In this episode, I talk about whether you should announce your goals to the world with great fanfare—or just quietly plug away and pursue them.

The topic was inspired by a couple of social media clips, including a “sub-11 second 100 meters in 90 days” project, which sounds exciting…but also highlights  what we’re seeing more and more today—spouting big goals, getting instant attention, and receiving that payoff without having to continue on and struggle and suffer through the process.

I get into the brain science behind this, including how simply announcing a goal—“I’m working on a book,” “I’m training for an Ironman”—can trigger a dopamine spike that tricks you into thinking you’ve already made progress. I also cover the flip side, with research showing that sharing goals can increase accountability and support when done correctly.

From there, I break down the nuances: why announcing vague or unrealistic goals can backfire, how you risk turning into a “dilettante” chasing attention instead of results, why process-oriented goals beat outcome obsession (with insights from elite sport and my own experience), and when it actually does make sense to share what you’re working on—like being fully immersed in the journey or reporting real progress, not just talking about it.

I also explain why who you share your goals with matters, and how the wrong approach can leave you stuck while the right one can push you forward.

It’s a thoughtful look at motivation, accountability, and what it really takes to follow through on meaningful goals in a world full of hype.

 

TIMESTAMPS:

We have some differing expert opinions about the value or the strategy of announcing goals to others. Some say it helps keep you accountable. There's good research there. Others reference the emptiness and the risk [01:06]

Troy is an example of announcing to all that he will be breaking 11 seconds in the 100 meters. [01:35]

Josh is another example of sharing his ambition to try a feat and asks that you follow along to see what goes into this attempt. [03:13]

Brad discusses the differences in these two styles. [03:37]

It is harmful to attach your self-esteem to specific outcomes. [09:37]

Try to let go of the pressure and enjoy the process with a positive attitude. [11:49]

Brain research confirms that we can elicit a spike of dopamine by simply announcing a big goal to the public or to your friends. [13:40]

The same dopamine hit—with potential backlash—happens when we announce success prematurely. [17:50]

There is a meta-study from the American Psychological Association in 2025 that found that sharing a goal was linked to receiving more support from others. [23:41]

Do not broadcast vague goals that might be deemed unrealistic by an expert outsider observer. [26:27]

Set process-oriented goals. Basketball coach John Wooden said, "Worrying about the scoreboard is a big mistake. Instead, focus on the perfect execution of every possession." [29:02]

Announcing goals when you're actually immersed in the difficult and meaningful journey works well.  [31:11]

 

LINKS:
Brad Kearns.com
BradNutrition.com - 20% OFF Your First Order!
B.rad Superdrink – Hydrates 28% Faster than Water—Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery
NEW: B.rad Real Rad Gummies - Creatine + Nootropics for Focus, Motivation, Performance, and Recovery!
B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet!
Brad’s Shopping Page
BornToWalkBook.com
B.rad Podcast – All Episodes
Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes - 10% OFF
Hicham El Guerrouj
Podcast with Lion Martinezertyuii[]n b 
Carlo Thranhardt
The Weight of Gold, Documentary
A Memoir - LANDON
Alysa Liu
Sleep
The Hacking of the American Mind

 

We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to podcast@bradventures.com. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you!

Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won’t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:

B.rad Nutrition: Premium quality, all-natural supplements for peak performance, recovery, and longevity; including the world's highest quality whey protein! Get 20% OFF your first order!

Peluva: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off!

Jaspr Air Scrubber: Ultra high-performance air purifier - blows other air filters away! Save $200 on your unit with code BRAD.

Get Stride: Advanced DNA, methylation profile, microbiome & blood at-home testing. Hit your stride the right way, with cutting-edge technology and customized programming. Save 10% with the code BRAD.

Online educational courses: Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience

Primal Fitness Expert Certification: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD!

