Goal Setting – Ritual or Necessity?

I know the price of success: dedication, hardwork and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen – Frank Lloyd Wright

There is tremendous power in simply identifying what you want and focusing some thought on the outcome – Michael Hyatt

In every year lies great possibilities, wonderful opportunities, diverse challenges and hidden pitfalls. Many go into the year with high hopes, great wishes and aspirations to achieve a lot personally, professionally, careerwise..e.t.c., but leave the most important ingredient to succeed on the rear – the place of careful preparation and planning. It is another year again, new window of opportunity to achieve all that can be conceived – the question is, is it going to be another ritual because people make new year resoultions, I will do this, I will not do that without backing it up with the right planning, setting the goals right and working with the plan to achieve success?

What does is it really take to set goals and achieve them? I tried to answer this question but could not find an appropriate answer until I got to a portion of the Holy writ in Habakkuk 2: 2-3 (Amplified Bible Version)

²And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision and engrave it so plainly upon tablets that everyone who passes may [be able to] read [it easily and quickly] as he hastens by.

³For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it, because it will surely come; it will not be behindhand on its appointed day

From this portion, we can identify a number of steps which are required to set goals and to ensure that such goals are achieved. Year 2010 must not just be another year that passes by without concrete and measurable achievement in your life, in my life! There a conscious role, a pragmatic effort must be put in, to achieve our heart desires. Some points to note in the scripture above are as follows:

1. The first and fundamental step in the school of success is to identify the VISION. Vision as a noun is defined as the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be. The truth is this; in every human being lies the power to conceive and birth things that were not before to be – What can you see? What can you conceptualise achieving this year? What do yourself doing better or best? What height or level of success can you visualise for yourself this year?
2. The next step to take after idnetifying the vision is to write it down clearly – this is the goal setting part. Ensure that it is written in such a way that you can see it easily and quickly so that you will be able to work with it.
3. They have to be time-bound – “it is for an appointed time”. You cannot set a boundless goal and expect to achieve it.
4. Work at it earnestly and success would be guaranteed

In this year, it is very important and of high necessity to set clearly defined goals before taking on any form of assignment or project. See the end from the beginning and set steps to achieve that end you want from the beginning. When you set goals with steps to achieve them, you can be rest assured that you will have a very good sense of direction and well defined purpose. You know that you are not just sleeping and waking up without something to live for but you are actually working towards achieving a goal. Also, it helps you to gauge your performance as you move through the days, weeks and months of the year. You can easily discover if you are lagging behind on a particular step, task or objective and retrace your steps. Above all management of resources such as money, time, skill or talent/intellectual, material resources is assured because everything will count towards achieving your goals. In essence, you will be able to live a disciplined and purpose-filled life.

I wish you Godspeed and great success in year 2010.

Watch out for the concluding part of this article in my next post. I am happy to be back after a very long break.

Written by Olanrewaju Lewis - Visit Website

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