GOAL DIGGER: The Power Behind Setting Goals

Life without goals, is like a race without a finish line…making your favorite dish only for your viewing pleasure… getting certified for a job, but never submitting an application. Do you catch my drift? IT MAKES NO SENSE!

I’m well aware that goals are often set, and later trashed. But do you want to know why this is okay? That trash worthy goal, got you off your bottom to work towards something better in your life. Chances are, maybe that goal didn’t work, but it opened the door to a path better designed for your life.

You might be thinking, “I set goals for myself years ago, but I have yet to see any results”. Although I may not know you personally, I can probably guarantee that the biggest reason for your stagnation, is because you have not written down these goals in a clearly defined way. Do you know how much traffic takes place in your mind every single day? How in the world do you expect your mind to keep up with goals that you set for yourself when you were 15? Stop putting so much pressure on your mind and start writing down your goals. If you felt targeted by this comment, then transition from thinking/daydreaming about your goals, to seeing and defining the steps it will take you to accomplish these things in your life.

For any goals that you set, be sure that they are created with PURPOSE. Growing up, I learned about different objective, goal setting strategies that were very beneficial. As I developed in life, I also developed my own strategy to setting goals. Yes, we should be objective in establishing goals, but we should also connect with our goals on a spiritual and emotional level. So I have created the mnemonic device PURPOSE, which assists me in creating a more connected goal. Below, I have broken down how the power of PURPOSE will lead you to reaping the benefits of goal setting.

P – Prioritize

It’s perfectly fine to have 30 goals you want to achieve in life, but attacking all of them at one time will more than likely lead to overwhelming dissatisfaction. Be sure that you prioritize and categorize your goals by short term, long term, and big picture goals. Short term goals are typically goals that you want to accomplish within 6 months. They can also be sub goals of your long term agenda. You can view them as steps needed, in order to elevate you to the next level in your journey. Long term goals are normally completed with 3 – 5 years, as they require a higher level of intention and intensity. With long term goals, you may break them down into several short term goals. Those big picture goals are typically things that you must remind yourself of on a daily basis, as they are something you want to maintain or complete over your life time.

U – Update

Just as we age and adjust over a period of time, we must be willing to make the necessary adjustments to our goals. Our circumstances in life are constantly changing, as we graduate from school, move to new cities, change jobs, get married, etc. This also means that we need to update the terms of our goals, as these circumstances of life are a determining factor in the progress of our goals.

R – Rejuvenate

You should be able to look at your goals and feel energized. Maybe at some point in your journey, you may fall victim to a depressed state, as your life may not be going as “planned”; your goals should serve as a rejuvenating power to get you back on track.

P – Passionate

Passion helps to keep your fire burning in life. It’s the fuel that keeps us excited, and helps us to fight through obstacles that may arise. If you are not passionate about your goals, then will you really follow through?

O – Objective

Your goals should be detailed and measurable; clearly state deadlines (even if they are estimates) and be specific in what you want the outcome to be. Having an end in sight, gives you that extra push you need in order to get your goals accomplished in a timely fashion. Being objective with your goals will determine if you will lay in bed on Saturday until 1 pm or get up around 7 am to make strides on your journey.

S – Sober

Not just encouraging you to set your goals without being intoxicated with controlled substances, but also without being intoxicated off of the high of other people’s journeys. Take the time to figure out what really works for YOU and what YOU want in life. Don’t work so hard towards a life that was designed for the next person.

E – Empower

Many times in life, we look to be empowered by people or things outside of ourselves. Truth is, your goals should keep you empowered through your journey. Chances are, you set these goals at a very empowered or inspired point in your life. Always remember why you began your journey. Allow your goals to keep you empowered.

I challenge you to use the above ” PURPOSE” strategy and establish three new goals today. Let us know how it goes in the comment section.