#bradpodcast

In this episode, I talk about whether you should announce your goals to the world with great fanfare&mdash;or just quietly plug away and pursue them.
The topic was inspired by a couple of social media clips, including a &ldquo;sub-11 second 100 meters in 90 days&rdquo; project, which sounds exciting&hellip;but also highlights&nbsp; what we&rsquo;re seeing more and more today&mdash;spouting big goals, getting instant attention, and receiving that payoff without having to continue on and struggle and suffer through the process.
I get into the brain science behind this, including how simply announcing a goal&mdash;&ldquo;I&rsquo;m working on a book,&rdquo; &ldquo;I&rsquo;m training for an Ironman&rdquo;&mdash;can trigger a dopamine spike that tricks you into thinking you&rsquo;ve already made progress. I also cover the flip side, with research showing that sharing goals can increase accountability and support when done correctly.
From there, I break down the nuances: why announcing vague or unrealistic goals can backfire, how you risk turning into a &ldquo;dilettante&rdquo; chasing attention instead of results, why process-oriented goals beat outcome obsession (with insights from elite sport and my own experience), and when it actually&nbsp;does make sense to share what you&rsquo;re working on&mdash;like being fully immersed in the journey or reporting real progress, not just talking about it.
I also explain why&nbsp;who you share your goals with matters, and how the wrong approach can leave you stuck while the right one can push you forward.
It&rsquo;s a thoughtful look at motivation, accountability, and what it really takes to follow through on meaningful goals in a world full of hype.
&nbsp;
TIMESTAMPS:
We have some differing expert opinions about the value or the strategy of announcing goals to others. Some say it helps keep you accountable. There's good research there. Others reference the emptiness and the risk [01:06]
Troy is an example of announcing to all that he will be breaking 11 seconds in the 100 meters. [01:35]
Josh is another example of sharing his ambition to try a feat and asks that you follow along to see what goes into this attempt. [03:13]
Brad discusses the differences in these two styles. [03:37]
It is harmful to attach your self-esteem to specific outcomes. [09:37]
Try to let go of the pressure and enjoy the process with a positive attitude. [11:49]
Brain research confirms that we can elicit a spike of dopamine by simply announcing a big goal to the public or to your friends. [13:40]
The same dopamine hit&mdash;with potential backlash&mdash;happens when we announce success prematurely. [17:50]
There is a meta-study from the American Psychological Association in 2025 that found that sharing a goal was linked to receiving more support from others. [23:41]
Do not broadcast vague goals that might be deemed unrealistic by an expert outsider observer. [26:27]
Set process-oriented goals. Basketball coach John Wooden said, "Worrying about the scoreboard is a big mistake. Instead, focus on the perfect execution of every possession." [29:02]
Announcing goals when you're actually immersed in the difficult and meaningful journey works well.&nbsp; [31:11]
&nbsp;
LINKS:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://bradkearns.com/podcast-index/">Brad Kearns.com</a></li>
<li><a href="http://bradnutrition.com/">BradNutrition.com - 20% OFF Your First Order!</a></li>
<li><a href="https://a.co/d/3pVVl9w">B.rad Superdrink &ndash; Hydrates 28% Faster than Water&mdash;Creatine-Charged Hydration for Next-Level Power, Focus, and Recovery</a></li>
<li><a href="https://a.co/d/00WIESpY">NEW: B.rad Real Rad Gummies - Creatine + Nootropics for Focus, Motivation, Performance, and Recovery!</a><a href="https://a.co/d/00WIESpY"></a></li>
<li><a href="about:blank">B.rad Whey Protein Superfuel - The Best Protein on The Planet!</a></li>
<li><a href="https://bradkearns.com/shop/">Brad&rsquo;s Shopping Page</a></li>
<li><a href="http://borntowalkbook.com/">BornToWalkBook.com</a></li>
<li><a href="https://bradkearns.com/podcast-index/">B.rad Podcast &ndash; All Episodes</a></li>
<li><a href="https://affiliate.peluva.com/BRADPODCAST">Peluva Five-Toe Minimalist Shoes - 10% OFF</a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-James-Clear-audiobook/dp/B07RFSSYBH/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1VLB1Y60BIHTW&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.aVjxsZgNHJ6wfgiZ01PPLMHaPE-CV51Y-37RwPAsVpnrtdk7OiuJytPjHy3Q1apjzelTpiPdOcoDspVmVt_vSarerqI9dzIltEEsGh9wH3mFKLEqbiaae10uhBcxmkpkFzRClV5dXKZiELqcOtYyatqiOybKUk1hVKLB8QG8oJZAJd4Ep7sFQrOKAncjfxJnYbLPdpEsiAEuAfM7c65GUgBRp13bb-G-2gbyhPY3mqo.8YNx5SYnnaNe6PYy-BPwaW8X8GvE4S15c3b_7_wKCSo&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=atomic+habits+book&amp;qid=1774455802&amp;sprefix=atomic+Habits%2Caps%2C197&amp;sr=8-1"></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Hisham+Elgar+Rouge&amp;oq=Hisham+Elgar+Rouge&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCDE3MzlqMGo3qAIAsAIA&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">Hicham El Guerrouj</a></li>
