Kalu Wilson
Do you feel like you are drafting through life like a ship without any destination? Do you work SO HARD but don’t seem to get anywhere worthwhile? Do you feel unfulfilled, demotivated, or maybe like you’ve lost your way a little? Perhaps, you have been so busy that you haven’t spent any time to focus on yourself or think about and plan your goals?”
If you can say YES to any of these questions, then maybe it’s time to try something different and become more intentional about your life.
We all have things that we want to accomplish, but it can be difficult when we don’t know where to start or what steps to take. Sounds like you? DON’T WORRY – goal-setting to the rescue!
Setting and following goals is an important part of success in any field. The best way to achieve success in anything – from business to relationship to fitness – is to set CLEAR boundaries and expectations for the work we do.
Setting and sharing goals is a simple way for us all to get on the same page and make our individual visions a reality. How so? Well, that is EXACTLY what we are going to talk about here.
Are you ready?
Okay, here are top 7 reasons to set goals for your life. Let’s go through each.
1. Offers clarity
“Clarity is essential to create success and achieve goals that are important to us.” – DK, “SUCCESS, The Psychology of Achievement”
You might have the illusion that you are achieving something because you are busy running around. Listen, it’s so easy to experience this, and trust me, you don’t want to be there. It happened to me, it can happen to anyone – don’t let it be you. Just because you are busy does not really mean you’re on your destined path, or that you’re going to achieve what you want, or that you are even productive.
Goals will bring clarity to your life. Having this image in your mind of where exactly you want to go will clear the path and guide you on exactly how to create that vision into reality. With so many sweet little enticing things and big aspirations vying for our attention at the same time, setting goals will help rate and rank things in order of importance to us.
It also eliminates the confusion that occurs when a goal is set in a generic manner. For example, it would be absurd to say: “I’m going to lose weight.” That is a goal without direction, and you will either end up totally missing the target or not even starting at all. The right thing to do is to give quantity and direction to the goal. YES – define it: “By so-and-so time, I am going to lose X pounds in body weight. I am going to incorporate the following gym training and adopt XYZ diet plan.” That, my friend, is how to set and write down your goal. You can even go into more details, if you like.
The two goal setting styles outlined above CLEARLY highlight the difference between dreams (the first instance) and goals (the second example). You can dream to become rich or famous or maybe a multibillionaire on the Forbes List, but if it is not written down and planned in a more practical way, then it remains a dream that probably might never be achieved.
Poet and writer, Antoine DeSaint-Exupery, said it better: “…a goal without a plan is just a wish.”
2. Helps you prioritize
“The question I ask myself like almost every day is, ‘Am I doing the most important thing I could be doing?’” – Mark Zuckerberg
We don’t have so much time on this Earth. How are you spending yours? I personally am constantly reevaluating my goals to ensure that they align with my personal and family mission.
You really want to make sure that you are hitting the foundation of what you want to accomplish. If you don’t have your own goals and aspirations, you will end up helping someone else to achieve theirs. Certainly not what you will wish for yourself.
So, set goals to help you define what is truly important. And remember, it’s not just about setting goals but setting the “right goals”.
“Right goals” – what does that mean?
Let me reference a marathon race, just for illustration.
If it was my goal to run a marathon and I had to write it down, what would be the best way to do so? Just write: “I want to run a marathon?” Nah, that would be pretty too general. I mean, what marathon? How are you going to do it? How are you going to prepare for it? How fast do you want to run it?
Instead of the above, I could go with: “I want to run the Abuja Marathon in December 2024. I have 4 hours for training every day, and I am going to do it by following this particular marathon plan or this training program. I am going to prepare for it this way or that way; I am going to buy so-and-so attire and gear; and I am going to follow this nutrition plan.”
As you should already have noticed, the second of the two goals is much more specific, hence much more effective and at least, twice as likely to produce desired results than the “I want a marathon,” as the first one says.
See where I’m going with that?
3. Gives focus
“Obstacles are those scary things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” – Henry Ford
In a world like ours where we are constantly being distracted almost by everything around us — money worries, career and business pursuits, family needs, societal expectations, social media and technology, and so on — it is hard keep your attention on what you truly desire or need to achieve. Setting goals is the answer, for it allows you to align your focus on exactly what you are trying to achieve.
