Saturday Journaling Prompt:

What goals would I like set for this year, and the rest of my life?

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Sean is a natural-born genius, at least that’s the way he thinks of himself in his own mind. He’s always fixing things around the house, tinkering with his car, or repairing laptops or anything electrical that comes his way. His favorite pastime is gaming and it’s nothing for Sean to spend five hours a day on his Xbox, maybe even longer when he’s trying to up his score from the night before.

Although Sean has a pretty good job as an accountant at his father’s firm, secretly he hates it and longs for the day when he can walk out and pursue his dream of becoming a full-time app developer. Even as a kid, Sean was right at home in the tech world. His love for computers and fixing things sparked a passion for creating superior apps that he’s convinced will one day change the world.

Sean imagines all kinds of scenarios in his head about the technology he is about to unleash. He came up with a really cool name for his first app and a launch date of March the 15th at the Grand Plaza Hotel. The line-up of tech giants invited to speak is very impressive. He’s waiting on just two developers to confirm their spot other than that, he is good to go. The excitement at times is overwhelming for Sean, but he manages it well. The only drawback is everything is about to take off…only in Sean’s head.

As the valet hands him his car keys, Sean heads home to his favorite pastime, and five hours later, he heads off to bed.

Goals Are Fundamental to Your Success Story

Dreams set the stage in the mental world for goals to come forth in the physical world. So never underestimate the power of dreams. But dreams will forever remain in the province of your mind unless you set some goals.

Goals are a fundamental part of any success story and not just in terms of your career, business or profession. Setting goals for your relationships, health, and even in your search to bring more meaning and purpose to your life is a huge factor in a successful outcome.

Forward moving is the natural propensity of the human species and goals are the stepping stones that take you from where you are in the moment, to where you would like to be in the next. The bonus is that when you get there you’re undoubtedly filled with a personal sense of achievement and satisfaction.

Setting goals is not about talking, it’s about taking action. Goals create a benchmark to measure your progress and direction. If there is nothing to measure yourself against, how will you know if, and how much you have grown, or whether you’re going backward? Without goals, you become immersed in the daily trivia and distractions of life and before you know it, one year pretty much resembles the next before it all pales into dire insignificance.

If you want to be in the driver’s seat, set some goals. Goals put you in control and set guidelines about how you use your time, how you take care of your health, what you accept in your relationships, and how you respond and interact in work and other environments. All aspects of life today and in the future are colored by the degree of perceived or real control. You are more likely to take action if you believe you can influence the outcome. The less control you feel over the outcome, the less likely you are to take action. When you are in the driving seat of your own life, road trips are a lot more colorful!

Goal setting stretches you beyond your reach. You go to places you’ve never been. Enjoy conversations that you’ve never had. Develop skills that skyrocket your potential and experience the exhilaration of new learning. Stretching expands your network which in turn creates possibilities that would otherwise not have been in your view. Turning possibilities into reality gives a serious boost to your confidence and self-esteem, you gather momentum and start being YOU rather than someone else’s version of what they think you should be.

Setting goals allows you to see what is possible for your life because now you’ve got a clear structure in place. You’ve created a road map to guide you toward your destination. You shift from care-free complacency to fully-realized capacity. Without clearly defined goals you’re like a leaf blowing in the wind. You drift aimlessly along and end up on a long lonely road to nowhere.

Goal setting instantly changes your mindset and level of motivation. You become more proactive and determined to manifest your life plan. Having something specific to work towards keeps you focused and fully engaged. You’re invested in the outcome and excited about seeing it through.

But you’ve got to be S.M.A.R.T about setting goals. You increase the chances of lasting success when goals are Specific, Measurable. Actionable. Realistic and Timebound. Setting small manageable goals guarantees that you will get to the finish line. Big, fancy, elaborate goals almost set you up to fail because you introduce a future-goal state in your mind that keeps you continuously aware of the fact that you’re not there yet.

Goals also tend to fail when your entire focus is on a particular outcome rather than enjoying the process. So think SMART when it comes to setting goals.

If your goals are not SMART, you may as well call them dreams for they will always reside in the crevices of your mind, fading further and further away while you mindlessly play on your Xbox.

Dreams are inspiring but take time. Why not set goals that bring you closer to your dream?

Here are 5 questions to help you set wonderfully smart goals for the year ahead.

1. What SPECIFICALLY do you want to achieve? (Make a list)
2. How will you MEASURE/know when you’ve completed each goal?
3. A smart goal doesn’t rely on luck or on anyone specific. Are your goals ACTIONABLE by you and under your control?
4. Are your goals REALISTIC given your lifestyle and existing commitments?
5. Is each goal TIME BOUND with an end date to help you focus?

Ponder these questions over the week ahead then write out your list of smart goals for the year ahead.

JOURNALING

Use journaling to get started on your goals. It’s that wonderful place where you get to let your hair down and write freely about anything and everything. Make a plan. Sort out your priorities. Identify your dream team. Take one small baby step at a time. Your journal is that trusted friend who loves and supports you to the end and then some. Set a goal today to make journaling a regular habit and don’t be afraid to put yourself first, front and center.

With grace and gratitude

Michelle

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