Why we need goals: 4 Tips to goal setting

In this strange Covid-19 world we all have time to think about what we REALLY want out of life going forwards

Published by Steve Foreman on Aug 01, 2020

Firstly, what is a goal? Wikipedia states that ‘A goal is an idea of the future or desired result that a person or a group of people envision, plan and commit to achieve.

Goals can be health related, such as achieve 10,000 steps every day, finance related, for example retire by the age of 55, they can be applied to any area of your life.

## The question is, why bother?

A goal can bring purpose and meaning. It can provide a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Your goals can be long or short term but be aware that your short-term goals should always be there to help you achieve your long-term goal. You may have one big goal, one main objective but have many smaller goals that will help on your journey towards achieving it.

## So, what are the 4 tips to good goals?

To be successful you need to be clear on what your goal is, what you want to achieve. A vague idea of what you want, is not enough. The more clarity you have, the more specific actions you can then put in place to help you accomplish your goal.

The goal needs to be realistic. Everyone has dreams but are they reasonable, are they obtainable? Your dream is not necessarily your goal. If your goal is unachievable, you risk becoming demotivated and indifferent towards your goal. You will stop working towards it and any progress made may be lost.

How will you know if you have achieved your goal? How will you measure success? Goals need to be very specific and have realistic timescales so that you know when you have accomplished it and can therefore celebrate your success. Realizing your goal can bring a huge sense of fulfilment to your life.

Always remember that your goals belong to you. People may disagree with your goal, doubt your ability to achieve it but you must believe in yourself and take ownership of it. Having a goal can give you focus and move you away from distractions. Research has shown that having a goal can stop you procrastinating, it can motivate and bring momentum to your life.

As a result of this pandemic, most of us now have time and space to think, use this time wisely. What do you want to achieve over the coming months and years? Give this some serious thought and develop your own goal(s), it really will give you a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Plan it, live it, achieve it!