Is Personal Goal Setting REALLY Necessary?
By Colin Dunbar
What is your reason for setting a goal?
This is the 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 the 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 the holiday example, this excitement
keeps rising the 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 the
position. It is the objective of the 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 the 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, the 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.
Without a doubt, having personal goals keeps your enthusiasm up.
Using a map for our holiday
It is usual for us to consult a map when we go on holiday, and yet,
sadly, for the holiday of life, we don't consider consulting a map for this
important journey. And when we don't reach our destination, we become
frustrated and annoyed. Yet, when we go on holiday, without a map, and we
get lost we similarly get annoyed. And yet, this something we don't
repeatedly do. Your goals, and especially your goal path, is your map for
your life.
Having goals, or at the very least, a goal, will enable you to know where
you're going in life. Goals do give us direction.
Thomas Edison is well-known for saying he didn't fail, but found 10 000
ways it didn't work. He had thousands of attempts over many years to invent
the electric light bulb, but he knew exactly what he wanted, and his goal
kept him going until he achieved it.
Oprah Winfrey was an abused child who was determined to make a better
life for herself. Michelle Kwan had a goal to be the best skater in the
world.
If you want proof that goal setting works, and is valuable in your life,
think of musicians. They are one of the best examples of having
determination in not only setting, but also achieving their goals. Athletes
don't become record holders by chance - it is only through effective goal
setting. Top sales people work consciously at their goals, and as result
become star performers. No-one becomes an astronaut by accident.
Every person who becomes successful in whatever field or area they
choose, followed a goal path - a map to achieve their success.
Role of an effective goal setting system
If you have a dream, and want to achieve something better in life, having
a goal can bring you success.
An effective goal setting system must get you on your road to success. It
should also give you the tools to enable you to gain confidence in reaching
your goal. There are many books and programs available that can help you set
your goal. It is my belief that anyone can set a goal, but the important
thing is to reach your goal.
An effective goal setting system should be a blueprint, and enable you to
determine where you want to go with your life, and be an aid to keeping you
on your goal path.
Having a goal, success is possible. Without goals, success is rarely
possible - whatever area in your life.
About the Author
Colin Dunbar's eaziGOAL is the ultimate goal setting program created
especially for working moms and dads. "There is no reason we working moms
and dads cannot reach our dream." Full details available at
http://www.eaziGOAL.com Manual, workbook, PLUS companion software. FREE
newsletter.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/
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