Research shows that individuals who put their aspirations on paper are more likely to follow through and turn abstract dreams into actionable plans. In this article, we’ll explore the science behind this phenomenon and share practical tips for harnessing the power of paper to manifest your goals.
The Encoding Effect: Why Writing Matters
When you write down your goals, you engage in two critical processes: external storage and encoding. Imagine posting your goal on a piece of paper in your office. This external storage makes the information easily accessible for review. Visual cues serve as reminders, reinforcing your commitment to the goal. Encoding is the biological process by which our brain analyses and decides what information to store in long-term memory. In other words, writing increases the chances of remembering the goal and engraining it to memory.
The Generation Effect
Neuropsychologists have identified the “generation effect.” Here’s how it applies to goal setting- When you create a mental image of your goal, you’re actively generating it in your mind, first instance of the generation effect. The second instance of the generation effect occurs when you put your goal into words on paper. As you write, you reprocess and regenerate the mental image, reinforcing its importance and manifesting it into reality.
Scientific Evidence: Dr. Gail Matthews’ Study
Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at the Dominican University in California, conducted a study on goal setting. She gathered participants from various backgrounds, including entrepreneurs, educators, healthcare professionals, artists, lawyers, and bankers. Here’s what she found:
- Those who wrote down their goals and dreams regularly achieved them at a significantly higher level than those who didn’t.
- By simply writing down their aspirations, participants became 42% more likely to realize their dreams.