The Smarter Way to Set Goals

Use a Range, Not a Number

Research shows that turning a single target into a range makes you significantly more likely to follow through.

By now, some of your New Year's resolutions are distant memories. Goals still not met. Weight still not lost. Why? It's not just will-power, it's about how you set your goals.....

1. The research behind low-high goals

In a 2013 study, Maura L. Scott and Stephen M. Nowlis examined what happens when people pursue goals with either a single, specific target or a range. They found that people who set a low-high goal, a target expressed as a range rather than a single point, were more likely to re-engage with their goal after a setback, and more likely to stick with it over time.

The reason is surprisingly human. A single number creates a binary outcome: you either hit it or you don’t. A range, by contrast, creates a zone of success. The low end is achievable, which keeps you from quitting when momentum slips. The high end is challenging, which keeps you reaching when things go well.

2. What a low–high goal looks like

The change is small, but powerful.

Instead of

lbs

Lose 5 pounds in one month.

Try

–

6 lbs

Lose 4–6 pounds in one month.

Same ballpark. Very different psychology. The first framing punishes anything short of perfection. The second acknowledges that real progress rarely moves in a straight line, and gives you credit for landing anywhere in a reasonable window.

3. It’s not just for New Year’s resolutions

This principle applies well beyond personal health goals. Consider a sales target at work. Rather than asking your team or yourself to add an average of three more sales per week, try framing it as two to four more sales per week. Two is within reach on a slow week. Four pushes performance on a strong one. Both feel like wins, and both keep people moving forward.

The same logic works for almost any domain where goals tend to stall:thing short of perfection. The second acknowledges that real progress rarely moves in a straight line, and gives you credit for landing anywhere in a reasonable window.

Fitness:

“Work out 3–5 times this week”

instead of “work out 4 times this week.”

Writing:

“Write 400–600 words a day”

instead of “write 500 words a day.”

Savings:

“Set aside $400–$600 this month”

instead of “save $500.”

Reading:

“Read 20–30 pages a day”

instead of “read 25 pages a day.”

4. The two rules for a good range

Scott and Nowlis's findings point to two simple design rules:

Rule One

The low end should be achievable.

It needs to be something you can hit on an average day, not your best day.

 

Rule Two

The high end should be challenging.

It needs to require real effort, not just the bare minimum plus a little.

When both ends are set thoughtfully, you create a band you can operate inside, with room to adjust without feeling like you've failed.