Do you struggle to set goals? No? Maybe you’re like me and struggle to accomplish goals? Yes? Does that sound more like you?
Either way, goal setting can be brutal. I’ve struggled with setting goals throughout my career and life. I’ve never been one to want to set goals.
Today, I want to share 5 thoughts on goal setting. I may encourage you to change the way you think about goals or my ideas may spark something within you.
5 Thoughts On Goal Setting
Goals that focus on money are dangerous:
Having a financial goal is great. Pamela and I had set the goal to be completely debt-free years ago. We accomplished this goal when we paid off the mortgage on our house.
Paying off our mortgage freed up a lot of capital. We no longer had to pay a monthly mortgage and we no longer had that dreaded PMI.
It’s great to be free from the bondage of debt. However, goals that focus strictly on money can be dangerous.
You become so laser-focused that you forget about everything else. Plus, you rarely have an idea of what to do after you reach your money-focused goal.
Goals need to be challenging but possible:
A lot of us will set easily obtainable goals. Who wants to face defeat, right?!?
Yet, these easy goals will never push us or stretch us. We’ll achieve them but will we feel satisfaction?
I doubt it.
Focus on setting goals that are challenging but still possible. These are goals that seem just outside of your comfort zone.
By setting these goals, you have to strive to reach them. When you do, you feel that immense sense of accomplishment.
Goals that are short-term will push you to get things done:
Our goals don’t have to be long-term goals. Long-term goals often never end, because we lose sight of the goal.
Setting goals you can accomplish in a day or a week is fantastic.
Why? Because you can see the finish line. You can easily course-correct. You can check the goal off of the list.
If you’re goal-setting, make sure you have some short-term goals on the list. You’ll be amazed at how much you can get done when the goals are able to be completed quickly.
Goals make you feel better:
Have you ever finished a goal and felt a surge of energy? You feel empowered, maybe even that you can take on the world.
That’s what a great goal does for you. Completed goals will boost your morale.
Work on finishing the goals you’ve set before you tackle any more goals. Once your list is manageable, then you can set more goals.
Goals allow you to focus:
Are you like the squirrel? Does every new thing catch your attention? Eventually, you chase the latest new thing only to be run over by a car. Whoops!
Goals allow you to focus on what needs to be done. You have a list of things to accomplish. It’s there for you in black and white (or maybe gold, pink, and blue if you use different colors of ink).
Knowing your goals allow you to focus on what needs to be done. Use goals to narrow your focus to what matters.
Goals
I hope you’re interested in trying to set a few goals for your life and career. The more you’re able to get into the habit of goal-setting, the more you’ll get done. Don’t let your fear of goals keep you from going after them.
