Helping People Change

Welcome to Helping People Change. Join Ramon David and Divya LV Jegasundaram as they discuss how to help people change through neuroscience, psychology, and coaching. Listen to the latest episodes on your favorite app.

Episodes

  1. 03/30/2025

    #02 When SMART Goals Become Dumb, Acting on Values, And The Hidden Costs of Chasing Outcomes

    In this episode, Ramon and Divya dive into the limitations of traditional goal-setting frameworks, particularly SMART goals, and explore why they may be more helpful for short-term actions than for big-picture, high-level aspirations. They unpack how applying rigid frameworks to complex goals (like health, relationships, or business success) can actually backfire, leading to frustration, self-judgment, or even value conflicts. They explore: Why SMART goals work best for specific actions, not emotional or abstract goals. The importance of distinguishing between values and goals—and why mixing them up causes confusion. How attachment to outcomes (e.g., “$20K per month” or “7kg in 12 weeks”) can lead to emotional burnout or poor decisions. A simple but powerful reframe: shift from "goal setting" to "value-driven actions". The impact of language: how using the client’s own words (e.g., aspirations, dreams, ideals) can unlock clarity. A helpful mental model: What’s helpful vs. unhelpful about your current way of thinking? They also touch on identity, emotion regulation, and how coaching conversations help uncover the real “why” behind goals. Whether you're a coach, leader, manager, or just someone trying to figure out what you want, this episode is full of insights and real-life examples. BrainFirst Institute: https://www.brainfirstinstitute.com Connect with Ramon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thepeakexecutive Connect with Divya on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachdivya

    41 min

About

Welcome to Helping People Change. Join Ramon David and Divya LV Jegasundaram as they discuss how to help people change through neuroscience, psychology, and coaching. Listen to the latest episodes on your favorite app.

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