Language can affect how hard you commit — and perform.
It’s happened to all of us: You choose your words poorly, and suddenly, you’re in hot water with your boss or spouse. Or you find yourself moved to tears as you read a heartfelt note from a friend.
Language matters. And it doesn’t merely affect how you connect with friends, colleagues, and partners. Research shows that how you speak to and about yourself can directly affect your well-being and your ability to perform at your best. It also affects how likely you are to commit to and reach your goals.
The good news: You can change the language you use. And in so doing, you can subtly shift your inner narrative to suit your priorities and performance better.
Specificity Matters — with a Caveat
There’s a reason why the SMART goals acronym starts with S for specific. It’s long been accepted that goals work better when they’re detailed, regardless of whether you’re setting goals for your fitness, business, or dating life. But, new research suggests the art of specificity can get, well, even more specific.
A 2023 study decided to test the value of goal-setting language over four separate experiments. The researchers started by testing specific versus broader language then measured how often participants experienced “attention lapses” while working on their tasks.
RELATED: 7 Ways to Commit to Something
The findings were unexpected. More specific goals did reduce periods of distraction (a plus, certainly), but they didn’t noticeably affect who reached their goals. In their follow-up experiments, the researchers discovered that the most effective goal-setting language is not only specific but progressive. Participants did much better when they were given specific goals that got more challenging over time.
Discomfort is good. It pushes you past limits. If you have a significant goal in mind, leverage similar benchmarks to help you maximize your focus. Break it down into smaller, specific goals, intentionally making each step more difficult to reach over time.
Play with the Distance of Language
Goal-setting studies have also explored two types of goal-setting language and how they impact success. The research shows that distanced language, or the language that focuses on future outcomes (e.g., talking about who you will be when you reach your goal) is “associated with better outcomes like academic performance or emotional control.” Immediate language, e.g., talking in detail about the process you’ll take to get there, tends to lead to worse outcomes.
In other words: When it comes to setting goals, it’s okay to future-trip a little. In fact, in psychology, it’s known as “future-oriented thought,” and it has significant implications for better performance.
While using hyper-specific language when planning and setting goals is great, it’s better not to get too bogged down in the details of how you’ll do it. As you articulate your goals, focus more on your desired outcomes (“I’m going to become a runner”) and not so much on the day-to-day process you’ll go through to get there (“I’m going to run five days a week”).
RELATED: 5 Signs You Need a Coach
Be Your Own Coach
Speaking negatively to yourself never brings good results, but research also shows that intentionally emphasizing positive language improves performance. A 2020 study found that verbal encouragement from a coach (in this case, on the school soccer field) resulted in “more intense physiological responses, internal intensity, enjoyment levels, and positive moods.” The kids worked harder, played harder, and performed better.
Another study found similar results when testing verbal encouragement with people working on improving chronic ankle instability. Simple statements like “go, go, go,” and “go as far as you can” increased their motivation and performance.
You may not have access to a coach, but you can verbally encourage yourself while working on goals. If you’re losing motivation (it happens), use it as an opportunity to double down on your inner coach and hype yourself up. Go, go, goal.