If you want to hit your goals like a sniper, there’s one thing you absolutely must do:

Shut. Your. Mouth.

Seriously. Never tell anyone about your goals.

Every time I see someone posting their goals on social media— “I’m gonna hit the gym every day! Write a book! Start a business! New year, new me!” Blah blah blah. I know 99% of the time, they’re gonna fail.

Why?

Because sharing your goals feels too good. Like that bite of your favorite food when you’re hungry like a starved dog who hadn’t eat for days…

You get this big hit of dopamine, like you’ve already accomplished something just by talking about it.

You feel all proud and accomplished, just for saying the words.

But you haven’t done jack.

That burst of excitement? It tricks you.

It’s fake progress that tricks you into thinking you’ve already crossed the finish line.

And the drive you need to actually follow through? It’s gone.

I’ve been there. Every time I told someone about my goals, I’d lose steam. The excitement fizzles out, and you’re left with the hard reality of doing the work. No shortcuts.

We so rarely make big decisions in our daily lives that when we do, it feels monumental. But it’s not. It’s just a temporary flood of dopamine, and it doesn’t last long.

Here’s what happens next:

Your conditioned self—the old you, with all your old habits—goes to war with your future self. The future you hasn’t built the habits or discipline yet to achieve this new goal.

Motivation is NOT enough. That initial dopamine rush wears off in a few days, max.

At first, you’re riding the high, and you start working on whatever you want to achieve. But then the motivation fades, and you lose interest. You stop.

Some people think posting on social media will hold them accountable—like the fear of public embarrassment will keep them motivated. But most of the time? It just sets them up for failure. They end up embarrassing themselves anyway.

So here’s the deal:

Don’t tell anyone about your goals—not your friends, not your family, not even your dog.

And here’s another thing:

Not everyone in your life wants you to succeed.

Not consciously. But deep down? Jealousy creeps in. You remind them of what they’re NOT doing, and suddenly, they’re subtly pulling you down. A snarky comment here, a little doubt there—it adds up.

Even the well-meaning ones can mess with your head. A friend might say, “Wow, that sounds tough,” or “Are you sure about that?” And boom—you’re second-guessing yourself.

Even your closest friends and family can subconsciously root against you. 

A friend might feel left behind. A family member might unintentionally project their insecurities onto you.

These subtle influences mess with your mindset and focus.

So here’s what you do:

Don’t tell anyone. Not your friends. Not your family. Not your dog. Just shut up and get to work.

When you do that, something magical happens. You train yourself to resist cheap dopamine.

You stop chasing the quick high of telling people and start building real momentum.

Are There Exceptions?

Sure.

If you’re working on a project for instance and need feedback? Fine. Share it—but only with a small, trusted circle.

When I was writing my book, I told a few close friends because I needed their input. 

That’s it. No big announcements. No “coming soon” posts. I didn’t broadcast my plans to the world.

Just private conversations to get the help I needed.

Feedback is fine. Public accountability? Not so much.

Final Word:

You want to succeed? Stop posting about it. Stop talking about it. Stop chasing cheap dopamine hits.

Do the work.

Let the world see your results—not your intentions.

When you’re done—when you’ve actually accomplished something—that’s when you can shout it from the rooftops.

Until then, let your results do the talking.

Talk is cheap. Action isn’t.

Get after it.

Igor ” Talk less. Do more” Stojadinović.