Dr. Andrew Huberman’s Protocol On How To Set And Achieve Goals According To Science (Part 1)

Every one of us has felt the thrill of setting a new goal, whether it’s picking up a new hobby, shedding some weight, or climbing up the career ladder. We all start with a burst of motivation, imagining where our ambitions might lead us. Yet, many times, after a few weeks or months, we find ourselves stuck or even backtracking. That initial excitement can give way to frustration, leaving us wondering, “Why can’t I just stick to it?”

The Neuroscience Behind Goal Setting and Achieving

Here is a surprising fact. No matter how diverse our personal aspirations are our brains essentially react in the same way during goal-setting and goal-pursuing. That means we all operate within the same neurological “goal-setting” circuits. 

But if our brains work in similar ways, why do some of us cross the finish line while others get lost along the way? 

Dr. Huberman suggests that it’s not just about determination or willpower. Instead, the intricate dance of our neural pathways, influenced by our environment, past experiences, and even daily routines, can either propel us forward or hold us back. By understanding the nuances of how our brain responds to goals, we can better strategize, adjust, and, ultimately, find success.

The Foundation of Setting Goals

Navigating the roadmap to success begins with a clear starting point. Among the countless pieces of advice on goal setting, one stands out prominently in Dr. Huberman’s teachings: the necessity of zeroing in on a singular aim. While many of us juggle various aspirations, there’s tremendous power in prioritizing a single goal. 

Dr. Huberman is a strong advocate for this approach. According to his research, our brains are optimized to chase after one primary goal at a time. Spreading our focus thin across multiple ambitions can lead to decreased motivation, distractions, and even burnout. Concentrating our efforts not only enhances our motivation but also amplifies the neural pathways associated with goal pursuit, making success more attainable.

So, how does one determine that crucial priority goal? The answer lies in introspection and self-awareness. 

Consider what genuinely resonates with your core values and what would bring the most significant change or satisfaction in your life. Is it a professional aspiration? A personal transformation? Whatever it might be, once identified, it should stand above all else in your list of pursuits. This clarity not only ensures that your energy is correctly channeled but also maximizes the probability of realizing your dreams.

Choosing Your Priority Goal

1. Recognize the Challenge of Multi-tasking in Goal Setting

In our ambition-fueled journey, we often draft an extensive list of desires. Be it mastering our finances, acquiring a fitter physique, nurturing relationships, or learning a new tongue, we envision wearing multiple hats. However, spreading oneself thin by juggling numerous aspirations often sets the stage for inefficiency and frustration.

2. Understand the Risks of Divided Attention  

Attempting to simultaneously chase various goals often leads to a dilution of effort. Dr. Huberman cautions, “Most people who are trying to achieve many goals simultaneously, fail at all of them.” This divided attention can become a challenge, especially when each new goal comes with its unique learning curve, filled with hurdles and moments of self-doubt.

3. The Wisdom of Singular Focus

Rather than scattering our energies, there’s profound wisdom in honing our focus on one primary goal. A concentrated pursuit not only ensures undivided attention but also amplifies our chances of success.

4. Dr. Huberman’s Strategy for Goal Selection

To determine which goal deserves your undivided attention, Dr. Huberman offers a tangible approach:

• List Down All Your Aspirations: Begin by penning down every potential pursuit.
• Prioritize by Elimination: Reflect on each, deciding which can be delayed for a later time, and cross them off.
• Circle Your Priority Goal: What remains is your immediate focus. As Dr. Huberman puts it, “Having one priority is really going to increase the probability that you are going to achieve your goal.”

The Importance of Goal Difficulty

Goal difficulty isn’t just a measure of how hard it is to achieve something; it’s a crucial component in understanding how our brains function during the pursuit and eventual realization of those ambitions. Choosing a goal with the right level of difficulty dictates our intrinsic motivation, shapes our behavior, and even affects the actual neurological pathways in our brains.

1. Engaging the Arousal Network

One of the most intriguing elements of goal pursuit is the activation of the arousal network in our brain. This network, consisting of various brain regions, plays a pivotal role in controlling our attention, alertness, and motivation. 

But how does goal difficulty come into play? It’s simple: The more challenging but still within reach a goal is the higher the arousal and focus it demands. 

This heightened state can be likened to an athlete on the starting block, muscles taut, every fiber of their being centered on the race ahead. Dr. Huberman notes, “A suitably challenging goal wakes up the brain and sets it into motion.” 

2. Neuroplasticity: The Brain’s Adaptability Factor

Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. It is the foundational process that allows us to learn, adapt, and ultimately achieve our goals. 

But if a goal is too easy to achieve the arousal network in our brain that is responsible for getting us into necessary action doesn’t get sufficiently activated. “Neuroplasticity is initiated when we are in somewhat uncomfortable states that involve frustration, errors, and failures” (Huberman, 2023).

As we tackle challenging goals, our brain undergoes significant changes, growing stronger, much like a muscle responding to exercise. This phenomenon signifies that not only can we learn and adapt to challenges, but that the very pursuit of a somehow loftier goal can lead to a more resilient and versatile brain. Reflecting on this, Dr. Huberman observes, “It’s not just about reaching the goal, but the transformative journey the brain undertakes in the process.”

