Erin great blog but correction the famous study is the Yale class of 1953.....and it never happened!
If Your Goal Is Success, Don't Consult These Gurus For years, motivational speakers have celebrated a Yale study on why people succeed. It's powerful! Compelling! Too bad it doesn't exist.
i googled it and found this published as well
Yale Study of Goals: A Self-Improvement Urban Legend about Goals
How the Yale Study of Goals Holds People Back
Urban legends are often repeated because they convey deeper truths, and there is certainly truth to the notion that goals can enhance performance.
But there are far more powerful (not to mention real) studies of goals that provide more insight and more inspiration than the fictitious Yale Study of Goals. For example, the research is clear that goals only enhance performance if they are properly-set, and must be consistent with six key principles for maximum benefit. The Yale urban legend won’t help you learn those principles, or teach you how to apply them to achieve more. It’s a colorful story, but it lacks the depth or substance to be truly instructive.