A well thought out and well-written goal can prove to be a powerful personal and professional success tool. Goals that are specific, measurable and motivating make life more exciting and less stressful. There is power in knowing where you’re going and why you’re headed there.
Here are seven reasons goal setting is important:
1. Goals are guideposts to the future. Goals are a tangible way for measuring your progress as you go from where you are now, to where you want to be in the future. There is a sense of calmness that develops when you have an idea of what you want, why you want to achieve it and when it will become reality.
Goals are specific and measurable – they give you a time frame for getting from where you are now to where you’ll be heading in the coming weeks, months or years. There is a certain peacefulness that comes from knowing you have a viable and workable plan of action – it’s almost like having a crystal ball.
2. Goals focus attention on what is possible. It’s easy to become distracted on those things that aren’t important especially when you aren’t clear about what you want to achieve today, tomorrow or next year. Life becomes more focused when you are clear about what you want to accomplish and by when. Clearly written goals help focus your attention on what is most important for going positively forward.
3. Goals are a way to organize time and energy. When you know where you are going and when you plan on being there, you’ll use your time and energy wisely. I think of it as having a road map to the future. A road map helps you plan out your travel so you can easily get from Point A to Point B. That’s exactly what a well written goal can do, help you decide the best use of your time and energy to get you from where you are now to where you want to be in the future.
4. Goals provide hope, motivation and enthusiasm for the future. Goals can become powerful and exciting inner motivators. A well-written goal can produce a vivid mental and emotional picture of the future, a picture so vivid that you’ll want to get up each morning eager to work on those activities that take you toward the future.
5. Goals give you purpose and direction. Your goals should give you an over-all sense of purpose for going forward each day. Goals help plan your day-to-day activities so you’re consistently making progress toward what you want to achieve. Goals keep you going in the direction of your hopes and dreams.
6. Goals give you a sense of pride and accomplishment. Setting goals is the first step but achieving your goals brings a true sense of accomplishment. YourDictionary.com defines accomplishment as: something accomplished or done successfully; work completed; achievement.
Close your eyes and imagine your most exciting goal as if it were already reality. How does it feel to be living that goal? It’s that sense of pride and accomplishment that will keep you going day-to-day until you actually make your goals reality.
7. Goals can create a bigger, bolder and brighter future. Without our goals, life can often seem dull, unexciting and without meaning or purpose. Goals allow you to use your imagination to dream of the possibilities and go for our dreams. People who set goals allow themselves to dream bigger and bolder about the future and, they are generally more motivated and positive about life. Life’s too short not to go for your BIG goals!
In my opinion, there is nothing sadder than a person without goals. I believe that without a goal, life doesn’t have a defined purpose.
What are your bigger, bolder and brighter goals for the future? Let us know so we can cheer you on and encourage your vision of the future.
Copyright © 2009 Sharon Michaels – All Rights Reserved
For over twenty years Sharon Michaels has been writing, speaking and empowering women to achieve greater personal and professional success. Sharon mentors/coaches women on learning to recognize the things they’re doing that may be keeping them from the things they want. Sign up for Sharon’s free weekly Ezine Unlimited Success For Women and have professional success strategies and personal development how-to’s sent directly to your email inbox.