3. Reframing Anxiety and Frustration: The Doorway to Progress

Our journey toward any meaningful goal is rarely smooth. Along the way, feelings of anxiety and frustration often emerge, especially when we stumble or make mistakes. But rather than seeing these emotions as mere setbacks, Dr. Huberman encourages a paradigm shift in our perception. The feelings of anxiety and frustration, rooted in our errors, are not signals of failure but clear indicators of progress. They herald the onset of neuroplasticity, the brain’s transformative ability to forge new circuits.

This perspective reframes our entire approach to challenges. Instead of dreading anxiety and frustration, we can welcome them as vital components of the growth process. But there’s a crucial element that is essential to this growth: rest. It’s during deep sleep and restful periods that the magic of neuroplasticity really unfolds. Our brain processes experiences and creates new pathways during sleep and rest not while action happens. 

In light of this, ensuring sufficient rest becomes paramount. Dr. Huberman emphasizes, “When anxiety and frustration kickstart the neuroplastic process, we must give our brain the downtime it needs.” By honoring this balance between challenge and recovery, we align ourselves with the natural rhythms of growth, making our goals not just dreams, but inevitable realities.

Transitioning from Title Goals to Verb Goals

When it comes to setting goals, the difference between vague aspirations and concrete, actionable objectives can be the difference between dreaming and achieving. Dr. Andrew Huberman delves deep into the mechanisms of goal-setting and points out the key distinctions that can guide us toward tangible outcomes.

The Pitfall of “Title” Goals

Many of us are guilty of setting what are often referred to as “title goals.” These are aspirations that sound grand but lack specificity, they sound like “I want to be successful” or “I wish to be fit.” The challenge with these types of goals is that they don’t give us a clear roadmap or a distinct destination. As Dr. Huberman states, “Title goals, while inspirational, often lack the clarity needed to drive consistent action.”

Embracing Action with Verb-Based Goals

Switching our perspective to action-oriented, verb-based goals is a game-changer. Instead of saying, “I want to be fit,” a verb-based goal can be “I will run three times a week for 30 minutes.” By making this subtle shift, our goals transform from broad aspirations to actionable tasks. They provide a clear, step-by-step guideline that can be broken down and achieved piece by piece. As Dr. Huberman puts it, “Verb goals not only specify the ‘what’ but also the ‘how’, making the journey towards achievement clearer and more feasible.”

3. The Power of Hand-Writing Your Goals  

In this digital age, it might seem archaic to hand-write anything. Yet, Dr. Huberman emphasizes the profound impact of physically writing down your goals. The act of writing engages different parts of our brain, reinforcing memory, focus, and intentionality. This tactile experience creates a stronger bond between us and our ambitions, making us more committed to their fruition. 

How to Determine the Duration for Goal Pursuit: Dr. Huberman’s Advice on Time Setting and the 12-Week Cycle

Dr. Andrew Huberman underscores the significance of a 12-week period when focusing on a specific goal. This timeframe might appear arbitrary, but there’s a reason behind this recommendation. 

While the culmination of some goals might surpass the 12-week mark or even be achieved earlier, the 12-week (or roughly 3-month) timeframe aligns well with numerous societal, cultural, work, and even seasonal rhythms.

Often referred to as the ‘quarterly cycle’, this 12-week period offers a macro time window to concentrate on, allowing for a structured breakdown of your efforts:

1. Establish a 12-week Cycle: Initiate a 3-month plan dedicated solely to your goal.
2. Weekly Breakdown: Decide on the total hours you’ll dedicate each week towards achieving your objective.
3. Daily Commitment: Determine the specific hours you’ll allocate daily to this goal.
4. Choose Your Days: Clearly mark out the days in the week when you’ll work towards this goal.

Throughout this process, constantly remind yourself of the specific actions you’ve decided on and the exact duration you’ve committed to each action.

Again, Dr. Huberman emphasizes the traditional method of writing down your plans. Using a pen or pencil to write down your goals, especially in full sentences on paper, intensifies the goal-setting process, considerably amplifying your chances of success.

Defining and Quantifying Goal Achievement

Achieving a goal is often thought of as crossing a clearly marked finish line. For some objectives, this line is distinctly drawn and easily measurable. Consider athletic pursuits; a goal like “run a mile in 10 minutes” offers tangible milestones. As you train, measuring your performance every fortnight can help you gauge progress and finetune your regimen accordingly.

However, many life goals don’t fit neatly into a box. Aspirations outside the realm of athletic or financial achievements, such as learning conversational French, pose a unique challenge. Their achievement can’t be simply measured in time or numbers. 

It’s here that Dr. Huberman’s advice becomes crucial: the true essence of any goal lies in the actions we take toward achieving it. 

As he insightfully states, “The process of achieving goals is always going to be in the form of actions, and actions themselves are always quantifiable.” 

This perspective emphasizes the importance of defining the time dedicated to our goals and the specific activities we commit to over the set 12-week period. Consistency in action is how we should measure success. 

Conclusion and Look Ahead

Goal setting isn’t just about reaching a finish line; it’s about understanding the journey, discovering what truly matters to you, learning how to measure the steps and track progress properly, and constantly recalibrating your efforts. 

As I wrap up Part One of this article, I’m excited to delve deeper into Part Two. Stay tuned as Dr. Andrew Huberman debunks the prevalent myths surrounding goal-setting while giving you his top science-backed tools designed to guide you successfully to your goals.

References

Huberman, A. (2023, August 23). Goals Toolkit: How to Set & Achieve Your Goals. Huberman Lab Podcast. Retrieved August 30, 2023, from https://hubermanlab.com/goal-toolkit-how-to-set-and-achieve-your-goals/