Setting Goals - The Reason We're All Obsessed About It & Why Set Goals

WHY SET GOALS?

We always hear about setting and reaching goals as the way to attain success in life. But why set goals? How does setting goals benefit you? That’s what we will be discussing today.

‘It concerns us to know the purposes we seek in life, for then, like archers aiming at a definite mark, we shall be more likely to attain what we desire.’

- Aristotle

Let’s focus on the above quote from Aristotle for a moment. It was this quote that especially inspired me to write this post today. A few weeks ago it was the beginning of 2016, and of course during that period we hear a lot, a lot and a lot of talk about setting goals.

It’s the beginning of the year, and people are on the hunt to find and set out applicable goals for themselves.

But why?

I’ve generally always been one who likes to set goals for myself also, and I found that the above quote by Aristotle perhaps summarizes THE REASON for setting goals- in one of the best ways possible.

Who here enjoys archery? Or darts?

Got a question for you: How many times are you more likely to miss your target if you just randomly hurl the arrow into the air? Is it realistic for you to hit the bull’s eye if you look at the wall behind you?

Even for the most skilled archer, I’d still say PROBABLY NOT.

It makes a lot more sense to focus your strengths on your aim. To calculate the distance, angle, position you need to throw from in order to get the bull’s eye.

And that’s the way it is with setting goals.

I think one of the most important parts of setting goals is the part before you make your decision and ACTUALLY SET the goal.

The part where you think, hard and long about where you are, what is missing, and where you need to be.

Setting goals includes a VITAL moment of reflection where you look at your past work and openly assess yourself. It involves a whole lot of honesty with yourself, which is not always easy.

It’s been said that this sort of self and life analysis involves ‘speaking to yourself’.

I believe that many times we don’t actually talk to ourselves half as much as we really need to.
We tend to go through days and weeks just living life but not really thinking about why we are living it the way we are.

However, forming realistic goals can dramatically change things and set you on a path to success.

So, since you were wondering, here are 3 specific ways that setting goals makes you better.

1. Helps you start afresh

2. You can achieve something extremely difficult

3. Building Confidence through Your Record

1. So the first reason why you may want to set goals: It helps you start afresh.

If you want to change something major about your life, setting goals is one of the best ways to go about it.

Setting a goal involves creating an action plan and it provides with hope that you can move forward despite past happenings.

You can get really specific and say no 'I don’t like this, I don’t like this, I don’t like that'. And then you can make plans to completely turn those things around, at the same time - creating a lifestyle that you can be proud of.

Goals essentially allow you to turn the page, pull out a fresh new sheet...and scribble to your heart’s content until you produce a draft of the way you truly want things to go.

There’s no lingering here. With goals you are going ever forward.

2. Setting goals can also help you to achieve something that you might have initially thought to be really difficult.

Don’t gulp it all down in one go. Spread it out. Br br bruki down.

With goals you can break your plan down into smaller, bite sized steps and work your way through.

I mean, we usually set goals with the idea of achieving bigger goals down the line. If you just wake up own morning and try to change everything, it is not likely going to be easy.

But you can wake up that morning, think about ways that you will achieve the end objective and then start from somewhere relatively small at first. Building off the sequential stepping stones we like to call goals.

Goals are the way ‘Some day’ Dreams turn into Real life accomplishments. How about that?

3. The third reason why you should set goals is that setting goals helps you to build your confidence.

Every time you start and finish something and accomplish your goal- it’s a break through.

It’s amazing to finally get that achievement checked off the to-do list….but really... the benefits go way past that; you open more doors for yourself.

This is because when you achieve success with your goal, you prove (TO YOURSELF) that you can do what you set your mind to and this can really encourage you in the occasional moment when you may feel like a failure or hopelessly ‘stuck’.

Achieving your goal can make you feel incredibly good.

Mmmm. There’s no greater feeling than setting goals and actually achieving it.

Why? Because the whole process changes the way you look at issues, the way you think. It changes your whole outlook on life.

The list of things that you believed so adamantly to be impossible- slowly but surely thins out while your self-confidence and is built up.

And it’s such a crazy thing when that happens, because you soon find out that when everyone else is complaining about future/possible life events that they want/not sure about/slightly dreading – you realize that you are not in a state of panic.

You’re actually quite optimistic. Because your record of setting (and smashing) goals has taught you the importance of being consistent and persistent.

And that it works.

It’s ridiculously exciting.

Just think about it: working on your goal and setting more goals is your mechanism for reaching what you really want in life.

After all, gold medals aren’t really made out of gold. They’re made of hard work, perspiration, and a hard to find alloy called guts.

Yes, you have to have the guts to envision yourself where you belong, plus the attitude and work ethic to physically take you there.

You are taking action, you are taking the power into your own hands. Setting goals is really commendable because you aren’t sitting on the side waiting for things to happen or waiting for someone else to try and control you.

You have your future in your hands, to a huge extent.

And that my friend, is truly amazing.

So, Why set goals? What would you say?