Daring to Dream

Goals are always a very high priority in modern businesss development. Do you have a clearly-defined set of goals that you pursue every day? It’s an important question because, without goals, how will you decide where you’re going? How will you know what your purpose is? How will you channel your energy and enthusiasm if you don’t have a purpose that motivates and excites you? It might seem like a completely redundant question because everyone has goals, don’t they?

Well, maybe they don’t.

Even though we’re all encouraged to set personal goals for all aspects of our lives, the surprising fact is that less than three percent of Americans have written goals. Does that surprise you? Less than three percent. Despite all the books and videos and courses, less than three percent of Americans have responded to the need to set goals by committing their objectives to paper. Perhaps this explains why so many people feel deeply dissatisfied with their lives. Without a clearly-defined goal, life lacks purpose and people tend to drift along without any sense of personal power, freedom, choice or satisfaction.

All who have accomplished great things have had a great aim, have fixed their gaze on a goal which was high, one which sometimes seemed impossible.

—Orison Swett Marden

And let’s not confuse the issue. Everyone will have an answer when asked what they’d like to have in their life. It’s fairly easy to take current circumstances and just imagine that everything’s easier, better or perhaps bigger. But that’s not how goals are shaped and crafted. We need precision. We need to identify exactly what we want to achieve. And we need to place the goal within a very precise time frame. We need to feel fully committed to doing everything in our power to make the goal a reality. Then we need to select the actions we’re going to take every day to bring our goals to fruition.

It sounds simple and straightforward enough. So, perhaps we should ask ourselves why so few people have marshaled their thoughts and resources and chosen a set of suitable goals for themselves? It’s the foundation for a successful and fulfilling life. Yet the majority of people obviously resist making the commitment to choose and write down their goals.

Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle or a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.

—???Pablo Picasso

Part of the problem seems to be that people don’t have enough belief in their power to make things happen in their lives. There’s an almost fatalistic acceptance that prompts many people to accept - albeit reluctantly – that there’s nothing they can do to change their lives. And, of course, if you believe that you don’t have any choice or power, that’s exactly how you’ll experience your life. Which is a very stressful way of living. If you don’t believe you have control over your life, you’re hardly likely to contradict your beliefs. How do you find the motivation to perform actions that you feel are futile?

Yet goals have many positive functions. They provide a compass heading for our lives. They prompt us to take action. They give us purpose and they help us to discover what we’re really capable of achieving. When we engage with our limitations and work towards overcoming them, we experience an extraordinary sense of empowerment. We recognise that we really can make a difference to our lives. We awaken the realisation that we can profoundly influence our destiny. Our lives do not have to be the way they are. We really have the power to change things.

Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy goal or ideal.

—Earl Nightingale

The starting point that launches this miraculous power of personal transformation is to find something that really excites you. Dare to dream. Dare to imagine a fabulous future for yourself, a future that’s so bright that it takes your breath away. Grant yourself permission to experience this new life to the full. Choose what your new life looks like. Breathe in the power of your vision.

Then write it down.

Decide exactly when your new life will become a reality and add this precise date to your vision. Ask yourself what you need to do to make your vision real. Make a list of the steps you need to take. Set each task into a timetable. And begin. Right away.

If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and inspires your hopes.

—Andrew Carnegie

Goals are wonderful devices for channeling your energy and your aspirations. You can evaluate the quality of your actions every day by asking yourself whether they’re serving your grander purpose – or whether they’re hindering your progress. It’s a beautifully elegant way to determine if you’re spending your precious time wisely, or squandering it on unproductive activities. And goals provide the perfect lens to filter useful acts and behaviours from the time-wasting distractions that seem to make up most of people’s lives.

When you choose a set of worthwhile goals for yourself, you’ll become more efficient, more productive, more creative, more confident and more fulfilled. A set of goals could provide you with the single greatest catalyst for change in your life. And, since less than three percent of Americans have taken the essential step of selecting and writing down their goals, this is surely one of the simplest and most direct ways for you to revolutionise your life. Right now.

You have to set goals that are almost out of reach. If you set a goal that is attainable without much work or thought, you are stuck with something below your true talent and potential.

—Steve Garvey

Take the time right now to develop your own goals – and remember to write them down. Keep a copy of your choice with you at all times and read them to yourself every hour. Let the power of your goal sink into your thoughts and feelings until the vision you’ve created for your future becomes a foundation for your reality.

Are you ready right now for a completely fresh approach to life’s great adventure? Get in touch with us today for a free session to discover how the growing global movement for personal growth, success, change and empowerment can enhance your life!

Greg Parry created the Cognitive Empowerment Programs specifically to help people master their stress, overcome their limitations and explore the power of their true potential.

If you enjoy these blogs, you can imagine how much fun it is to have Greg in the room as an inspirational and highly perceptive speaker. If you’d like to invite Greg to talk to your company or organisation or event, feel free to get in touch.

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You can contact Greg at:

[email protected]