Performance Goals vs. Mastery Goals
You’re constantly setting goals. Maybe you want to get in shape, wake up earlier, finally stop procrastinating, or just be more positive. A lot has been written about strategies for achieving our goals. How to set goals the right way is just as important. there is a subtle distinction in the way that goals can be framed. Choosing either Performance Goals or Mastery Goals can significantly influence your chances of success.
In this article, we will cover the key differences between Mastery and Performance Goals and the best time to use each type of goal. We’ll discuss the advantages of Mastery Goals, and six steps for developing them.
Performance Goals
A Performance Goal is the intention to achieve a specific outcome – a score, a grade, or a sales quota. Experts encourage you to set SMART Goals. The “S” in SMART stands for specific, and the “M” stands for measurable. The goal that you set must be expressed as an exact and quantifiable result. For example, lose 10 pounds, get up at 5:00 AM, or read 3 books every month. These are measurable absolutes. You either did it, or you didn’t. These types of goals work well for short-term objectives.
Cons of Performance Goals
There are some downsides to setting Performance Goals. If you reach your initial objective, you may not have a reason to continue working towards long-term excellence (after all, you accomplished what you set out to do). For example, if your goal is to lose 10 pounds and you achieve this goal, does the journey end there? Are you done preparing nutritious meals and exercising regularly? Short-term goals can put limitations on your improvement and sometimes even halt your progress.
On the other hand, if you don’t achieve your goal, you could become discouraged and lose the motivation to keep trying. You say you’re going to get up at 5:00 AM, but after a month of trying, the best you can do is 5:45 AM. It’s earlier than you’ve ever gotten up before, but you haven’t reached your goal. Your mind could interpret this as a failure. Did you only read two books this month, not three? Nice try, but you didn’t reach your goal. When you fall short of your objective, even if you’ve made some progress, you might feel like giving up.
Another aspect to keep in mind is that some Performance Goals can make your success and sense of fulfillment dependent upon a person or situation outside of your control. The teacher giving you a grade, getting a certain number of “likes” on social media, or customers buying enough to make your sales goals. In these examples, there’s an uncontrollable variable that can affect the outcome. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, things don’t end up the way we want them to.
Lastly, there is a potential dark side to setting Performance Goals. So, you’ve set your heart on a specific, absolute outcome, and you’re determined to get it. But what if HOW you get there doesn’t matter? This type of goal can result in being tempted to take shortcuts or extreme measures to reach the goal – tactics that may be unhealthy or unethical.
The specific and measurable nature of Performance Goals can be beneficial in some circ*mstances, but they do have limitations.
Mastery Goals
On the other hand, a Mastery Goal is a desire to become the best you can be in a specific area. For example, “I want to become the best guitar piano player I can be,” is a Mastery Goal.
When you focus on increasing your skills, you’re less likely to quit when things get hard or mistakes occur. Mistakes are things you learn from and use to improve your ability. As long as you are getting better, you are successfully pursuing mastery.
You never actually finish a Mastery Goal. You’re not waiting to achieve a final score to get a reward. There’s always some way for you to improve. You don’t expect to be a master within a specific time frame. You focus on making progress. All progress is something to celebrate. The mastery mindset can fuel your motivation to keep learning, practicing, and improving.
The people we consider to be masters in any area aren’t focusing solely on performance goals. They are continually raising the bar. They try to be better at what they do today compared to how they did yesterday. They celebrate every Improvement and focus on the things that they can control. This mindset allows them to perform at ever-higher levels.
How to Set Mastery Goals
1. Focus on Progress
Concentrate your attention on how you can improve. Every mastery goal should start with this statement: “I want to get better at…” Mastery is something you pursue, not achieve.
2. Stay Positive
Mastery Goals are based on the skills you want to develop, not on things you want to stop doing. For example, “I want to become as organized as I can be,” is much better than “I want to stop being so messy.” Goals that are positively framed are more motivational.
3. Make It About You
Try removing external validation from the goal. What do you want to master for the sake of YOUR enjoyment or satisfaction? Avoid setting your sights on things that must be awarded to you by someone else.
4. Think About Skills, Not About Scores
Instead of focusing on losing 25 pounds, set a goal to master cooking healthier recipes or getting better at an activity you enjoy – like dancing or tennis.
5. Develop a Practice
Mastery Goals aren’t about cramming for exams or going on crash diets. You need to develop a permanent daily or weekly routine for learning and practicing the skills you want to master. Enjoy the journey of continuous and never-ending improvement.
6. Embrace Mistakes and Setbacks as Opportunities to Learn
Remember, your goal is to get better, not avoid mistakes. Evaluate what’s working and needs to be improved. Focus your practice sessions on improving your weaknesses.
Choose the Right Goal For You
It’s crucial to note that Mastery Goals are not for everyone or for every situation. Either Performance or Mastery goals can be appropriate depending on your personality and specific situation. If you are confident and competitive – you should consider setting Performance Goals. Competitive people excel most when there is an end reward, or when the purpose involves winning. Use this to your advantage.
If you have a hard time coping with failure or feel stressed when under pressure, you should try Mastery Goals. It’s challenging to follow through with a Performance Goal if you are anxious. Failing to meet your goal can make anxiety worse. There is no failure in Mastery Goals because they have no end. They focus on skills and not direct objectives. They are simply about improving yourself one step at a time.
Conclusion
The TYPE of goals that you set can have a significant effect on your long-term performance and personal satisfaction. The best way to work productively is to find the right goal path for you. Mastery Goals tend to yield better results for increasing your skills over time, but Performance Goals can work for short-term objectives like upcoming tests or sales pitches. Find the best type of goal for you. Before establishing a goal, remember to think about the reason you are setting it, and frame the goal in a way that suits your personality.
Check out the recommendations on our Resources page for tools to help you develop the mindset and habits to achieve your goals. Be sure to subscribe to our Newsletter to get notifications when we publish a new article or video.
