What is your reason for setting a goal?This is
first, and important question you need to ask yourself. Why? If your reason for setting your goal is not sincere, your motivation and enthusiasm can wane drastically as you progress on your goal path. Setting personal goals is just that - personal, and if you do not have deep-rooted reason for your goal, your chances of succeeding are reduced dramatically.
We generally set goals because we are unhappy with where we are, either in life, our job, or a relationship. As Og Mandino says, "People don't change when they feel good. They change when they're fed up. When things are going all right, we all tend to do pretty much what we've been doing. Pain pushes us to those crucial turning points. We hurt, then we finally choose. It's that adverb finally. Enough is enough.!"
We want something better. An example is a better paying position at work, or a management position. Maybe it can be that we want to lose weight, or become healthier. Whatever it is, we generally set goals as result of wanting something better.
Animals function on instinct. They sleep, eat and procreate. That's it.
We humans have a thinking ability. And it is with this thinking ability that we have urge to achieve something better. But we are also an inherently lazy creature, and we tend to have a resistance to effort.
Goals help keep us motivated
When we have something to aim at, something we achieve, we usually become excited. Think of going to your favorite restaurant. While you're getting ready, you can almost smell and taste your meal, and you are excited. It is no different when you have a goal to aim at, and this is especially relevant if you have a life goal. Each milestone that you reach, increases your excitement, aka your motivation. Especially, think of when you go on holiday. What is your level of excitement just prior to leaving on holiday, and to what level does this excitement rise shortly before leaving? And then as you progress on your journey? Using holiday example, this excitement keeps rising nearer you get to your destination.
Goals undoubtedly give us direction. An example here is when we want to progress in our career.
Let's say we want to secure a management position. We increase our knowledge and experience, and as result we become more equipped for position. It is objective of management position that motivates us to undergo training, for example. Our goals enable us to move forward, and moving forward can only be beneficial. Go for gold.
Successful people are goal orientated
Whatever your definition of success is, you will find it difficult to reach that level of success without goals.
If you don't have a target, arrow will hit nothing.
It is very important to remember that goals are not static. As our circumstances change, it is inevitable that our goals change. The goals you had when you left school are very different to your goals ten years after school. Similarly, after marriage and children come along, your goals once again change. It is important to remember that when your circumstances change, review and, where necessary adapt your goals. The golden rule of setting your goals is to remain on your goal path.
