The Ultimate Guide To Creating A Goal Strategy For Your Personality

Regarding self-improvement, one of the biggest curiosities in human behavior is the gap between goal setting and achievement. Studies reveal that less than 10% of people who set goals at the start of the year achieve them.

Experts recommend several goal-setting strategies like the SMART goals framework, action plans, and goal accountability systems to close this achievement gap—and they work. However, one rarely discussed factor still determines how effective these strategies can be.

Research has shown that personality types affect people's ability to set, pursue, and achieve goals. Just how much? We'll find out.

In this article, we explore the OCEAN personality model, help you identify your personality type on that framework, and identify the ideal goal-setting strategies for each personality type.

What is The OCEAN Personality Model?

In 1936, researchers Gordon Allport and Henry Odbert compiled a list of around 4000 human personality traits. Since then, several other psychologists have refined that list, narrowing it down to five identifiable traits: The Big Five or the OCEAN personality model.

Source: Verywell

The OCEAN personality model classifies human characteristics into the following traits:

1. Openness to experience
2. Conscientiousness
3. Extraversion
4. Agreeableness
5. Neuroticism

So, what behaviors do these personality types exhibit, and how do they impact goal achievement?

Goal-Setting Styles For OCEAN Personality Types

The National Library of Medicine published research on how these personality types influenced healthy lifestyle practices and goal-setting in a survey group. Following their results, we've developed a roadmap to inform better goal-setting strategies for each personality type.

1. Openness to Experience

The first trait in the OCEAN model describes individuals who are creative, intellectually curious, and open to novel experiences. They enjoy brainstorming, learning new things, and thinking outside the box.

Preferred Goal-Setting Styles

Individuals in this category benefit from goal-setting strategies that cater to their curiosity while allowing them to remain productive. These include:

• Open-ended goals that allow for discovery and adjustment
• Heartfelt goals aligned with their passions or values
• Visionary goals that challenge their creative abilities

For instance, people with this personality can explore unconventional fitness activities like boxing, dance classes, and swimming instead of a strict workout plan.

Motivation Triggers

High openness individuals are motivated by novelty, intellectual stimulation, and personal autonomy. If you're in this category, structure your goal-aligned routine to start with one of these triggers.

For example, you can use a draw system to pick your goal-aligned activity for the day.

Unique Challenges

• Tend to abandon current goals for new pursuits.
• Set overly ambitious or vague goals
• Struggle to establish strict routines and stick to schedules.

Success tips: Set a maximum goal limit, practice flexible scheduling, and regularly self-reflect.

2. Conscientiousness

Conscientious individuals are ambitious, organized, and resourceful. They aspire towards achievement and recognition, so they build self-control for goal achievement.

Preferred Goal-setting Styles

People in this category benefit from goal-setting strategies that allow well-defined, consistent progress. These include:

• SMART goals (measurable and time-bound goals)
• Detailed action plans that break down goals into actionable steps
• Goal-aligned routines that fit their daily or weekly schedule

For example, instead of just resolving to earn a promotion, conscientious people can set a six-month timeline with monthly milestones and map out a daily action plan to increase productivity.

Motivation Triggers

Conscientious individuals are motivated by meeting expectations and ticking tasks off their schedule. If you're in this category, you'll benefit from progress-tracking systems that display streaks.

Unique Challenges

• Exhibit perfectionism and set very high standards
• Are rigid and struggle with unpredicted turns
• May engage in extreme behaviors to achieve goals

Success tips: Make room for mistakes and build flexibility

3. Extraversion

Extraverts are people typically associated with higher levels of physical and social activity. They enjoy being in the company of others and are likely to engage in more leisure-based activities.

Source: adaface

Preferred Goal-Setting Styles

People with high extraversion do well with goals that offer group engagement or public recognition. These include:

• Team goals that require collaboration and accountability partnership
• Competitive goals where individuals or teams are evaluated against each other
• Public commitment goals where they stay accountable to their social network or followers

For instance, rather than a self-taught course to learn a new tech skill, an extravert will benefit from training cohorts where they can work on projects in teams.

