It is a tradition to set goals at the beginning of each year, but sticking to those goals proves to be very challenging. According to numerous researches only 3% of people set goals, why so low I ask?
Another study conducted on students by Mark McCormack at Harvard MBA program, 1979, in that he asked students the following questions: "Have you set clear, written goals for your future and made plans to accomplish them?" Only 3% of the graduates had written goals and plans; 13% had goals, but they were not in writing; and 84% had no specific goals at all. Ten years later, the same members of the class were interviewed again, and the findings were incredible. The 13% of the class who had goals were earning, on average, twice as much as the 84% who had no goals at all. What about the 3% who had clear, written goals? They were earning, on average, ten times as much as the other 97% put together. All this proves that Goal Setting is a fundamental component of successful goal achievement; it gives you clarity on what you ultimately want and by far the most important exercise in ones’ life.
Below are 5 key reasons why setting goals is so important:
1. It Gives You Clarity
Setting your goals gives you clarity on what you want to achieve. It helps you crystallize and articulate your heart desires and ensure that you put time, energy and effort into things that really matter in your life. It makes you live more consciously.
2. It Drives You
Your goals are a representation of your inner desires; desires that motivate and inspire you. They are a source of motivation and the fuel that drives you when the going gets tough. When you don’t have goals, it is easy to find yourself getting distracted by everything that’s going on around you.
Until you clearly articulate what you want as a specific goal, you are not channeling your efforts properly. You may think you are driving in the certain direction, but with no clearly defined goals, you have no focus.
3. It gives you focus
Your goals help you focus your time, efforts and energy on exactly what needs to be achieved. When you don’t have goals, you find yourself wondering around every day, have you ever found yourself surfing the net or chatting excessively or maybe running errands that play no role in your larger scope of life but you are not aware because you are just living life as it is? A goal acts as your funnel which guides and channels those inputs effectively into your desired output.
Remember No Goals…No Focus.
4. Makes You Accountable
Setting goals makes you accountable. Having someone, alongside you to make you accountable is extremely important. It enables you to have someone who's always reminding you of when you're falling behind on your goals and keeps you motivated to remain on track.
It creates positive pressure.
5. Achieve Your Potential
Humans are creatures of comfort, there is nothing wrong with being in your comfort zone, unless you get too comfortable and start holding yourself back instead of challenging yourself to learn, grow and try new things. Your goals will help you step out of your comfort zone and allow you to reach new heights by giving you challenges that can make you better.
Start Setting Goals, make a habit of daily goal setting and achieving, for the rest of your life. Focus on the things you want, rather than the things you don't want.
