We humans are the masters of goal setting. We have names for different goal setting occasions: new years resolutions, birthday resolutions, weight goals, lifestyle goals, and not forgetting the non-occasional ones such as project goals or business goals. Our issue was never setting a goal, but more and more research shows that reaching a goal or quitting prematurely are the challenges.
Having goals are essential to living a life of purpose or materializing our dreams for our business. They give us direction and focus.
So what does it take to make it happen, achieve a goal and see it become a reality?
If we take it from the Mindset Perspective: Success in reaching our goals is often determined by mindset. A positive mindset or a “Success Mindset” is basically our confidence in ourselves to achieve that goal.
Developing that mindset is paramount to surviving the journey towards your goal and everything that you will encounter along the way, including the mistakes that you will make and learn from. This mindset is your tool to help you see a silver lining in difficult situations and at different crossroads. When you have the ability to see a silver lining, it gives you the drive to find solutions, amend and alter the path to best reach that goal.
From a Business Perspective, I often hear marketers use Goals and Objectives interchangeably. As a matter of fact, many of us misconstrue goals and objectives when talking about things we aim for.
Its funny how the mind works sometimes. By understanding the difference between a goal and an objective, that simple differentiation in our minds can help us in our pursuit to hit our goals. This works for life and business.
By definition, A Goal is an idea of the future or desired result that a person or a group of people envision, plan and commit to achieve. People endeavor to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines. A goal is typically broad and long-term.
An Objective, on the other hand, defines the specific, measurable actions that must be taken to achieve the overall goal. So, as an example, if your goal were to lose 20 kg in 6 months, one of your objectives would be to decrease your soft drink intake by 80%.
By understanding the difference and using that knowledge to break down your target to bite-size tasks, you set yourself to starting your journey on the right foot. It might sound too simple, but it is all about perspective and mindset.
When things are clear in the mind, our actions, and even the way we see things change and therefore our ability to follow-through and reach that finish line becomes more of a possibility. This by no means denies the importance of the many factors that contribute to reaching goals, but when we start with the simple understanding of what we are categorizing in our mind, our ambition to hit the mark intensifies.
xo