<li><a href="https://bradkearns.com/lion-martinez/">Podcast with Lion Martinezertyuii[]n b&nbsp;</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=thr%C3%A4nhardt+carlo&amp;oq=Thr%C3%A4nhardt&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBggBEAAYHjIGCAAQRRg5MgYIARAAGB4yBggCEAAYHjIGCAMQABgeMgYIBBAAGB4yBggFEAAYHjIGCAYQABgeMggIBxAAGAUYHjIICAgQABgFGB7SAQg1NTU1ajBqN6gCCLACAfEFZt1Gx1UXHgE&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">Carlo Thranhardt</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=the+weight+of+gold+documentary+where+to+watch&amp;oq=The+Weight+of+Gold&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqDAgHEAAYQxiABBiKBTIGCAAQRRg5MgwIARAjGCcYgAQYigUyDAgCEC4YFBiHAhiABDIHCAMQABiABDIHCAQQABiABDIHCAUQABiABDIHCAYQABiABDIMCAcQABhDGIAEGIoFMgcICBAAGIAEMgwICRAAGEMYgAQYigXSAQk1NDk3ajBqMTWoAgiwAgHxBW_UQGgFCEyv8QVv1EBoBQhMrw&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">The Weight of Gold, Documentary</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Landon-Memoir-Donovan/dp/1774586916">A Memoir - LANDON</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tVP1zc0TMsurDJOKiozYPQSSsypLE5UyMksVcjPqcwtyEwuBgDMYwwZ&amp;q=alysa+liu+olympics&amp;oq=al&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqDAgBEC4YQxiABBiKBTIMCAAQIxgnGIAEGIoFMgwIARAuGEMYgAQYigUyBggCEEUYOzIGCAMQRRg5MgYIBBBFGDwyBggFEEUYPDIGCAYQRRg9MgYIBxBFGDzSAQgzNTY1ajBqN6gCALACAA&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">Alysa Liu</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Arianna-Huffington-Sleep-Revolution-Transforming/dp/B07W6JDK5P/ref=sr_1_2?crid=38V2DG4S64UQU&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.MUWg_yPiNg5BUY-2FKc99Y8vZ5hRIwMVbLdRZTcNKEnGXQfQEhkY-jQad_8r-L5sgbmdpgbSMQ2sJ6cjw9KWfGCu-SzGu_kojWDAwKfbd5Su812CdOagJnrWjmvfwnESyO_aEUCOR3UodSeEoncLdz-uxoCjDjd7eAKzXFd181UVo8jOB8g4LzpoVd5t03pRlwEmuXVjleyiEHnn6naIhbm6jtzg62LZwUG-MA3Up5Y.TPyxbhIQJ3kD9iP35DeUa6hsVbZnnjkEA0UuKE-5_o0&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=Sleep+huffington&amp;qid=1777596479&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=sleep+huffington%2Cstripbooks%2C167&amp;sr=1-2">Sleep</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hacking-American-Mind-Corporate-Takeover/dp/1101982942/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PFN2KRDLFS70&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3gT8pFIK75rz-m8wT0-c9BSMp9G7Tqz4kQphoYf_dTU0UEcmbuRy00qkgWEXfsTWi_IFKA_SL_uuRKYixLmREC02QgJYfxUUN7_qibxKTur343lMTYCy9b6gbrF-dsU8tuO8PMqa_emxyQcWwSsJl2uv4NEMkloqlddNA-H9QbK04ymDS12WwXuIZjZ2lfaXBJwZFO8cz7T42MtEXMTWb4m_PKKJDn7yz0Nc5x10UDo.hCmAKikvkxYlBF43frYFIMdlvTn2tJ8wvQs59Z7luRg&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=Hacking+of+American+Mind&amp;qid=1733691727&amp;sprefix=hacking+of+american+mind,aps,175&amp;sr=8-1">The Hacking of the American Mind</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&amp;A shows, emailed to <a href="mailto:getoveryourselfpodcast@gmail.com">podcast@bradventures.com</a>. If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you!
Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn&rsquo;t occupy this revered space. Seriously, I won&rsquo;t promote anything that I don't absolutely love and use in daily life:
<a href="http://bradnutrition.com/?utm_source=brad-kearns-news.beehiiv.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=brad-kearns-news-dismantling-the-modern-fitness-lie">B.rad Nutrition:</a> Premium quality, all-natural supplements for peak performance, recovery, and longevity; including the world's highest quality whey protein! Get 20% OFF your first order!
<a href="https://peluva.com/?sscid=91k7_1q58j&amp;utm_source=brad-kearns-news.beehiiv.com&amp;utm_medium=newsletter&amp;utm_campaign=brad-kearns-news-dismantling-the-modern-fitness-lie">Peluva</a>: Comfortable, functional, stylish five-toe minimalist shoe to reawaken optimal foot function. Use code BRADPODCAST for 15% off!
<a href="https://jaspr.co/products/airscrubber?rfsn=8682396.a9fad4">Jaspr Air Scrubber:</a> Ultra high-performance air purifier - blows other air filters away! Save $200 on your unit with code BRAD.
<a href="http://getstride.com" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://getstride.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1744479083574000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2M5EotlxxWpksCKN7ZVyMD">Get Stride: </a>Advanced DNA, methylation profile, microbiome &amp; blood at-home testing. Hit your stride the right way, with cutting-edge technology and customized programming. Save 10% with the code BRAD.
<a href="https://bradventures.thinkific.com/collections?utm_source=brad-kearns-news.beehiiv.com&amp;utm_medium=newsletter&amp;utm_campaign=brad-kearns-news-dismantling-the-modern-fitness-lie">Online educational courses:</a>&nbsp;Numerous great offerings for an immersive home-study educational experience
<a href="https://www.primalhealthcoach.com/brad/?utm_source=brad-kearns-news.beehiiv.com&amp;utm_medium=newsletter&amp;utm_campaign=brad-kearns-news-dismantling-the-modern-fitness-lie">Primal Fitness Expert Certification</a>: The most comprehensive online course on all aspects of traditional fitness programming and a total immersion fitness lifestyle. Save 25% on tuition with code BRAD!
#bradpodcast

