Dr. Leo Dai's Health and Wellness Blog

In Part 3.1, we explored the power of visualization and the levels of behavioural change. In Part 3.2, we will discuss the importance of setting realistic goals and expectations to optimize both our chances of success and our long-term outcomes.

Setting clear, realistic, and tangible goals is essential for long-term success.

As discussed in the previous post, the human brain is powerful. To maximize the odds of success, we need a north star. However, when a goal feels too distant or too difficult relative to where we are today, it can become overwhelming. The brain often responds by concluding that if something feels too hard, it is easier not to start at all.

In addition, the brain operates on a dopamine-based reward system. Every time we achieve something—no matter how small—the brain releases dopamine, which creates a feeling of satisfaction and reinforces the behaviour. This positive feedback loop is what drives motivation and repetition.

If a goal is too long-term with no intermediate milestones, we risk depriving ourselves of these regular dopamine rewards. As a result, motivation and momentum can fade.

While I previously emphasized that long-term success should not rely solely on motivation, structured and consistent dopamine “wins” absolutely make the process more sustainable, engaging, and less monotonous.

For this reason, it is important to establish short-term, medium-term, long-term, and life-time goals:

• Short-term: what can realistically be achieved this week
• Medium-term: what can be achieved this month
• Long-term: what can be achieved this year
• Life-time: what you are committed to for the rest of your life

Of course, these goal posts are not fixed. They can and should be adjusted over time. In fact, the more we practice setting and refining goals, the better we become at making them realistic and achievable.

In general, we tend to overestimate what we can achieve in the short term, and underestimate what we can achieve in the long term.

The reason is simple: results compound over time, and the human brain struggles to intuitively understand exponential growth. We think linearly, but many real-world systems—including fitness, health, and habit formation—are exponential.

As Warren Buffett famously said, compound interest is the “eighth wonder of the world.” This principle applies not only to investing, but also to health and daily habits.

A book that profoundly changed my perspective on habits is Atomic Habits, by James Clear. The core message is that small, consistent actions compound into remarkable long-term outcomes. One of its most practical frameworks is habit stacking, which involves linking a new habit to an existing one to make it easier to adopt and sustain.

Another important takeaway is the concept of continuous improvement: improving by just 1% per day does not result in a 365% improvement over a year, but rather a dramatically larger compounded effect – 3778%. This illustrates the true power of small, consistent changes over time.

This is exactly how I approached my own journey. I started by walking 3,000 steps per day. If I had increased this by 1% per day continuously, it would mathematically compound to over 100,000 steps per day within a year. I am obviously not walking that amount today, but the principle is clear: small, consistent changes accumulate in powerful ways.

When setting goals, the key is this:

• Make short-term goals easy and achievable
• Make long-term goals ambitious and directional

Most people make the mistake of doing the opposite—they set short-term goals that are too aggressive, and long-term goals that are too vague or too easy. This leads to early burnout and lack of direction.

Short-term goals are critical because they provide momentum and frequent reinforcement. Without them, even the best long-term vision will fail due to lack of consistency.

As an example, my own structure looked like this:

Short-term goals:

1. Complete planned exercise for the week
2. Listen to my body and avoid injury
3. Recover adequately by the beginning of the following week
4. Bonus: observe any measurable improvement in fitness

Medium-term goals:

1. Improve VO₂ max by ~1 point per month
2. Improve running pace/speed
3. Achieve planned monthly weight targets

Long-term goals:

1. Complete 1 to 2 scheduled races within a target time (10K, half marathon, or marathon)

Long-term goals provide direction and meaning to each individual training session. My race goals are often ambitious—sometimes intentionally so—but I rely on the principle of compounding progress to move toward them.

Life-time goal:
To compete at a high level in the 85–89 age category across 10K, half marathon, and marathon distances, and to remain in the top tier of my age group for as long as possible.

In the context of weight loss, expectations must also be structured appropriately:

• Expect changes in body weight weekly, not daily
• Expect changes in physique monthly, not weekly

Setting realistic expectations helps prevent unnecessary frustration and disappointment.

Finally, after achieving each milestone—whether short-term, medium-term, or long-term—it is important to consciously reward yourself and reinforce the behaviour through a dopamine response.

For me, a simple checkmark on a calendar is often enough. For others, the reward can vary—but it is important to define it in advance rather than making impulsive decisions after the fact. Ideally, rewards should not undermine the progress you are trying to build.

In Part 3.3, we will discuss the importance of how to keep yourself accountable.