Goal Setting - A simple case study !

Thanks to the CAB strike in this city, there were very less people in the campus today.

The people's people were feeling out of place. Lonely !

Even at the day-end-stess-buster ritual (Table Tennis / Ping Pong table) there was much less attendance.

All the usual crowd missing. All the usual rivalry, PJs, Pshy Ops, dancing after a point as if it was the touch down in last minute in super bowl - all that were missing.

Which turned out to be a good thing ;)

I met this fine young athelete, and ended up playing with him. And in first couple of games he started amazing me with his skills and focus.

Games were competitive and close.

Make a few mistakes, the game is gone. Lose focus for 1 mins, its lost.

All this without the usual shouting crowd where entertainment is the objective and not winning. It felt far from the stress buster.

Thats when a real naughty idea crossed my head.

Next momemt I turned him in to the subject of the case study - GOAL SETTING !

I told him, that next game he is going to be beaten below 15. This young man being new, has not yet been so acquainted with my gimmicks.

He takes it as a serious challenge.

We played the game - I won 21 - 16. He felt happy that he crossed 15. I felt happy I won the game and my case study was working ?

Next game I set the target for him at 13. Again he lost that game 21 - 15.

Until those games, he was giving a run for my money. And right after setting goals, it started suffering.

What changed ????

Goals were set low. And once set low, one achieves low goals.

Would you like someone else to set your GOALS ?

Hope the CABs are back on road tomorrow !!!