NAIROBI, Kenya- Many people start the year by setting ambitious, rigid goals—from slashing screen time to committing to daily runs—but that approach often fails, according to neuroscientist Anne-Laure Le Cunff, PhD.
Speaking to CNBC Make It, Le Cunff says traditional, linear goal-setting creates an illusion of control that rarely survives real life, leading many people to repeat the same unfulfilled New Year’s resolutions year after year.
Le Cunff, the author of Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World, argues that instead of chasing big, inflexible targets, people should adopt an “experimental mindset” that treats personal growth more like a scientific process—testing, learning, and adjusting along the way.
Why Traditional Goals Often Fail
According to Le Cunff, linear goals appeal to people because they promise certainty. Having a clear vision and plan can feel empowering, but real-world disruptions often derail even the most carefully mapped-out routines.
She explains that long-term, ambitious goals—such as working out every day for a year or reading a book a week—can quickly become overwhelming or unrealistic.
Publicly announcing such goals may also reduce motivation, as the brain receives an early dopamine reward from social praise, rather than from actual progress.
How ‘Tiny Experiments’ Work
Le Cunff recommends replacing lofty resolutions with what she calls “tiny experiments.” The formula is simple: I will do X action for Y duration.
Examples include writing 250 words a day for two weeks, taking a lunchtime walk for a month, or keeping a phone out of the bedroom for one week. A successful tiny experiment, she says, must be purposeful, actionable, continuous, and trackable.
Purpose comes from genuine curiosity, while actionability ensures the experiment can be started immediately using existing resources. Running the experiment continuously allows for meaningful data collection, and tracking progress helps evaluate what actually works.
Crucially, Le Cunff advises withholding judgment until the experiment ends. Discomfort, she notes, is part of the learning process.
Learning, Not Perfection, Is the Goal
Unlike outcome-driven resolutions, tiny experiments shift the focus from achievement to discovery.
Success is not about hitting a predefined milestone but about learning something new that can inform future habits.
By the end of an experiment, individuals can decide whether to adopt the habit long-term or move on—without guilt or the sense of failure that often accompanies abandoned resolutions.
