will do. Because in the end, bold goal-setting isn't just about arriving somewhere new. It's about becoming someone you hadn't yet imagined you could be.
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