“In the absence of clearly defined goals, we are forced to concentrate on activity and ultimately become enslaved by it.” — Charles Coorandt
Have you written clearly defined goals for your future and made plans to accomplish them? Would it surprise you to know that most people, 97 percent by some accounts, do not have clear written goals? Successful people understand the power of creating clearly written goals for all areas of their lives including career, relationships, health and finance. Do you want to join the top 3 percent of people who understand the power of goal setting?
If goals are so important, why is goal setting not a subject being taught in school? If you Google the term goal on the Internet, you get over 150 million results referencing the topic. Head over to www.Amazon.com and you will find more than 100,000 books that discuss the topic of goals and goal setting. Could it be possible we are so overexposed on the subject of goals it doesn’t even get our attention anymore?
I recently read a book by Brian Tracey, “Goals,” in which he mentioned four reasons why people don’t set goals:
1. They think goals aren’t important. First, many people don’t realize the importance or the power of goals. If you grow up in a home or environment where goals are not discussed or valued, it is easy to understand why someone would not have experience or skills in setting clear goals.
2. They don’t know how. The second reason people don’t have goals is because they don’t know how to set clear and specific goals in all areas of their lives. Some people might think they have goals but when examined the goals are vague, not written and lack a time element for completion.
3. They have a fear of failure. The third reason people don’t set goals is because of a fear of failure. Failure can be emotionally painful. People think failure is avoidable but it is not. Everyone fails and makes mistakes in life. In Dr. Cherie Carter-Scott’s book, “If Life Is a Game, These Are the Rules,” she presents a list called “Rules for Being Human.” Some of the rules in life include:
- You will learn lessons.
- There are no mistakes — only lessons.
- A lesson is repeated until it is learned.
- If you don’t learn the easy lessons, they get harder. (Pain is one way the universe gets your attention.)
- You’ll know you’ve learned a lesson when your actions change.
4. They have a fear of rejection. The fourth reason people don’t set goals is because of a fear of rejection. People are afraid if they set a goal and are not successful others will criticize or ridicule them. This is why it is a good reason to never share your goals with anyone who is not totally supportive and understanding of your desires.
Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, concluded all human action is purposeful in some way. You are happy only when you are doing something that is moving you toward something you want. Earl Nightingale said, “Happiness is the progressive realization of a worthy idea or goal.” The late Zig Ziglar said, “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” I believe the secret to great goals is to make them specific to your desires and in sync with your personal values.
So what are your goals? Are your goals clear and written down on paper? Are your goals aligned with your purpose, desires and passions in life? Do your goals cover all areas of your life including relationships, spiritual, work and career, health and body, financial, travel and adventure, possessions, home and creativity? It is never too late to get started, so pick up a pen and start writing. Remember, it is not where you start but how you finish that counts.
For more information, contact Scott Whitelaw at scott@scottwhitelaw.com.
