WHY IS GOAL SETTING SO IMPORTANT?

GOAL SETTING

I have been told by many sources that goal setting is one of the most important tasks necessary to become successful.  It’s imperative you write them out and display them in a place you can see them every day.  You must constantly be reminded of what you’re working towards and you have to be able to visualize yourself accomplishing your goals to have them become a reality.  Your goals will constantly change, but it’s really important to have something you’re working towards to stay focused and motivated.  If you don’t take these necessary steps, you will soon find out you feel you’re spinning circles and you’re not really working towards anything. 

There are three types of goals you must write down—immediate, short-term and long-term goals.

IMMEDIATE GOALS

            

Immediate goals are goals you will accomplish on a day-to-day basis.  Every morning you wake up you will have your daily goals to look forward to accomplishing.  It’s these goals which will move you towards your short and long-term goals.  Make sure you don’t skip over these goals because they’re absolutely imperative on your journey towards success. 

I want you to think of taking a road trip cross country.  You live in California, and you’re planning to drive to Florida.  Let’s say, for example, you decide to take the trip without any plan.  You just jump in the car and start driving.  You know you have to go east, but are uncertain as to which freeways you need to take to make it the entire distance.  Sure you can stop and ask for directions, but what if you’re out in the middle of nowhere and there’s no one around?  After driving a few hours you begin to get hungry.  You were in such a hurry to get to Florida you forgot to grab your wallet and you didn’t bring any snacks with you.  It starts to rain.  You run out of gas and are stranded on the side of the road without a change of clothes.  You will eventually make it to Florida but it’s going to be a very harsh and long journey. 

If you don’t plan out your trip, it may take you ten times as long to arrive at your destination than if you would have taken a little time to plan before embarking on the journey. 

Now, let’s say you do just that.  You sit down and spend about one whole day planning out your trip.  You make a list of all the items you will need.  You pack enough clothes and go to the store to buy enough food, snacks, and beverages to last you for ten days.  You make sure you have plenty of gas in your car and double check you have your wallet with you before you leave your house.  And lastly, you go on Google Maps to make sure you know exactly how to get to your destination. 

It’s amazing how the power of planning and visualization will get you to your destination swiftly and smoothly when done ahead of time. 

SHORT-TERM GOALS

Short-term goals are those you want to accomplish within one year.  They are smaller accomplishments which aren't extremely hard to achieve but will take focus and dedication.  These goals may include purchasing a new computer or a new wardrobe, receiving a promotion at work, taking an annual vacation, or even purchasing a really special gift for your significant other’s birthday.

Currently, one of my most important short-term goals is to write this e-book.  Every day I have to work on my immediate goals, which are to sit down and write, even if only for a few minutes at a time, to achieve my short-term goal of writing this book.  I know it’s going to take me about a month to finish the book because there are so many thoughts I want to write about, but it takes extended periods of time to materialize them.  Even though I’m only moving an inch at a time, I will have moved ten feet and be done with my book before even realizing it.

A few more of my short-term goals are to purchase a new computer, service my car, buy new clothes, pay my debts off to my family, buy a new clothes dryer and repair my living room TV.  I have been on a lucky streak lately (sarcastic).  For some strange reason all of my appliances and electronics failed within a very short span of time.  Instead of getting too upset about it, I wrote down under my short-term goals that I would like to repair and/or purchase new stuff within six months.  Since I’m visualizing it on a daily basis, it’s giving me something to work towards and before I know it, I will have replaced and repaired everything on the list!

LONG-TERM GOALS

Long-term goals are the most difficult to achieve.  They are goals that are usually five to ten years down the road.  They will take careful planning, complete dedication, and absolute focus to accomplish. 

I have been told, "Anything in life worth having will not come easy."  This statement is very true!  Think back to a time when you wanted something really bad but you knew it was going to be extremely difficult to get.  This could be a new car, a diamond ring, or even a dream vacation. 

I remember when I started college.  I thought I was never going to finish.  I went to college for six years straight without ever taking a break; I even went to summer school a few times.  On top of school, I worked an average of thirty hours per week my entire college career.  It wasn’t until I had one year left that I saw light at the end of the tunnel. 

As soon as I received my degree, I had accomplished a long-term goal I had set for myself as a young child.  I had always known I was going to go to college and get an education no matter what challenges I would have to face.  When I was through, I felt amazing about myself because even when the times were tough, I never gave up.  I kept trucking along every semester, even though my motivation was almost non-existent at times.  I visualized myself as a college graduate and through the power of visualization I manifested the long-term goal into my reality. 

I have been out of college since 2003 and my long-term goals have changed.  Some of them include financial independence, getting out of debt, starting a family, taking my dream vacation to Europe, and owning a home.  I have written all of these down and am reminded of them on a daily basis.  I will not rest until they’re all accomplished!

Now it's your turn!  

Visit www.cloaka.com to learn more about accomplishing your goals and how CloakA Communications may be of assistance.