Goals and Their Importance
When it comes to achieving our dreams and desires it can be tedious to always rely on discussing goals. Goals, goals, goals. We all have them, right? But how many of us manage to complete all of them? Show of hands. My hand isn’t up either. What gives?
Goals Actually Help
Whether we know it or not, goals and pursuit of them plays a defining role in the way we see ourselves and others. When a person is focused and goal-oriented, they are more likely to have a more positive approach towards their life and view failures as temporary setbacks, rather than personal shortcomings or character flaws in themselves.
Goals Keep Us in Check
In order for us to be successful at goal completion we must acknowledge that goals help us face reality. We can’t pursue a goal and delude ourselves for very long. When we begin the serious work of pursuing a goal we end up needing to take stock of our lives in the light of day.
Another aspect of goal setting and pursuing is the self-evaluation. If we take an honest inventory of ourselves, that can lead to self-confidence as we begin to tick off smaller goals leading to our bigger one. A note on the self-inventory, it is meant to be honest, not mean. If all you’re coming up with are negatives, stop, breathe, and start again. Your list is not going to be all negative nor will it be all positive.
When we face reality and push for honesty self-inventory then we become aware of our strengths and weaknesses and are then able to choose actions that are in line with our potentials. Ideally, you should be able to see where your strengths lie and where you may need to bolster your strategies.
When Goals Aren’t Met
If we train our mind to think about what we want in life and begin the work towards reaching it, the brain will begin to rewire itself to meet the ideal self-image and makes it an active part of our identity. When we achieve the goal, we achieve fulfillment, and if we don’t, our brain keeps nudging us until we achieve it. This is why, if you have ever had that nagging feeling to circle back to the same goal again and again, you will find yourself continuously coming back to it until you either complete it or release it.
This nagging feeling doesn’t feel good. So, all December we will be looking at goal setting, strategies, and what to do about and with them. As January marches closer, discussions of resolutions will no doubt gain popularity once more, and this time we will all be prepared. We will discuss what happens when a goal isn’t met in another post.
Stay tuned for a blog post on goal setting, an example of what kinds of goals exist, and how to utilize them in your life.
