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Introduction
Before you go on, you must understand what you wish to accomplish. At the end of the day, how can you make the 5-star pizza if you don’t have a list of ingredients or even the name of the dish?
In the journey of life, setting and achieving goals is like navigating the vessel of our dreams. Whether big or small, goals give us direction, purpose, and a roadmap to self-fulfillment. For that exact reason, you must learn to define goal setting and use it to your advantage.
The Art of Goal Setting
1. Clarity and Vision:
Setting goals provides clarity to our aspirations. What exactly do you aim to accomplish? Why is that? In what way do you plan on accomplishing that goal? Why not another way? Will it be easy, or will it not? What challenges may you come along the way? Are there ways to avoid them or not? How unbalanced will your life be for xyz amount of time?
Be sure to define your goals with precision, and envision the life you desire. Whether personal or professional, having a clear vision is the first step towards fulfillment.
2. SMART Goals:
To ensure your goals are effective, make them SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This framework turns abstract desires into tangible objectives, making the path more manageable and measurable.
And even if they don’t follow that theorem, set goals that hold meaning to you.
For example:
Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to get better grades? Do you want to make more money? Do you want to start a business? Do you want to finish high school on time? Do you want to get that dream job of yours?
Of course, those are all big goals, but that’s what make them more significant at the end of the day. The more important they are to you, the more willing you will be to complete them.
3. Break it Down:
BUT, to ensure your success early on, set small, achievable goals. Create a roadmap of these small goals, and that end, big, shiny goal of yours is bound to be fulfilled.
Why Bother? (Impact)
1. Motivation and Focus:
Goals act as powerful motivators. They provide a focal point for our energy and attention. When you have a target, you’re less likely to be swayed by distractions.
After all, if you’re in racing competition and there’s no set mark for where racers finish, when will racers know to stop?
Goals are essential marks for your journey in accomplishing great things in life. The concentration and determination that you’ll be awarded with will foster a mindset that propels you towards success.
2. Overcoming Challenges:
Challenges are an inevitable part of life. However, when you have clearly defined goals, you develop resilience. Challenges become stepping stones rather than roadblocks, pushing you to find creative solutions and develop essential life skills.
My best tip here is to embrace those challenges. There will be some days when you want to quit. There will be times where your life is out-of-place and extremely unbalanced. There will be moments in which you ask yourself if you are doing the right thing. There will be days where you question everything and ask yourself the purpose of running that 26-mile marathon when you could’ve been relaxing at home watching television.
That’s life.
So, get used to it. Life isn’t meant to be easy, if you wish to carve meaning.
3. Increased Self-Esteem:
In the long run, who would end up happier?
- The person who ran 5 miles every day, ate healthy, drank plenty of water, and lost 15 pounds over the course of 3 weeks
- The person who sat down at home scrolling on his phone, eating nothing but junk food, and feeling like sh*t after just a week
Ultimately, it is you who chooses what to do with your life. But, in my opinion, I feel better knowing that everything -or at least a majority of it- goes towards something important a few years from now, not tomorrow.
And besides, the higher your self-esteem is after achieving those goals, the more accustomed your brain will be towards completing difficult tasks to get dopamine bursts, and the more inclined you will be towards accomplishing meaningful goals. Trust me, those are the best.
Actionable Step
Write down 3 goals you have in mind. Make them small, and don’t make them anything overly major just yet.
Next, I want you to ask yourself why you want to accomplish those goals. How will it impact you next month? Next year? Next decade?
Next, I want you to create a plan for how you’ll complete those goals of yours. They don’t need to be a full-fledged plan, but just a plan that’s enough to get you across the finish line.
Lastly, I want you to take action. Don’t wait for next week or next year to come around, because that only sets your mind on overdrive and lets it overthink to an extent that you don’t want to do it anymore. If you can avoid that, then you’re already ahead of the game.
Conclusion
In the grand tapestry of life, goal setting is the thread that weaves our dreams into reality. It’s a journey that transcends the destination, enriching us with experiences, growth, and ultimately, fulfillment. So, set your goals and be prepared to embark on a journey with nothing but suffering, pain, and happiness.