Setting goals is a powerful way to gain focus and direction in life. When you set clear and specific goals, you create a roadmap for achieving success. It helps you define what’s important to you and allocate your time and energy accordingly. This helps you prioritize tasks, eliminate distractions, and stay focused on what really matters.
Setting goals gives you a clear direction and purpose. When you know what you’re working towards, you can make decisions that align with your objectives. This helps you stay focused and motivated, even when faced with challenges and setbacks.
Goals help you measure progress and track success. By breaking down large goals into smaller, manageable tasks, you can celebrate your achievements and stay motivated to continue working towards your objectives.
Setting goals also helps you develop a growth mindset. By challenging yourself to achieve specific objectives, you build resilience, adaptability, and self-confidence. This helps you stay focused and motivated, even in the face of obstacles and failures.
Furthermore, setting goals helps you avoid procrastination and stay accountable. When you have a clear plan and deadlines, you’re more likely to take action and make progress towards your objectives.
In conclusion, setting goals is a powerful way to gain focus and direction in life. By defining what’s important to you, creating a roadmap for success, and tracking progress, you can stay motivated, inspired, and focused on achieving your objectives.
Here is a real example of how setting goals can give focus, say in a in a career advancement setting.
A marketing professional who wants to become a manager within the next two years might set specific goals, such as:
- Taking a leadership course within the next six months
- Volunteering for high-visibility projects to demonstrate his skills
- Networking with senior leaders in his industry
By setting these goals, he gains focus on what he needs to do to achieve his objective. He prioritizes his time and energy on activities that align with her goals.
4. Boosts motivation
“One part at a time, one day at a time, we can accomplish any goal we set for ourselves.” – Karen Casey
Motivation is probably one of the biggest problems that a lot of people have. People always complain: “I want to do this, I want to do that. I want to start going to the gym, start reading books; I want to… (and the list is endless), but the only problem is that I am not motivated.”
One way around this challenge is to set goals.
Setting goals is a powerful way to boost motivation. When you set clear and specific goals, you create a sense of direction and purpose. This helps you stay focused and motivated, even when faced with challenges and setbacks.
By setting goals, you create a sense of accountability and responsibility. You break down large tasks into smaller, manageable steps, making it easier to take action. Setting goals also helps you develop a growth mindset and a willingness to learn. As you work towards your goals, you increase your self-confidence and self-esteem.
Achieving these goals gives you a sense of pride and fulfillment. This motivates you to continue striving for excellence and pushing beyond your limits. Setting goals helps you overcome procrastination and stay focused. You develop a sense of resilience and perseverance, essential for overcoming obstacles and achieving success.
Train yourself to set goals so that your targets will remain razor-sharp in your mind to keep you motivated.
Every time you start doing whatever you have to do, your goals are there to remind you why you are doing what you are doing. Why are you putting all these efforts? Why does this thing matter to you? It is the reasons behind these WHYs that will get you up and out of bed in the morning.
So, take the first step today and set goals that inspire and motivate you to achieve greatness.
Forward EVER, backward NEVER!
5. Helps with accountability
“At the end of the day, we are accountable to ourselves – our success is a result of what we do.” – Catherine Pulsifer
Setting goals helps with accountability in several ways.
For example, let’s consider the simple act of writing down your goals. When you write down your goals, you create a sense of commitment and responsibility. This written record serves as a reminder of your objectives, helping you stay focused and motivated.
Setting goals also translates to creating a plan of action. Breaking down large goals into smaller, manageable tasks creates a clear plan of action. This helps you stay on track, making it easier to hold yourself accountable for progress.
More so, setting goals and regularly tracking progress towards them helps you stay accountable. By monitoring your successes and setbacks, you can identify areas for improvement and make adjustments as needed.
What’s more, sharing your goals with a trusted friend, family member, or mentor can provide an added level of accountability. This person can offer support, encouragement, and constructive feedback, helping you stay on track.
Setting and working towards goals helps build self-discipline. As you develop this skill, you become more accountable for your actions and decisions. This goal-setting process helps you develop a better understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, and motivations. This increased self-awareness enables you to hold yourself more accountable for your actions and decisions
By incorporating these elements into your goal-setting process, you can harness the power of accountability to achieve your objectives.
