“Stop setting goals. Goals are just a dream unless you have a specific plan to accomplish them”– Stephen R. Covey.
The words of this top American manager and motivational speaker accurately define the reasons why people fail to meet their goals. The majority of us indeed live our lives in a state of waiting for something to happen naturally.
We can do much better in our lives if we establish an achievable and realistic strategy for our objectives.
Importance of Goal Setting
What is the most frequent time you make goals? How often do you review your goals?
We all recognize that setting goals is crucial but often don’t know how important they are when we go on with our lives.
Goal setting doesn’t need to become boring. There are many advantages and advantages of having a list of goals to strive towards.
Setting goals can trigger new behaviors, guide your focus, and help keep the momentum going in the world.
Goals can also help you align your goals and create confidence in yourself. You cannot control those who don’t know how, and you’re not able to improve things you can’t effectively manage. Setting goals can aid you in all that and more.
In this article, we’ll examine the importance and significance of setting goals and the numerous advantages.
We will also examine the ways goal-setting can result in higher levels of success and efficiency. Setting goals does not just motivate us but enhances our mental health and the level of our professional and personal achievement.
Also Read: The Real Goal of Education
Paradox of goals
In our younger years had particular objectives. Achieving high marks on exams, excelling at sports, making new friends, and making a hobby a priority were the few objectives we cherished as kids. No one had to explain to us what goals we should establish and how to accomplish those targets.
It was a spontaneous event, and we achieved success to the greatest extent. We would have suffered immense pain due to insufficient funds and resources and inadequate parental support or poor health throughout those early years of our lives.
We did manage to achieve the goals in a significant way with only minor deviations from the plan.
Unfortunately, this passion seems to diminish as we get older. Naturally, growing older has its own set of uncertainties. For many, their goals fall to the sidelines when it comes to finding good jobs.
Shockingly, no one has taught us about the importance of setting goals or setting goals in our lives. So, we’re clueless about how to reach our goals.
Naturally, we’re thrilled to be employed by a well-known company and begin an extensive career. But is this fulfilling our desires in life?
The notable Greek philosopher Epicurus once wrote that the goal for every individual is be content.
The danger zone
Unfortunately, we are in the risk zone. Happiness overwork potential, career advancement, and certainty of promotions, paired with financial stability, sound the death toll to our goals for the future.
The future seems secure and stable. Satisfied, we settle into a routine. We are proud of our everyday successes like marriage, parenting, purchasing a house, and earning respect from society. However, we overlook the importance of setting goals.
Goal-Setting Theory
Several motivational speakers such as Stephen R. Covey, Robert Kiyosaki, and others have talked extensively about the importance of setting goals. They have suggested that goals for life are critical.
The books written by eminent writers will provide you a wealth of knowledge about the concept of goal-setting.
Top 5 goal killers
The five most formidable adversaries to your goals.
1.Comfort zone/ complacence
Complacency is the biggest killer of our ambitions. It is a result of a false sense of accomplishment. It misleads us into believing that we’ve performed our best.
Complacency destroys our competitive edge.
It is the vilest enemy of growth and is harmful to self-development. It entices us into the walled-in comfort zone, which escape isn’t easy.
If you’ve fallen into this horrible insanity, It is time to reassess your life and your future.
2. Self-doubt
Self-doubt and insecurity are the most significant obstacles in our journey to achieving our goals. There is a chance that you will have doubts regarding various matters.
The apprehensions may stem from different aspects.
Family situations, financial status, lack of work experience in the field, or the thought of upsetting the apple cart created by complacency can create self-doubt.
These self-doubts or doubts are eliminated through simple steps. First, make a precise record of where you are. Then, get rid of any unnecessary stress.
The mere act of worrying won’t solve family or financial issues. Additionally, the lack of expertise is always a problem that can be overcome with learning and practicing.
Reversing the applecart in the direction of a flimsy, ambivalent future is a frightening idea. Be confident in yourself by deciding to take a calculated risk.