Join Brad Kearns, New York Times bestselling author, world #1 ranked masters 60+ high jumper, Speedgolf world record holder, and former world #3 ranked pro triathlete, in pursuing peak performance with passion throughout life. Brad delivers an engaging mix of step-by-step education on important health topics like staying fit, strong and powerful as you age; transforming diet to lose body fat and increase energy; sort through hype and misinformation to make simple, sustainable lifestyle changes; and broaden your perspective beyond a fit body to experience happy relationships, nonstop personal growth, and ultimately sail to 100 with a happy, healthy, long life. Let’s explore beyond shortcuts, hacks, and crushing competition to laugh, have fun, appreciate the journey, and not take ourselves too seriously. It’s time to B.rad!

 

Join Brad Kearns, New York Times bestselling author, world #1 ranked masters 60+ high jumper, Speedgolf world record holder, and former world #3 ranked pro triathlete, in pursuing peak performance with passion throughout life. Brad delivers an engaging mix of step-by-step education on important health topics like staying fit, strong and powerful as you age; transforming diet to lose body fat and increase energy; sort through hype and misinformation to make simple, sustainable lifestyle changes; and broaden your perspective beyond a fit body to experience happy relationships, nonstop personal growth, and ultimately sail to 100 with a happy, healthy, long life. Let&rsquo;s explore beyond shortcuts, hacks, and crushing competition to laugh, have fun, appreciate the journey, and not take ourselves too seriously. It&rsquo;s time to B.rad!
&nbsp;

Brad Kearns, NY Times bestselling author and world #1 masters age 60+ high jumper, offers a fun and diverse mix of interviews with leading authors and health experts, and  how-to shows for peak performance, weight loss, personal growth, and longevity