Answer the questions below. Then listen to Bella and report what you heard.

Study the language in this flashcard game.

• ⌚ 00:07 What did Zig Ziglar say about climbing Mount Everest?
• ⌚ 00:14 What does it mean in relation to goals?

• ⌚ 0:26 What answer do people give him when he asks them about their goals?
• ⌚ 0:31 How would you answer Natan’s question today?
• ⌚ 0:38 What are the two words that can describe goals?

• ⌚ 0:45 What does setting vague goals do to our brains?
• ⌚ 0:50 How does our brain feel about ambiguous goals?
• ⌚ 0:52 How do psychologists call this?
• ⌚ 1:21 What examples illustrate this effect?
• ⌚ 1:33 What can happen if our goals are too vague?
• ⌚ 1:45 Why, according to Natan, are many people unhappy?

• ⌚ 1:53 What’s another downside of having vague goals?
• ⌚ 2:07 How did a pscyhological magazine describe this?
• ⌚ 2:24 What’s the benefit of having clear goals?
• ⌚ 2:54 Who did researches interview about their goals?
• ⌚ 3:07 When did these people feel the best and performed the best?

• ⌚ 3:13 What three things do clear goals bring according to this research?
• ⌚ 3:21 Why are goals like magnets?
• ⌚ 4:01 What are the three stages of setting clear goals?

Cast your vote in the poll below.

Alita:
You know, that podcast really made me think. When I was younger, my goals were… well, pretty vague. “Be successful,” “get a good job,” “be happy.” All very poetic, but not very helpful.

Pete:
Same here. I had these huge dreams, but no structure. I think Natan would say my goals were “too foggy to act on.” And remember that part in the lesson about vague goals confusing the brain? 

It’s so true. I kept changing direction every few months.

Alita:
Exactly! And that research they mentioned… the one by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi — they even referenced him in the podcast. He said people feel their best and perform their best when they have crystal-clear goals and are fully engaged in the process.

Pete:
Right, that part hit me hard. When I was in my twenties, I set a goal like “improve my career,” but I never defined what that meant. No timeline, no milestones. It was the perfect example of what the lesson calls a downward cycle — vague plans leading to distraction and then frustration. 

Alita:
Do you remember the first time you actually set a clear goal?

Pete:
Oh yes. I wanted to run a marathon before I turned 30. And unlike my earlier goals, this one was specific: distance, date, training plan. And because it was so clear, it actually pulled me forward — like Natan says, “clear goals act like magnets.” 

Alita:
I love that metaphor. And it’s so true: when I set my goal of becoming a project manager, everything became more ordered — my studying, my weekends, even my habits. And I felt that sense of flow Csikszentmihalyi talked about.

Pete:
It’s funny… we spent our twenties trying to “figure things out,” and now we realise we simply needed better goals.

Alita:
Yes! Goals that don’t overwhelm the brain, don’t trigger the ambiguity effect, and don’t leave us distracted. Clear, meaningful, doable goals.

Pete:
So… should we set a holiday goal too? Something like: “Eat at least five amazing breakfasts”?

Alita:
Now that is a goal I’m ready to pursue immediately.

Has this lesson convinced you of the importance of setting yourself crystal clear goals?

If you already have a habit of setting such goals for yourself, what advice would you give to people who are still sceptical?

Have you ever set and then achieved some personal or professional goal? What has helped you succeed?

Share your views and experience here.