3. Insufficiency of motivation
All of us suffer from a loss of motivation at different stages of life.
Insufficient external stimuli like feeling devalued at home or work and less disposable income because of the burden of debt and inability to combat chronic illness or problems due to any reason are the main reasons.
However, you can conquer them by learning how to congratulate yourself on the back. You can schedule repayments when you are in debt and want to have the freedom to purchase what you want.
Additionally, you can get help from professionals in psychiatry or medicine to resolve any persistent issues.
4. Inability to establish goals
Sincerely what goals have you made for yourself aside from casual New Year Resolutions? There is likely no answer. In addition, even if you establish goals, you may have abandoned them halfway due to a myriad of causes.
To achieve the goals you want, it is essential to determine what you are looking for.
It isn’t easy to establish goals. In general, we all would like to be wealthy, secure, happy, and content. But, we don’t know how to achieve this.
5. Inadequately established plans
Planning without making a plan is to be in the position of failing is an adage. This is true, but most of us have nebulous or hazy ideas of the best way to achieve our objectives.
For instance, you might want to be rich fast. But you may not know how to make it happen and the amount of time and resources required.
Thus, planning how to reach what you want to achieve is of primary importance. If you don’t have a plan, it is impossible to get anywhere.
10 Steps for Goal Setting & Achieving
Below, we offer some suggestions on how to set practical objectives and how to meet them.
Step 1: Make your inventory.
It is a subject that a lot of people are afraid of. The likelihood is that you be viewed as a good person. That’s not enough, at the very best. Making your inventory can help establish goals for your life and also will help you reach your goals.
It would help if you instead made a comprehensive inventory of your life. This is a must, including your education and capabilities, your finances and family, your character’s positive and negative traits, your current circumstances, and nearly every aspect of your life.
Three techniques have been identified to self-assess.
- SWOT Analysis ( Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats)
- Johari Window
- Fourth Step in Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step recovery program
Step 2: Define your objectives.
This can make life difficult for some. But, there’s no reason to be concerned. In general, you can categorize your objectives under the following categories:
Goals for your career The post or position you would like to achieve with your education and experience.
Objectives in finance What is the amount of money you want to become within the timeframes you have set. Include plans for investing and earning additional income.
Goals for personal life The Personal goals section focuses on personal matters like weddings, having children purchasing a house, and other essential issues to your well-being.
Goals for social inclusion Define the status you want to achieve in your social circle or your community. In essence, it’s about delineating the reasons that others will acknowledge you as a person of distinction.
Moral or spiritual goals It has nothing in common with Gods or gods and. It’s simply about your desire to be a better citizen of society by avoiding undesirable habits or vices. Verbal abuse is not something to be snubbed by the community, and eliminating the tradition could be an objective of morality. Be aware that this is an important goal to achieve in the world.
Step-3: Prioritize priorities
It is normal to want to accomplish a variety of things. We all do. There’s nothing wrong with doing that. But, you are just 24 hours per day. So, whatever you want to accomplish must be restricted to this short time.
Limiting time is a significant hinderer to goals. Some people are unable to meet specific goals due to the wrong amount of time to get there.
You can, however, make a list of your priorities. This means you should make a random list of things that you would like to accomplish. Then, decide your goals by their importance. Make your list of goals.
Short-term goals are Ideally possible within six months to one year.
The mid-term goal Goals you want to achieve within some years from the present.
Goals for the long-term What you’d like to be able to accomplish within the coming two to five years.
Future goals They are long-term goals, such as having a house. The process could last up to 20 years if you get a mortgage or housing financing from lenders.
Step 4: Plant your feet on the ground
Remember, the most important thing is to prioritize your goals by your current skills and capabilities. Many people fail because they base their goals on expectations, projected gains, and intangible possibilities.
The ability to let your imagination run wild occasionally is a great thing to do. It allows you to explore new perspectives. However, basing your plans on a vague vision of the future is a risky one.
