Have you ever declared a grand ambition like “I want to live a happy life,” only to realize it doesn’t actually tell you—or anyone else—much at all? And despite having declared this ambition, you’re feeling worse off today than you did a week ago?

We’ve all done it. These statements sound impressive. They seem like they’re loaded with meaning and drive. But in reality, they lack the substance needed to move us forward and are good intentions pretending to be an actionable plan.

In this post, we’ll explore why these low-information goals and statements can stall progress—and how to infuse them with practical, actionable meaning.

What Exactly Is a Low-Information Goal?

A low-information goal is a statement of ambition that’s so broad or universally appealing that it offers no direction. For example:

• “I want to succeed.” Nobody wants to fail. This statement doesn’t reveal anything about what success looks like or how to achieve it.
• “I want to be happy.” Happiness is a universal pursuit. Sure, it’s a nice statement, but it’s too broad to guide your day-to-day actions.
• “I want to raise emotionally-secure children” Few, if any, parents would wish for the opposite—nobody sets out to raise insecure children. By default, this means the statement doesn’t distinguish one parent’s goal from another’s and doesn’t offer specifics about how you’d promote emotional security. It’s a widely shared aspiration, so it needs further detail (“How do I plan to foster my children’s emotional well-being?”) to become actionable.
• “I want to make a difference.”: This might inspire you, but “making a difference” could mean volunteering in your community, or discovering a groundbreaking medical cure, or simply helping someone cross the street. Without details, the statement remains fuzzy.

Why Are These Statements So Common?

• They’re socially acceptable: Saying you want to be rich, happy, or successful never offends anyone. They’re safe aspirations.
• They’re feel-good phrases: Everyone wants to associate with positivity. “I want to make the world a better place” is nearly impossible to disagree with, so it feels affirming when you say it.
• They require little thought: Broad statements are easy to rattle off. Setting measurable goals, however, takes time, effort, and a willingness to grapple with specifics (and potential failures).

The Downside: Lack of Direction

When you make a low-information statement, you don’t give yourself—or others—a roadmap. “I want to get rich” could mean:

• Achieving a certain net worth by a specific date.
• Earning a certain annual salary.
• Starting a business that turns a profit of a defined amount.

Without details, you can’t chart a path forward. You’re stuck with a vague desire that can lead to procrastination or confusion. It’s like setting out on a road trip without a destination or map—you’re in motion, but you have no idea where you’re going.

Examples of Low-Information Statements

Here are a few more examples that demonstrate the same issue:

• I want to find my passion.” The intention is good, but how do you even begin? What is “passion,” and how will you know when you’ve found it?
• “I want a better work-life balance.”* Without specifying what a balanced schedule looks like (fewer than 40 work hours per week, or no work on weekends?), you can’t act on it.
• “I want to live life to the fullest.” This almost sounds like a motivational poster, but it lacks concrete meaning. What activities do you envision as part of a “full” life?

Turning Low-Information Goals Into Actionable Plans

So how do we transform these statements into something more tangible? The classic framework is SMART goals—making them Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Specific

• Vague Goal: “I want to get rich.”
• Specific Goal: “I want to have $100,000 in savings by June next year.”

Measurable

• Vague Goal: “I want to be happier.”
• Measurable Goal: “I will spend at least 30 minutes every day engaged in an activity that brings me joy (like reading, gardening, or exercising) and track my mood in a journal.”

Achievable

I’m not sure how I feel about the word “achievable”, because anytime somebody tells me that something is unrealistic or unachievable, I’ll feel even more of a drive to prove them wrong and achieve it.

I think that achievable could also be descried as “has a binary outcome.”

• Vague Goal: “I want to start the best business in the world.”
• Achievable Goal: “I want to open a local bakery and be profitable enough to break even in 12 months.”

Relevant

• Vague Goal: “I want to be successful.”
• Relevant Goal: “I want to become the department head in my company, because it aligns with my career path in project management.”

Time-bound

• Vague Goal: “I want to make more friends.”
• Time-bound Goal: “I will attend at least two local meetup events per month for the next six months, aiming to foster new relationships by engaging in community activities.”

Why Details Matter

1. Accountability: Specific details force you to track progress. You can’t just say, “I’ll get around to it someday.” When your goals include deadlines or numbers, you can measure how well you’re doing.
2. Clarity: Details remove ambiguity. When you know exactly what the end point is, you can plan the steps to get there.
3. Motivation: Progress becomes tangible. Hitting a milestone—like saving $1,000—is way more motivating than vaguely “wanting more money.”
4. Efficiency: When you have a clear direction, you can focus on the specific tasks that directly contribute to your goal, saving time and energy.

How to Spot and Fix Low-Information Statements

Spotting a Low Information Statement

One of the quickest ways to recognize a low-information goal is to ask yourself: “Would any reasonable person desire the opposite of this goal?”

If the answer is no, then you’ve likely identified a statement that sounds good but doesn’t provide any useful direction.

For example, “I want to be successful” is hardly ever countered by “I’d like to be a total failure.” Since nobody desires the opposite, the goal becomes too generic to guide your actions. Once you notice this, you can start refining your statement into something more specific and personal.

Improving a Low-Information Statement or Goal

1. Ask “Why?” If you say, “I want to get rich,” follow it up with a “why?” Is it to gain financial independence? To travel the world? To support a family? This helps you dig deeper and reveals more specific motivations.
2. Ask “How?” If you can’t outline how you’ll achieve a goal, it’s probably too broad. Ask yourself, “How can I get from point A to point B?” This process reveals the details you need.
3. Set a Benchmark Use numbers, dates, or specific outcomes. Instead of “I want to live a healthier lifestyle,” you might say “I will exercise three days a week for at least 30 minutes each session.”
4. Track Progress Whether it’s a daily checklist, a spreadsheet, or an app, measurement drives results. When you see your progress (or lack thereof) every day, you can adjust your actions accordingly.

Final Thoughts

Well-intentioned, feel-good statements can be a great starting point. They show us what we care about in the broadest sense. But if we remain in this vague stage, we risk stagnating. True progress requires specificity and actionable steps.

So next time you declare a grand ambition—like wanting to get rich or be successful—pause and ask yourself how you can turn it into something more concrete. By doing so, you’ll give yourself (and anyone supporting you) the clarity needed to make those well-intentioned dreams a reality.