Motivation Triggers

Extraverts are motivated by external factors like socializing and getting acknowledged by colleagues or mentors. If you're one, you'll benefit from having accountability buddies and mentors or creating fun, goal-aligned activities.

Unique Challenges

• Struggle to self-motivate—rely on external validation
• Follow the group away from their individual, long-term goals
• Overcommit to multiple goals

Success tips: Make time for solo activities, limit distractions, and prioritize commitments.

4. Agreeableness

This trait describes how specific individuals interact with others versus themselves. People in this category are highly empathetic, seek harmony in relationships, and prioritize the well-being of others over personal gain.

Preferred Goal-Setting Styles

Agreeable individuals do well with goals that promote community, build relationships, or benefit a group. These include:

• Collaborative goals where they contribute toward a shared goal
• Value-driven goals that support the progress of others or communities

For example, rather than just trying to improve at a new language, a highly agreeable individual will benefit from volunteering to teach another person the much they know.

Motivation Triggers

People in this category are motivated by positive feedback from people or causes they have supported and a sense of satisfaction from seeing others thrive due to their efforts. They can benefit from mentorship pairings and volunteer activities that align with their goals.

Unique Challenges

• Often neglect personal goals for the general good
• Conflict-avoidant and struggle to assert their opinions in groups
• Struggle to establish boundaries with others, leading to exhaustion

Success tips: Make time for self-care, set boundaries with others, align acts of service with personal goals

5. Neuroticism

This trait describes a category of people highly susceptible to negative feelings like pessimism and self-doubt. They are overly self-conscious and easily mentally exhausted.

Preferred Goal-Setting Style

Research links neuroticism to negative goal continuity. Individuals in this category do best with goals that provide structure, positive reinforcement, and emotional support. These include:

• Small short-term goals broken down into manageable, daily steps
• Mindfulness practices that address their emotional well-being, like journaling or meditation
• Supported goals where they can be coached or mentored to maintain momentum

For instance, rather than resolving to read a book in 1 week, a person with high neuroticism will do better with a daily target of 1 or 2 chapters.

Motivation Triggers

Individuals in this category are occasionally motivated by their fear of failure. If this is your personality type, you'll also get confidence boosts from positive reinforcement and visual proof of progress.

Unique Challenges

• Tend to give up early due to self-doubt
• Fixate on small mistakes leading to inactivity and procrastination
• Vulnerable to decision fatigue and emotional drain from overthinking

Success tips: Prioritize stress management, relaxation, and self-compassion.

Final Thoughts

Of the five personality types, studies show that extraversion, conscientiousness, and neuroticism affect goal achievement the most. While extraversion and conscientiousness increase the chances of adopting goal-aligned habits, neuroticism slows progress toward social and action-oriented goals.

How To Personalize Your Goal-Setting Strategies

Here's a step-by-step guide to creating a goal-setting strategy that aligns with your personality.

Source: pexels

Step 1: Identify your personality type

Find your dominant personality trait by taking valid personality quizzes like the Big Five Inventory (BFI) or self-evaluation.

Step 2: Match your goals & personality

Write down your long-term goals and create an action plan that aligns with your personality type.

Step 3: Use your motivation triggers

Include systems or environments that motivate your personality type in your goal-setting strategies.

Step 4: Tackle possible challenges

Write down the challenges unique to your personality trait(s) and take measures to overcome them.

Step 5: Track progress

Choose a progress tracking system that best suits your personality—visual streaks or journaling.

Step 6: Experiment and adjust

Your new strategy is not a rigid commitment. Refine your timeline and methods as needed.

Elevate Goal-Setting Strategies In 2025 With GoalScript

There's no one-size-fits-all in goal-setting. Personality types influence flexibility, consistency, and motivation triggers—among other things.

Whether you choose SMART, WOOP, or HARD frameworks, customize your action plans to suit your personality type and pair your goal-setting strategies with a digital goal-tracker like GoalScript

What GoalScript Offers:

• Create and manage multiple goals with ease
• Track progress with the visual streaks system
• Get recognized for your consistency with achievement badges
• Break down long-term goals into clear, actionable steps
• Plan daily or weekly routines around your schedule

Take charge of your 2025 goals with GoalScript. Download from the App Store today and transform your aspirations into daily achievements.