6. Combats procrastination
“Just do it!” – Nike
Nike said it best with their famous slogan. And I agree – just do it. Stop thinking, ACT! Get started.
I have found that one of the biggest problems for most people is getting started. “How do I start?” is a common big question.
My recommendation is to define what you want to achieve; otherwise, you will find yourself kicking a can down the road, procrastinating, or even, worse – not getting started at all with what you want to accomplish.
Most times you may want to start slowly to keep your motivation strong. Start gradually and increase momentum as your confidence grows. Let’s say that your goal is to start running 10 km by December or January (continuing from my previous marathon illustration). Now you know that’s a big goal (for the average person, that is), so you have to put in a lot of hard work. So, you probably want to start slowly then build progressively. Trying it all in on the first day would only burn you out and scare you into putting off the next training session to some other time. You know how that works – “Ah, I feel so sore today, so I can’t train. It might (yeah, MIGHT) rain today so I can’t make it to the gym. Ugggrh, it’s leg day today and I feel too lazy to train today, not bad if I have to skip just a day”. And the list goes on – excuse after excuse.
Solution? Create a plan and commit to it. Don’t put off to tomorrow what you can do today, because that will only pile up work and stress while removing from desired results.
Relating back to our marathon instance, what can you do instead? Well, depending on your abilities or fitness level, you will want to start, say, at one kilometer, then, go up to two, three, four, five…and eventually up to 10 km. Congrats , buddy!
That’s how it works. Set a big goal for yourself. Then, divide your goal into small, easy steps that would lead to the final end goal. Employ discipline and maintain consistency.
See you at the finish line!
7. Result / self-improvement
“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.” – Albert Einstein
And now we go into the most powerful thought in this article, the core reason we set goals in the very first place.
We always set goals to be better than we are today. I mean, we never set goals to become poorer or to become less healthier. Right? Goals are always intended to make us better than we are today, to bring out the best version of ourselves.
Setting goals is a powerful tool for driving results and self-improvement. When you set clear and achievable goals, you create a roadmap for success. This roadmap provides a clear direction and focus, boosting motivation and inspiration. By prioritizing tasks and activities, you can track progress and make adjustments along the way.
Setting goals also fosters accountability and responsibility, as already discussed. By creating a sense of ownership and commitment, you’re more likely to take action and make progress towards your objectives. This, in turn, drives results and helps you achieve specific outcomes.
In addition to driving results, setting goals is also a powerful tool for self-improvement. By identifying strengths and weaknesses, you can develop new skills and knowledge. This, in turn, builds confidence and self-esteem. As you work towards your goals, you’ll also enhance your resilience and adaptability, essential for overcoming obstacles and achieving success.
When you look at yourself in the next one, two,…five,…10 or so years, what would be your reality? Would you be proud of yourself and your achievements? Will you be a better version of your current self? These would be the greatest benefits you reap from setting goals.
Summary
Let’s do a quick summary of what we have learned from this piece today. Why do life goals matter?
- They give clarity. A clear understanding of what you really need allows you to take concrete steps to getting it.
- Setting goals helps you prioritize. With so many things screaming at us all at the same time for attention, it’s important to be able to filter out the noise and attend to the most pressing needs – that’s what having goals lets you do.
- Focus is easier to achieve when we have a clearly defined target or goal.
- Setting goals gives you energy, motivation, and experience.
- When you set goals, you know that the difference between fulfilment and regret is in the action/inaction you take towards that goal. That’s being accountable.
- When you understand that you are the builder and director of your own destiny, you get off the couch and JUST-DO-IT! There will never be a more perfect time.
- You get results and improve self with each milestone of achievement reached in your life. Goal-setting has never had a better reward!
In conclusion, setting goals is a powerful tool for driving results and self-improvement. By creating a clear direction and focus, fostering accountability and responsibility, driving self-improvement, and promoting self-reflection and evaluation, goal-setting can help you unlock your full potential and achieve greater success.
Some thoughts for you — what goals have you achieved for yourself in 2024? Have you been able to meet at least half of your targets for the year or the most critical ones? If yes, congrats; if no, then it’s never to late to see how you can make the most of the remaining weeks of the year. Now that you’re better informed about the benefits of goal-setting, hopefully you set and achieve great goals in 2025.
See you there.
Fred
grace
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