Do you have clear goals? Are you living the life you are capable of living?
Most people aren't.
Henry David Thoreau said that most people live "lives of quiet desperation."
Most people go through life aimlessly, without clear and compelling objectives.
Here are seven reasons to identify and pursue clear goals (by the way, if you want tips and reminders to go after your business goals, subscribe to Small Business Sunday - it's FREE.):
They Are the Starting Point for Achievement
Setting goals is the first step to turning the invisible into the visible.
-- Tony Robbins
Before anything happens in the real world, it first has to happen in the mind. Defining your aspirations is the starting point for achievement. What do you want to create?
They Provide a Blueprint for Success
If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.
-- Henry David Thoreau
Dreams are the seeds for our achievement. Goals turn your dreams into a destination. Once you turn your vision into a target, it becomes easier to create the plan.
They Keep you Focused
No one can hit their target with their eyes closed.
-- Paulo Coelho
It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and lose sight of what you're trying to accomplish. Goals help you keep your eyes on the prize, and they keep you focused on where you're going, especially when times get tough.
They Turn Obstacles into Opportunity
To conquer frustration, one must remain intensely focussed on the outcome, not the obstacles.
-- T.F. Hodge
You will meet with frustration in your pursuits. Having a clear goal will help you look past your roadblock. When the destination is clear, obstacles turn into opportunities, stepping stones to success.
They Help You Become the Leader You Want to Be
What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.
-- Zig Ziglar
You grow in the pursuit of your goals. The prize is not in attaining your dream but in your personal growth, and it's the journey that provides the actual reward.
They Force You to Face Reality
A goal without a plan is just a wish.
-- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
The rubber meets the road when you turn your goal into a project. Are you dreaming ready to take action? If you want to achieve your goals, you must create an execution plan and work on your project.
You Are Capable of More
If you go to work on your goals, your goals will go to work on you.
-- Jim Rohn
You have untapped potential. Setting and pursuing goals helps you tap into that potential and fulfill your purpose.
What Are Your Goals?
Take some time to create your goals. Consider these questions:
- What were you put on this planet to do?
- What are your heart's true desires?
- Who are you capable of becoming?
The answers to those questions will help you start to turn the invisible into the visible. Create one to three tangible goals from those answers and then create a plan to achieve them.
Finally, go to work on your plan. Take it one step at a time. You grow and become better with each step.
Let the goal go to work on you. Be excited for who you will become.