Terrific blog. In regards to this specific post, It really depends on what the goal is. In a professional (e.g. business) setting it's usually better to publicly state the goal. It's a funny thing but when you do this around co-workers, especially ones you met with regularly – the goal gets brought up. For personal goals I think the key is to do whatever will help you reach the goal. You can state something publicly and still blow it off, so that isn't terribly effective. Recently I set a goal to create a new blog. It involved a lot of technical work I was not comfortable with. I stated it publicly (a personal goal) but did it because the people I stated it to were able to help me through issues I had. Had I just told my mom, while that would have been “publicly stated” she wouldn't have helped me other than maybe to say “how is that blog coming” and I would come up with some excuse why it wasn't going somewhere. I couldn't do that with people that knew more than I did technically. I also have created some other goals important to me that I have not shared publicly with anyone. I write them down and review them daily and I am succeeding with them. Why? Because I am holding myself accountable for those and no one needs to now that other than me. Great topic and conversation, thanks.

…but If you crave a black-and-white answer, I think Zig Ziglar has an interesting take on this. “If it's a 'give up' goal (e.g. stop smoking) tell everyone. If it's a 'go up' goal (e.g. get promoted) tell no one.”

I actually have had really good results with people keeping me accountable.
I think though part of it may be whether they are supportive and give
validation, or only give you negative reinforcement when you don't do
something. I could see myself avoiding someone if everytime I saw them they
were just apathetic towards my success, but looked at me with disdain for
falling short

When I workout on days I don't feel like it, I literally talk to myself in
the mirror and congratulate myself for going and working out. I am sure it
would be more effective with someone ELSE telling me how awesome I am for
going in spite of how I felt, but I'll take what I can get.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go tell myself how awesome I am for
taking my vitamins even though I don't especially like it =P

Thanks!

I have heard it's a bad idea to talk about a novel too much as well, but
writers are strange people with strange ways ;). Kidding, kidding. I bet it
is related though. Talk too much about what an awesome novel it is going to
be, and you already feel accomplished – and the flip side, when I think I
have a really amazing idea, but then sit down to write and it doesn't sound
so amazing anymore, I get discouraged – and perhaps as a result, don't work
as hard editing and proofreading it.

I've sometimes been told that it's a bad idea to talk too much about a new novel before you've written the first draft (or at least a reasonable amount), and I guess that's for a similar reason: talking about it can take away the energy and excitement that should go into writing it.

Have you read Zen To Done, or a fan of Leo Babauta's? =)

I replied to Sandra in detail above, I think your conclusion makes sense. I definitely agree that talking about something I'm actively doing (MITs that day) helps keep them fresh in my mind as well.

Thanks for your comment!

Thanks for your comment! I had a lot of fun writing the list up, I'm glad you enjoyed it ;)

Thanks for your comment. No idea why it isn't nesting. I replied in detail to Sandra and Qrystal above =).

Thanks for jumping into the discussion! Great points!

I watched the movie, the book has been on my toread list for sometime. Perhaps this will be the year I read it!

But then it wouldn't sound like Fight Club =P

;)

And as Qrystal noted, I think the difference really is in talking about the big resolutions versus talking about the discrete steps being taken. If I tell someone I'm going to go running today, and follow up with them, then I'm more likely to go running. If I tell them I'm going to start training for a marathon this year, maybe people will give me validations just for setting such a goal – and now, given the validation, perhaps I'll just go eat Cheetos instead of running =P