- By James Stevenson -
The importance of goal setting, I believe, is huge. I hope as you read, you feel a fresh sense of the significance of continually setting your own goals in life.
Making a strong decision that you'll achieve something important to you, and choosing when you'll do it, then coming up with a load of ways to get there... this is a really important life-skill to get good at...
It can improve your health, maximise your learning, and fuel your personal development: many of the ingredients for a fulfilled life. It's a skill that when used consistently over time can support achievement in all areas of life.
In order to shed further light on the importance of goal setting lets look at the opposite which can often seem attractive as it's seen as low pressure, less constricted and controlled.
Let's imagine I didn't set goals for a while. I just take each day as it comes. In terms of my direction for the year.
I have some vague ideas. I think I should be healthier, and try to find a girlfriend. I guess I should try and find a better job.
This is all fine really. The majority of people live this way and often quite happily. Plodding along the same way year after year. The thing that is missing however is drive, challenge.
Without a sense of powerful drive and exciting new challenge it is impossible to fulfil our potential.
Without taking our dreams seriously they remain as just that, vague dreams that always remain out of our reach.
So where do you think this non-goal-setter guy is going? Think he's going to find him dream job? Think he's going to become healthier than he has ever been? Maybe he will.
But the chances of this are low. It's more likely although knowing where he wants to go very little will change. I can say this because I've seen it so many times. Without a concrete determination being made, real change rarely happens.
If however goals are set then the key missing ingredient will be created. Motivation to actually do it. This is why it's so important to set your own personal targets.
I have both "goal-setting challenging James" and "the other James" in me. Both exist in me as potentials.
One is a function of my weaker self, and the other my stronger self. I think that each person has a weaker and a stronger self and can operate as one and the other many times in the course of a single day.
Don't get me wrong. People can be successful without goal setting. Some people are born into good circumstances. They are born surrounded by influence. They are born into money.
Perhaps, without any special efforts they can have all their desires realised at the click of a finger. But there is no fulfilment in this. How much did they really grow? Would they ever truly understand the struggles of everyday people and be able to empathise?
James Stevenson is the owner of WiseGoals.com. Living in the UK, but also working internationally on-line, James is also a highly qualified, experienced, and accredited trauma-aware wellbeing coach at TraumaAwareCoaching.co.uk. He works with clients in a future focused and solution orientated way by exploring what the good life or a flourishing life might look like for them. Harnessing that motivation, obstacles that come with trauma like the toxic inner critic, self-blaming, self-judgement, fear and avoidance, anxiety, depression, and intense and confusing emotions are worked through. More about James here.
Jun 30, 22 10:29 AM
Do you find it difficult to concentrate on your goal? Keeping focused on what matters can be hard. There is often good reason for what's happening...
Jun 18, 22 08:49 AM
Are you trying to change a bad habit? Create a shift in your view with 8 scientifically supported tips. These top insights from psychology empower you to change!
Jun 17, 22 05:32 AM
Nice variety of blank goal setting templates for you to use in various ways. Perfect of you have a project and want to choose the language or the focus.
Jun 14, 22 09:30 AM
You can use these goal setting worksheets to think through your goals and future dreams. They include: creating a long term vision, and your main goal right now
Jun 10, 22 10:33 AM
Set body goals here and you'll have the highest chance of making progress. Give it a try! Grounded in scientific study these methods will get you going
Many thanks to the kind people who let me use their wonderful art work
''You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.'' - C.S. Lewis by QuotesEverlasting. Attribution 2.0 Generic.
Old Beech tree @ Planken Wambuis by JP (text has been added by me). Attribution 2.0 Generic.
New! Comments
Have your say about what you've just read! Leave a comment in the box below