Dr. Emily Balcetis: Tools for Setting & Achieving Goals | Huberman Lab Podcast #83

My guest this episode is Dr. Emily Balcetis, PhD, Professor of Psychology at New York University (NYU). Dr. Balcetis’ research focuses on how our perception of the world, particularly our visual perceptions, influences our level and persistence of motivation, how we conceptualize goals, actual goal achievement, and our emotional state as we pursue goals. Dr. Balcetis explains how to best visualize and overcome challenges in pursuit of larger, complex goals. We also discuss the science of how to define goals and intermediate milestones, overcome obstacles, and effectively track progress. This episode highlights science-based, immediately actionable tools that anyone can use to set and achieve physical and/or cognitive goals more effectively.

#HubermanLab #GoalSetting

Thank you to our sponsors

*Edit to 6:07: Levels enables members to see their continuous glucose data alongside their food and exercise logs — Levels itself is not a continuous glucose monitor.

Supplements from Momentous

Social & Website

Subscribe to the Huberman Lab Podcast

Dr. Emily Balcetis

Other Resources:

Timestamps
00:00:00 Dr. Emily Balcetis, Visualization of Goals & Motivation
00:03:24 Momentous Supplements
00:04:38 Thesis, Levels, ROKA
00:08:08 Vision & Motivation
00:11:37 Tool: Narrowing Visual Focus & Improving Exercise
00:21:39 Adjusting Visual Attention & Perceived Fatigue
00:25:14 Tool: Visual Focus “Spotlight”
00:27:57 Tool: Goal Gradient Hypothesis, Visual Spotlight to Increase Effort
00:33:38 AG1 (Athletic Greens)
00:35:00 Defining Goals vs. Accomplishing Goals, Dream Boards & Goal Lists
00:41:28 Tool: How to Setting Better Goals & Identify Obstacles
00:46:38 Vision is Unique, Challenging the Visual System, Realistic Goals & Micro-Goals
00:57:12 Do Fit People View the World Differently?, States of Body & Visual Experiences
01:05:54 Caffeine, Stimulants, Visual Windows & Motivation
01:10:13 Tools: Goal Setting & Cognitive (Non-Physical) Goals, Data Collection
01:21:54 Year in Review & Memory
01:26:32 Visual Tools & Mental Health, Depression & Visual Priming
01:31:33 Focusing Attention & Increasing Visual Detail/Resolution
01:36:12 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Neural Network Newsletter, Instagram, Twitter, Momentous Supplements

The Huberman Lab Podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.

[TheFrogEnjoyer]

Best podcast on YouTube. Nothing else comes close in terms of useful information from a broad range of fields, as always thank you Dr Huberman.

[baconinvader]

Didn't realize this was my comfort podcast until I was feeling stressed while abroad and found myself unconsciously searching up Huberman Lab. Great content as always.

[emmanuelgonzalezcaseira]

So, in summary, the tools are (Corrections are appreciated):

- Narrow your visual focus, putting a "spotlight" on the goal you want to achieve. This makes the goal appear closer and for the closer it appears, it is easier to achieve because it naturally pushes the person to spend more energy and focus to achieve said goal. This is for physical goals, goals that you can see, like a finish line.

- Break down the major goal into every small milestone or small goals that should be done and every obstacle, thinking of different ways you may face the obstacles and how to deal with them. Milestones and small goals should be closer to each other, like every week, every two weeks, etc...

- For non-physical goals, creating a visual that tracks your progress for every time you practice helps bring in that visual aspect and moves the goal "closer" mentally, activating the mechanisms that are involved when having a physical, visual goal. It is important to review this visual to keep the goal "visible". Track it, do not rely on memory.


The tidbit that specially stood out for me besides the tools is: Healthy, fit people and unhealthy, unfit people see the world differently. A healthy person, and even more a fit person, will see the world and appreciate it as closer due to the natural higher levels of energy they have (Personally, this explains so much for my life :o I'm unhealthy due to being unfit and I think I even qualify as obese. So many times I have found simple small tasks, something as simple as watering the plants, so annoying. I had noticed this but this perfectly explains why).

[brdagr]

He said on a previous podcast he wanted to get Dr. Balcetis on the podcast and he did it! Goal set and achieved, proof the system works haha. Cant wait to watch this one

[forisma]

39:48 vision boards don't work
41:43 what to do instead — break the bigger goal down into smaller goals (2 weeks), and think about the things that could stand in the way of succes

[asheeshmoosapeta]

Pound for pound the most value-laden content on the internet. I cannot thank everyone associated with this enough. God bless.

