Goal Setting - How, Why and When

One of the biggest challenges for many people is setting goals. Why do people struggle with this? In actuality, all achievement follows goals. When Henry Ford built his Model T, he started with a goal. When Steven Spielberg makes a blockbuster movie, he starts with a goal. When the United States landed a man on the moon, it started with Kennedy's goal to put a man there before the Soviet Union. So why the struggle for the average guy?

The goal-setting struggle begins with a lack of knowledge. If you don't know how to set goals, why to set goals, or when to set goals, chances are pretty good you won't set any. So let's look at each of these three goal snatchers.

How to Set Goals

Goals need to be both achievable and measurable. The human mind is like a guided missile: It has to be aimed at a target that it can reach, and it needs to measure its progress. When a guided missile is launched, it makes hundreds, maybe thousands of corrections on its way toward its target. It is constantly adjusting its course based on data it receives regarding its progress. So too the human mind. Do not think that you set a goal and then hit it. You will make course corrections the entire way, adjusting timing and direction, and maybe even getting knocked off course on occasion. But you only know whether you are off course or how to adjust your course if your progress is measured. Set your goals in small, measurable increments. As you achieve each mini goal, you gain confidence and learn how and where to adjust your course.

Why Set Goals

Because the human mind works like that guided missile, it needs to have a target. Imagine launching a missile without thought to which direction it will go. Not only are the chances of reaching the target virtually impossible, a misdirected missile could cause serious damage. Without goals, you can cause damage to your welfare, business, personal life, or in whatever area of life you have "misfired." If you don't have a work goal, for example, you could end up with no job, or a poorer job than you are capable of, which affects your financial wellbeing. Setting a goal to obtain a certain position or career, on the other hand, gives you purpose, and opportunity to be more than you are now. It also often catches the eye of those in a position to assist you in your goal.

When to Set Goals

You should set personal, spiritual, and financial goals as soon as you have an understanding of goal setting. Set goals today, after reading this article. Even if your first goal is merely to sit down with a friend, partner, or spouse to map out further goals. The first step is usually the hardest, but it opens the door to progress. When should you start? Start now. Remember what hockey legend Wayne Gretsky is quoted as saying:

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."

Set your goals, take your shots, and adjust as you go. Take small bites of the pie, and measure your success after each bite. Soon you will find the whole pie has been eaten, and you're ready for bigger desserts. Start today, remembering the old adage: "Once begun is half done." You have nothing to lose by setting your goals, but what you will gain is more than you can fathom.