Key points

Goals begin with identity.

Progress drives motivation.

Achievement isn’t the end.

Most of us live by goals. We want to save for retirement , lose weight, get promoted, or spend more time with family. Yet few people pause to ask: Why do we pursue the goals we do? Or even more importantly, how does our mind and brain actually work when it comes to forming, setting, and achieving those goals?

Every goal starts with identity . Who we believe we are (or want to be) shapes the aims we set. A student might adopt the goal of going to medical school not only because they’re interested in science, but because they see themselves as a “helper” or someone who belongs in a high-status, service-oriented profession. Likewise, an athlete training for a marathon isn’t just chasing

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