The Washington PostThe Washington Post

Trouble achieving goals? Why your brain needs reminders.

By Richard Sima

27 Jul 2023 · 5 min read

informed Summary

  1. Setting reminders can significantly increase the chances of achieving goals, as forgetting intentions is a common reason for not realizing goals. This is a psychological strategy known as cognitive offloading, where we use physical actions to reduce demands on our brain.

Many of us set goals, but sometimes we fail to achieve them. There is a way, though, to increase our chances of hitting our goals: Set reminders.

"It's quite hard to achieve our goals," said Sam Gilbert, professor of cognitive neuroscience at the University College London. "There are many, many reasons why we get led astray, or we don't manage to realize our goals."

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