Additionally, you could spend your time, money, and other resources trying to find the illusion.
Step 5 Take note of it.
This is another aspect where the majority of us do not succeed. Keep in mind that goals are quickly forgotten. Planning out your plans in mind and then implementing them daily are entirely different things.
The best method to deal with this issue is to write down your goals. It is possible to write them down on paper or your computer. Whatever you choose, it is essential to go through them every day to keep yourself on track. The method serves as a kind of autosuggestion.
Writing is a way to keep track of your dreams. Writing down your goals in an agenda notebook is more beneficial. Additionally, you can put your book away in a secure area, out of any eyes.
Hence, nobody can derail your plans.
Step 6: Designate the person to refer you.
This may sound ridiculous. However, it’s essential to have someone else like an adult or mentor serve as a referee or an independent judge to help you achieve your goals.
Their impression of you is likely to differ from your personal experience. Additionally, their age and experience provide them with advantages.
This person will evaluate your goals and, if necessary, give you some advice that could help define the objectives. In many cases, judges provide insights you didn’t know about.
In addition, you’ll require an independent evaluation of the progress you have made to reach your goals.
Step 7: Create a schedule
As we have seen earlier, it is only possible to do what you can do in a single day or week, month, or year. No matter what goals you have set, it is essential to review them regularly.
Many factors may change once you’ve established your goals. These external influences could include political events and new laws, the latest technology, financial concerns, health, and a myriad of other things.
Thus, it would help if you drew a schedule to assess your improvement. You will indeed find that progress has been quicker at achieving some goals and slower on other purposes.
Additionally, you might be unable to make progress in achieving your objectives. Therefore, having a schedule for evaluating your progress helps you understand what you’ve accomplished and what you have to accomplish.
Step 8: Check your steps
This is undisputedly an essential aspect of the process of setting goals. You must review your capabilities, as stated earlier. Additionally, you must be objective during these assessments. This means you must determine the reasons behind why progress toward specific goals was swift, but other people slowed it.
The evaluation conducted by your friend or referee and yourself will assist in identifying areas of gray. You can eliminate them quickly. At the same time, you’ll benefit from your most vital locations and achieve your goals faster.
Keep in mind that these reviews are intended to provide you with a guideline and assessment. Thus, failing or slow progress shouldn’t be a reason to quit an excellent target.
Step-9: Motivate yourself daily
Of course, the most important person who will benefit from the goals you have set are your children and you. Remember the many benefits you’ll reap from reaching your goals.
This should be enough incentive to push for their fulfillment.
It is not uncommon for staying motivated to be challenging. A minor setback can be a source of stress significantly. When you’re in a bind, it is possible to turn to the person you have appointed to be your mentor.
Be sure to remember why you took on your journey to begin with. It is simple to back off when you’re feeling blue in the face. The process of holding on can be challenging, but it will be the best decision you have ever taken.
Step 10: erase and rewind
We don’t discuss the eponymous popular pop tune. Stated erase and rewind refers to eliminating goals that appear entirely impossible.
You will indeed find specific goals that cannot be accomplished despite your best efforts. It is, therefore, better to get rid of them instead of spending more resources. This means that you erase.
Rewind refers to setting new goals that replace the ones you have just abandoned. It could set your life back a few weeks. But your new plans will make it worthwhile. Your failures expose loopholes. They can be effectively closed and launch a new, more practical target.
Take pleasure in the ride.
A myriad writes many books of motivational speakers, managers, and prominent personalities readily available on the internet.
These books will help you build many desirable skills, give you the motivation you need, and provide success stories and encouragement. Spending just a little money on these books is worth it.
Be aware that setting your sights on the goals you have always wanted to achieve should be enjoyable. It is possible to enjoy the journey towards success by adding relaxing moments with your friends and family every day.
Don’t get caught up in your stated goals and objectives. Instead, think of them as opportunities to develop yourself.
