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Beam Me Up Scotty!
…Let’s Set Goals
Yesterday I set out from my City apartment for a doctor’s appointment in Kenmore. I have two doctors in the western suburbs: my GP in Taringa and my skin doctor in Kenmore. Once on Coronation Drive, all I had to do was turn right after the Wesley Hospital and join the western freeway. Instead I found myself passing through Toowong bound for Taringa. Of course I still reached Kenmore but not before I’d been detained unnecessarily by five sets of traffic lights.
What went wrong?
Well firstly, I didn’t have the destination (the goal) or the map (the strategy) fixed firmly in my head before I jumped in the car. Secondly, I was distracted by other matters and didn’t pay due heed to landmarks (key performance indicators) along the way.
Over time there have been, quite literally, thousands of studies conducted on what is known in the literature as “goal orientation”. Research shows that when people have goals they are more likely to reach their goals - think about that one! – and when goals are written down we tend to be more committed to them.
We know that a successful business owner sets targets/goals around key measurable areas of the business. Setting reachable goals for ourselves I believe is just as essential for life success.
You see goals begin in our imagination. They not only stretch our minds but provide our heading and compass. Just as a business owner measures performance by how well the business goals are achieved, so too we measure our performance by how successfully we achieve our goals. More importantly, when reached, they become milestones of achievement and as such contribute to our personal growth and strength.
You’ll notice I’ve highlighted “reachable goals”. There is absolutely nothing wrong with setting high goals and stepping out of our comfort zones with a big stretch. However, reaching our goals shouldn’t cause us stress through constant struggle. If we’re struggling then maybe we need to exercise a little patience, slow down and enjoy the ride or otherwise assess whose goal it is in the first instance, and if it’s aligned with our true values, our true purpose, our true needs and indeed what we truly want.
As I said earlier, a successful business usually has several goals around key measurable areas (finance, customers, products, service and so on). Similarly, for life success, it’s important that, rather than focusing exclusively on a single goal, we set goals around key life areas (for example relationships, career, health, spirituality or fun) w