Goal Setting

Have you ever wondered why some people are successful in life while others are destined for mediocrity? Well a big part of succeeding in life is to know exactly what you want and taking continuous action towards achieving it. Unfortunately, most people do not know what they want. They seem quite clear about what they do not want in life but they certainly do not know what they want. This is a big oversight on their part. If you want to succeed in life you have to know exactly what you want. If you are vague and unsure about what you want you will likely be unhappy and unsuccessful in life.

“All successful people have a goal. No one can get anywhere unlesshe knows where he wants to go and what he wants to be or do.”
- Norman Vincent Peale

It is unfortunate that a lot of people really do underestimate the power of goal setting. It is important to set goals to give you direction, a sense of purpose and focus in life. Goal setting provides you with a road map of where you want to go in your life. If you do not know where you are going, do not be surprised when life takes you to a place where you do not want to be. For you to achieve your goals you have to know where you want to go or be. At the same time you have to know where you are at the present moment. Only by knowing these two crucial details, are you able to guide yourself in the right direction. It is the same as using a map to get to a place. To get where you want to go, you have to know where you are. In life you have to do the same.

A lot of good and hardworking people end up in unfulfilling lives because they do not set goals for themselves. They let external events dictate the course of their lives. They react to circumstances in their life instead of orchestrating circumstances for their future benefit. With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, they get caught up with the day to day activities. Most people are on survival mode. They are living for the present only. They are busy from morning to night, making ends meet and making sure they and their family are fed. Sadly most people do not plan for their future. They may plan for the immediate future but certainly not set goals for where they want to be in twenty or thirty years.

The reality is that if we do not set goals and set our priorities in life, we are going to wake up one day and realize that we have not accomplished much in life. Without goals, we wander aimlessly through life. The truth is we are always going to be busy and if we do not prioritize our actions we may find that at the end of the day we have nothing to show. Do not mistake being busy with being productive. You can be busy every day and not accomplish much.

Something magical happens when we set goals. Goals focus attention towards goal-relevant activities and away from goal-irrelevant activities. When we have a goal, we focus our time, energy and talent on what we want to accomplish instead of squandering our lives away. The next time you are about to do something, ask yourself, “Does it move me closer or move me away from my goal?” Make sure you minimize the activities that move you away from your goal and embrace activities that get you going towards your ultimatum.

Make sure you plan your future. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Do not wake up one day and regret that life has gone by you. Goal setting is the vehicle that can transform your life from a mediocre one to a rewarding one. Take action now and set your goals to live a fulfilling life.