Avoid Blowing with the Wind: Have Goals

Imagine setting out on a journey to an unknown destination and traveling aimlessly or wherever the wind blows you. Before you realize it, half your life is gone, and you have accomplished nothing. 

Most people want to get to the destination of success but do not understand how to get there. Time passes by as people fantasize about tomorrow without realizing they are wasting the present.

So how does one impact the future today?  The answer to that is setting goals.

A goal is an aimed result, aspiration, or destination.

Goals are a necessity. Their absence short-changes one of living a purposeful life. They affect different aspects of human life, whether it is a career, relationships, education, or finances. 

Nothing in life happens by chance. You design the life you want by setting goals. Having goals gives you a sense of direction and destination. You can determine where you would want to be within a certain time. 

Goals help us set priorities, leading to better decision making. Not only do they help you aim for something, they give you a shot at hitting the target. With this comes a sense of satisfaction as you work towards a purpose. 

Goals keep one motivated and proactive about their aspirations, despite the obstacles one is most likely to encounter along the way. They fuel the desire to achieve more based on previous accomplishments. 

Setting goals allows one to review set tasks and improve or make adjustments where necessary. 

If a student wants to major in a specific learning area, setting a goal based on this decision allows the student to research the institutes with the best offers and opportunities on offer after attaining the qualification.

When one envisions the destination, it sets a momentum. Time ceases to be wasted. 

How to set goals.

When setting a goal, it must reflect on your destination and what you want to achieve. You must write it down as a constant reminder of where you are going. 

Set Specific Goals: 

Do not be vague when setting your goals. Be as specific as possible. For example, if your goal is to attain financial freedom, you may not achieve it because you do not know what that entails. If, instead, you set a goal to make more money, stating the specific amount you want to make in a certain timeframe helps you to track progress and make adjustments. 

Set Measurable Goals: 

Gauge your success or track progress based on new skills attained or daily achievements. One should be able to make evaluations and adjustments, choosing whether to slow down or increase the efforts. For example, when you intend to study for an exam, you can keep track of your progress by focusing on a specific topic and testing yourself on basic concepts around it.   

Make Your Goals Attainable: 

The goals you set must challenge you and yet be achievable. Consider the costs included, the resources and capabilities required. Be action-oriented. Anything beyond your abilities will only result in disappointments. It is important that as one sets their mind on a goal; they set manageable tasks that allow for complete utilization of their capabilities whilst avoiding overload.

Make Your Goals Relevant: 

The goals you set should contribute to your overall destination. There is no need to set a goal that does not feed into the bigger picture as this wastes resources you could invest into relevant goals. If a person aims to spend money to learn a new language, they have to have reasons. What use is the new language? How will it make meaningful contributions in your life? Always evaluate how the goal will be beneficial to you and your journey to success.

Set Time-bound Goals: 

Before setting your goal, it is necessary to set a time limit. This increases one’s sense of urgency. A goal without a timeline can easily remain a dream. If you want to lose weight, to make this goal a success, plan to reach a specific weight in a set time.

Following through on your goals.

Having set out to achieve goals, it requires commitment and action to reap the fruits. This entails strong will power and giving undivided attention to the goal. Focus on where you are going. Invest everything you have on reaching your destination.

With long-term goals, you might need to break them down into smaller tasks that are easier to follow through and track for progress.

Setting goals is not a onetime process. It is a deliberate plan for your future that involves daily tasks. The more you achieve your goals, the more confident you become in setting new and bigger ones. 

All this is possible if you set your mind to do the impossible. 

If you do not know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere you will not like.

Make a choice to set goals and set sail towards your success!