What are clear goals?
Goals help us know what to do, what not to do, how much to do, and for how long. When goals are clear, they are easier to achieve. Compare “We want to become a better team” with “We will complete ten Habitud exercises over our next ten meetings.” The latter makes it much easier to know what actions to take. Researchers Gary Latham and Edwin Locke, who have studied goals for decades, emphasize that specific goals make all the difference.

Why are clear goals helpful?
A shared vision is linked to greater innovation as rated by team members, leaders, and even customers. Teams with a strong sense of working toward a meaningful goal tend to support one another more—and as a result, perform better. But don’t stop there: Specific, shared goals are key to making progress. We consistently perform better when our goals are both ambitious and specific.

Tips for doing exercises tied to this principle:
Aim for goals that create both motivation and clarity. Don’t forget your team’s purpose—why you exist. That’s a strong foundation for creating specific, measurable, and reviewable goals. Be careful not to set too many goals, even if they are all specific. Prioritize, break them into milestones, and focus on short-term actions you can take this week. The more concrete you get, the clearer your key behaviors will become. Think about when, where, and how you’ll work toward your goals. One helpful approach is to reflect on past examples of behaviors that brought you closer to your goals—something many Habitud exercises encourage.

You’ll know you’re doing well with Principle 1 when…
Everyone interprets the team’s goals the same way and your actions clearly move the team toward those goals. This helps ensure everyone’s tasks are aligned with the team’s purpose.