Goals!
How many of us have actual goals – and ones that we can realistically achieve? I am so surprised that there are people with NO goals in life. My question is, how do you survive?? I’m always striving to achieve my goals, reaching higher, placing that bar higher and higher, trying to get more out of myself, finding more possibilities, gaining more knowledge by learning something new every day! So, when I see people with no goals in life, I have to ask, what drives you?
There are those who have an idea for a goal and say they want certain things in life. So, they dream of having a house, a car, money in the bank, a chance to travel the world, and so on. They would love to have it all without needing to work for it. All those are just dreams… it’s good to have them. But how do you make your dreams a reality? By just dreaming you don’t get much. You need to set some goals if you expect to achieve your dreams!
Dreams – we love our dreams, don’t we? Yes, we all wish we had a magic wand and could swoosh our magic wand to make our dreams come true! I remember being six years old, thinking that’s how the world worked. When we are six we are full of fairy tale dreams and wishes. When we are older we realize how different things really are. We not only need to have dreams, but we also need to be aware of where our dreams are coming from. Do they come from our heart or someone else’s imagination and wishes? Either way we do need goals in order to achieve our dreams!
What is a goal? A goal is an aim or desired result. A goal requires certain steps and valid criteria on how one can achieve the goal. That’s how dreams and goals are different. They have the same outcome, but one requires that some effort be made toward it. I can go on and on talking about how having goals in life is one of the most important things. Having goals not only helps us achieve our dreams, but it also gives us guidance in our day-to-day life.
When you are working toward your goal you see things differently. You are more likely to adjust your goals as you begin to see that there are more possibilities or different possibilities out there. This is great because you get to explore a variety of options, versus just sticking to what you think your goal should be. When you explore the options of one goal, you may realize that there is another goal that you want to achieve. The more you explore, the more you learn. You discover that you not only have more options, but you also have different options. The best way to learn is by exploring!
Why is having goals so important? Without goals we are just stuck in our “wonderland.” Without goals we are not evolving, we are not going anywhere. Without goals we are stagnant, not moving forward in life. Having a goal is a fantastic way to change your life. It is a wonderful way to continue growing as an individual. I am the biggest supporter of personal growth and the best way to grow and achieve things in life is to have goals.
Here are some steps you can take to achieve your goal:
- Pick your dream, making sure that it is an achievable dream as you will be the one who would have to work toward it. One of the toughest things I ever had to do was to figure out if the dream I had was my dream or did I copy it from someone else? Did I really want that for me? Or did it just sound pretty and exciting, so I decided that it should be my dream as well?
- Write it down in your journal/notebook. Make it a goal! “My goal is to…..”
- Write down a reasonable date by which you want to achieve your goal.
- Write down the steps that you need to take. (Don’t skip steps as each one is crucial and can either make or break the deal!) Those steps will help you toward your goal. It is common to adjust a few steps as you go but keep on going. Keep an eye on your due date and you will achieve it.
- Take the first step within 24-72 hours! Do not wait! If you do not take your first step and just procrastinate, you most likely will not reach your goal. This is just how it works. This means that this is most likely not really important to you, or you really don’t want to achieve this particular goal. The longer you wait to take your first step and the rest, the longer you will have to wait for your dream to come true.
- Stay motivated, do not give up.
NOTE: You probably don’t want to work on more than two goals at a time. Just like anything else, reaching your goal will require your commitment and time. So, if you write down five goals and all 30 steps with each of those goals – you will probably drop the ball at some point, you will burn yourself out and give up halfway there.
I know this may seem easier said than done. But hey, if you want it badly enough – then you will get going. And if you do not want it badly enough – then maybe this is not your goal, but someone else’s? There is no sugar coating here, it is what it is! Your life, your dreams, your goals! Take charge! No one else will. Keep dreaming and keep achieving your goals!