Looking at the Bigger Picture The 'Why' and 'How' of Reflecting on Personal Goals

1. Looking at the Bigger PictureThe 'Why' and 'How' of Reflecting on Personal Goals Dr Warren Mansell Senior Lecturer School of Psychological Sciences

2. Plan • What is a decision? • What is a goal? • An 8 Step Plan of asking ‘How?’ & ‘Why?’ • Summary

3. What is a Decision? “Choice made between alternative courses of action in a situation of uncertainty” Just leads to more questions… What is choice? Why do we engage in ‘action’? Why are there alternative actions?

4. Why are there alternative courses of action? The Psychology of Goals • William James (1892) – ‘mentality is the pursuit of a fixed end through various means’ • Self-regulatory approaches: • Began in 1940s with ‘Cybernetics’ • Control engineering in 1960s & 70s (e.g. Powers et al., 1960; Powers, 1973) • Self-regulation theory in Psychology – e.g. Carver & Scheier (1980)

5. What is a goal? • Your target – where are you aiming for? • e.g. the top left corner of the net • What you perceive – what is going on right now? • e.g. the ball next to your foot • The difference between target and what you perceive • e.g. the distance between the ball & the corner of the net • The behaviour – to reduce the difference • e.g. kick the ball

6. How do goals work? Negative Feedback TARGET, e.g. ball in net Organism DIFFERENCE, e.g. 10m PERCEPTION, e.g. Ball next to foot BEHAVIOUR, e.g. kick ball WHAT IS CONTROLLED? e.g. foot position DISTURBANCE, e.g. wind; goal-keeper Environment

7. Goals are everywhere… • Balancing: • Target is to remain upright • Perception is current orientiation • Behaviour is moving arms & legs • Getting work experience • Target is to gain more knowledge • Perception is what you currently know • Behaviour is practising the job

8. What Stops Us Achieving Our Goals? • The target may be too high • e.g. going for the corner rather than centre of net • The person may not focus on what they need to perceive • e.g. need to focus eyes on corner of net • There may be a limit in the amount of skill • e.g. lack of practice shooting at the net • The environment may be too challenging • e.g. a very effective goal-keeper • Another goal may be interfering – confusion; uncertainty • e.g. want to get your team mate to kick the ball instead; want to hit the ball in the centre

9. Seeing the Bigger Picture… • According to various theories, goals are organised in hierarchies (Powers et al., 1960) • Illustration • What is the current career you are involved in pursuing? Write this is the centre of A4 page • Why are you going for this career? • Why x 2 • How are you pursuing this career? • How x 2

10. To have a good life To take care of my health To be capable To have good relationships Complete assignments Read regularly Not drink too much Visit library Ask lecturer for help Type up notes Keep track of deadlines Print out in good time Example of Goal Hierarchy

11. Method of Levels • Method of asking questions based on control theory • Helps people to ‘see the bigger picture’, to talk about their deeper goals, & how to achieve them • Used in Teacher training in USA (Good, 2010) • Evaluated in primary care; associated with reductions in distress over 3 months (Carey et al., 2009) • Currently under detailed evaluation (Mansell, 2009)

12. 1. Use a Sliding Scale Now try it out! • What is your target? • Draw a line to show the extremes. • Plot where you want to be • Plot where you are right now • Is this what you expect or not? • EVIDENCE: Less extreme thinking predicts reduced relapse of depression (Teasdale, 2002) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 X X An expert teacher No understanding of being a teacher Where am I now Target for the end of this course

13. 2: Zoom Out: ‘Why this goal?’ Now try it out! • Notice yourself pursuing the goal • Ask yourself, why am I pursuing this goal? • What do I want to achieve for myself, and people around me? • EVIDENCE: High level ‘construal’ – ‘Seeing the wood for the trees’ predicts better self control (Kentaro et al., 2006)

14. ‘Zoom’ by Istvan Banyai

43. Now try it out! 3: Ask yourself – What Do I REALLY REALLY Want!

44. 4: Visualise the What You Want • Try to create a mental picture of what you want • Fill in the details • Give yourself time to picture it fully • EVIDENCE: Visualising goals increases rates of achievement (Greitemeyer & Wurz, 2006) Now try it out!

45. Now try it out! 4. Notice New Ideas • Just notice what comes to mind • Give yourself time for thoughts to pop into your head • Just let it happen! • EVIDENCE: People trained to be more ‘mindful’ experience less distress (Allen et al., 2006)

46. 5. Think of Many Ways to achieve what you want & select one to try • Ask how will I achieve what I want • Generate as many ways as you can think of • Imagine doing each, and select one to try out • EVIDENCE: Problem-solving training reduces distress (Nezu et al., 1989) Now try it out!

47. 6. Break it down to Smaller Steps • What is the first thing I can do? • Any journey is made of many steps • How would I know when I make the first step? • EVIDENCE: Graded steps towards facing fears is an effective way of overcoming them and achieving one’s goals (Lindsay, 2007) Now try it out!

48. 7. IF... THEN… plans • For your first step, form an IF… THEN… plan • IF… I notice…. • THEN… I will…. • E.g. “If I see my supervisor then I will ask for some information about careers in catering” • EVIDENCE: Making IF… THEN… plans is more effective in achieving goals than intending to do them alone (Gollwitzer, 1999) Now try it out!

49. …Back to the Sliding Scale again • What was my target? • What have I achieved? • Reached target? WELL DONE! Go back to the bigger picture • Not reached target? • Carry on as planned? • Try to make a smaller step? • Try out another way of approaching the goal? • Think of the bigger picture. Is this what I really want?

50. Think of ways to get what you want & select one to try Notice your own ideas Visualise what you want ? Ask yourself what you really really want! Break it down into steps Look at the Bigger Picture ? Use the Sliding Scale How is progress? Make an IF… THEN… Plan What is Your Goal?