| Goals are not resolutions, BTW, and resolutions? Well, the studies show that by this Saturday, January 15th, most of those resolutions that were set on New Year’s Day will be done and over with – kaput! There’s a direct correlation between setting goals and achieving success, and the studies, of course, bear that out. And to that I say – DUH! Goals are simply a way of putting the idea of achieving something into a form or a plan, with the red-hot desire to achieve it. There are short-term and long-term goals, and yes, the old adage “a dream with a deadline” is a good description. But goal setting can be confusing, arduous, and over-the-top overwhelming, and I believe the reason why is that there’s confusion over what a goal is and isn’t. Goals are: 1. A snapshot of your future self – the vision of yourself and what you want. 2. Time sensitive – you’ve likely heard “A goal without a deadline is just a dream,” and “someday” isn’t constrained by time. 3. Goals are bigger than to-dos or wants – a lot of times, they require smaller steps to get there. Goals are not: 1. An objective. For example, a popular objective is to lose weight. That’s the objective; however, a GOAL frames that objective with specifics relative to the desire. 2. A resolution. Resolutions oftentimes ARE an objective, but aren’t specific enough to carry it through. 3. A purpose. Purpose and mission are guiding principles FOR setting goals – they’re really your why FOR setting goals. So why set goals at all? The biggest reason is that it provides the GPS for where you want to go; a sense of direction, a clean path, a way to get there. They also provide a perspective that maybe you had never considered – a bigger picture for creating the vibrancy in life that you want. Goals are also very motivating – you aspire to more when you have goals as your reference point. Without goals, each year starts to look the same: Groundhog Day every single day, except the kids grow up and move on. When you consciously make goals, you’re making a NEW decision. And goals are MOTIVATING – if done right, that is. Goals trigger new (and better) behaviors. Goals help to create the necessary momentum for change. Goals create FOCUS. Remember, what you focus on GROWS. Goals create control and ultimately self-mastery – this is HUGE. Setting goals isn’t frustrating, but setting them in the same old way? Yup, that’s going to frustrate you! |