[condorreades]

Ditto, my comfort podcast. Having prosopagnosia (face-blindness), severe myopia, and severe astigmatism, I found a fair amount of the visual tools simply not useful. At the same time, amazingly, I am a visual artist.

[emilyr]

I can't tell you enough how much I value and appreciate this content.

[ethomas]

1:10:24 A podcast on learning a second language would be much appreciated

[YKKY]

It is unreal how calming this logical, scientific based information feels to me. I mean, quite literally, these podcasts calm my anxiety and allow me to focus on the information and help me digesting. I love it!

[ohegypsy]

JRE used to be my primary podcast. Now it’s this! Thank you for all you do Mr. Huberman!

[carolateah]

My son works for the coast guard with a one month on boat one month off boat he gets so much done on his one month home! I think he uses his finite time home as an "attentional spotlight" strategy. So sincerely grateful for you Dr. Huberman and the podcast. I'm a Registered Clinical counsellor and I've gleaned so much information and taken to my clients to help them. Thank you!

[misslayer]

I love her attitude... from the start but after the drum story I realized, this woman is a badass☠️ Really inspiring...I love the idea of pushing yourself to do something, just for you, because you made it important and gave it meaning. The fact that she gave herself a deadline with a performance was next level! My late partner was a drummer as well so I get it. I've heard Dr. Huberman mentioned her before so I knew this was going to be even better than usual. Andrew, thank you so much for bringing her on and thank you for everything else. You've been a huge inspiration for me personally and part of the reason I'm going to back to school (after 20 years) for MA in psychology, neuroscience emphasis. It's terrifying but I love it so much... It's exactly what I'm here for. Thank you💜

[_negentropy_]

As an extension of this episode, I’d love to know the mechanisms involved in goal pursuit and achievement for those who aren’t sighted. I get that on the surface that wouldn’t be applicable to most of this audience, but I think there is tremendous benefit to understanding how people with different abilities from our own experience the world.

[YasminA-jmzs]

I appreciate how you organize the information in your podcasts without it feeling like a lecture. You add just enough flavor to keep us engaged the whole time. Thank you!

[theresadugwell]

Fascinating Interview on goal achievement strategies! This explains what I had believed to be true when I ran 12 hours on a treadmill to break the world record of the greatest distance run in 12 hours. The question people asked was how did you run 12 hours on a treadmill (did it 3 times). I remember my running schedule was chunked down into 15-minute increments. 15 minutes of running hard to get in the distance and 5 minutes at a slower pace to replenish nutrients and return to a baseline that I established. I also found a large dot on a post in front of me that I would focus my attention on when needed - or I would observe my posture on the screen to ensure balanced shoulders. At the end of the 12 hours, I walked off the treadmill not only happy but also with energy and no soreness. The power of chunking down goals and finding focal points helped me set my 3 records. Huberman Lab Podcast is the best!

[_negentropy_]

Verklempt with gratitude for Dr. Balcetis’ erudition, eloquence and candour throughout this entire discussion. Feeling an achey but kindred connection to her experiences with goal pursuit, including a life-long desire to learn how to play the drums. I’d get so discouraged bc I couldn’t play like Neil Peart by day two. I know now I need to narrow my attentional focus on a pair of shorts much closer to me than Neil’s. I’m inspired to dust-off my sticks. I think one of them is holding up a plant.

A key question she wasn’t asked: what is her interpretation of amygdala activation during goal pursuit? In the last HLP ep on achieving goals, ADH thought one must incite fear during goal pursuit in order to accomplish goals (circuitry recap: amygdala —> PFC —> OFC —> basal ganglia). He said there was no other way around it. I’m not convinced this is accurate. And Dr. Balcetis alluded to fear being detrimental to goal achievement during goal pursuit (the Phelps analogy) which is why we plan for potential pitfalls during the goal setting stage…so we can prepare to respond and not get thrown off course. A question for their next conversation, please.

[MisterWilliamss]

Good advice, and this helped me think about how I self-sabotage: I add distance to my goals.

[shirintobie-paul]

Thank you Dr. Huberman, team, sponsors and supporters! ☀️
THANK YOU DR. EMILY BALCETIS

[adrianagNeuroFit]

She is finally here🙌💥🤸‍♀️🎉🎊...
THANK YOU Andrew Huberman 🙌💜🧠
Her work is freaking fascinating and changed my practice, my results and my clients results in a beautiful manner.

#letskeepsciencecoming