By Alyssa Hernandez, Data Analyst in EMPath’s Research & Evaluation Department

Research shows that, on average, just 9% to 19% of people who set New Year’s resolutions will keep them, with some studies estimating that up to 80% of those that set resolutions will abandon them by February.

In contrast, EMPath’s overall goal achievement rate for adult program participants was 72% last fiscal year. Goal-setting has led to gains in income, stable housing, and improved well-being for the families we work with.

So, what’s our secret?

EMPath’s goal-setting approach engages individuals in long-term goal achievement by building and growing their executive functioning skills, such as focus and planning. Years of experience supporting program participants to successfully set and achieve their life goals have given us insight into some key elements of effective goals:

• Write down your goals
• Start with small, actionable steps
• Set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound)
• Focus on what you can control
• Anticipate challenges

This approach to goal-setting is just one piece of EMPath’s Mobility Mentoring® model, a research-backed coaching model for helping people experiencing poverty climb the economic ladder that is at the root of all our work. In our programs, families are paired with a mentor, who works with them one-on-one to set and work towards goals related to employment, finances, family, well-being, and more.

Learn more about our staff’s goal-setting tips to help ensure success for your 2023 resolutions:

Write down your goals

• Research has shown that the simple act of writing down goals can go a long way. In fact, one study conducted by Dr. Gail Matthews, a professor of psychology at Dominican University of California, found that people were 42% more likely to achieve their goals by writing them down on a daily basis.
• In EMPath’s Mobility Mentoring® coaching model, mentors work with participants to write down their goals using our special worksheet, called a “Goal Action Plan.”

Start with small, actionable steps

• EMPath mentors encourage participants to break down larger goals into small, more easily attainable action steps. The Goal Action Plan worksheet helps mentors and participants map out these steps.
• By breaking down bigger goals, you not only gain a clearer vision of the specific steps you’ll take to achieve your goal, but also begin to build confidence and autonomy even before you’ve completed your first goal. Make sure to set deadlines for yourself to complete each step.
• Don’t forget to reward yourself, too! Taking even a small amount of time to reflect on and celebrate your accomplishments – including when you complete small steps along the way to a larger goal – can go a long way toward building impactful and lasting changes.

Set SMART goals

• SMART goal setting is a powerful approach that has become integral in many goal- or achievement-oriented disciplines. While there are different variations of SMART goals out there, EMPath uses Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound:

1. Specific: Goals should be clearly and concretely worded so you know exactly what it is you’re working toward.
2. Measurable: There should be a clear way to tell whether or not you’ve achieved your goal.
3. Attainable: Goals should be challenging, but also realistic – this means that your goals should be able to be realistically achieved given your current situation and the amount of work anticipated to accomplish them.
4. Relevant: Goals should be personally important and set for the right reasons. Take some time to reflect on your motivations, and set yourself up for success by making sure the goal you’re working to accomplish is truly important to you.
5. Time-Bound: Don’t be afraid to set a hard deadline for yourself! Making your goals time-bound can create a sense of urgency, which can help with motivation and focus.

Focus on what you can control (instead of what you can’t)

• When mentors set goals with participants, they encourage participants to channel their energy and time into the right things. While it’s easy to worry about things outside of our control, it’s more realistic – and effective – to focus our time on tasks where we can affect the outcomes ourselves. If our goals are too dependent on outside influence, there is a larger chance we may not accomplish them, no matter how hard we work. Plus, choosing to focus on what is in our control – rather than what isn’t – can be good for our mental health!
• For example: Instead of setting a goal to “get a new job by March,” you could aim to “complete at least two new job applications per week from now through the end of February.” We don’t have control over whether or not a hiring manager selects our application out of the applicant pool, but we do have control over the applications we submit. By focusing more on the process (and being more specific!), we set ourselves up for a greater chance of success.

Anticipate challenges

• No matter how much we plan, challenges are bound to pop up as we work toward our goals. Get ahead of the curve by thinking about potential obstacles that may arise along the way. By brainstorming potential challenges and creating a plan ahead of time to overcome them, you have a better chance of confidently addressing any roadblocks and moving closer to achieving your goal.

Using this goal-setting approach, EMPath participants achieve impressive outcomes:

• For families in EMPath programs, goal-setting leads to income gains, stable housing, improved well-being, and greater economic mobility.
• Each additional goal set by participants was associated with an increase in annual income of more than $303 (for stably housed participants).
• Each additional long-term goal (more than 6 months) was associated with an increase in annual earned income of $1,338 per year
• For participants in shelter or other transitional housing programs, a higher rate of goal-setting was associated with a more rapid exit into permanent housing. Each additional goal set per month sped up exit by 3.7 months!

When thinking about your New Year’s resolutions for 2023, make sure to write them down, start with small steps, get SMART, anticipate challenges, and focus on what’s in your control. You may find yourself achieving things you never thought possible.

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Learn more about our Mobility Mentoring coaching model and how your organization can better support families to achieve their goals.