Introduction: Why Set Goals?
“If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” --- Jim Rohn
“Setting goals helps trigger new behaviors, helps guide your focus and helps you sustain that momentum in life.” --- Leslie Riopel
You have the power to shape your life and your destiny, and the primary way to shape your destiny is to set goals. You have dreams and desires. If you want those dreams and desires to move out of your mind and into reality, you have to set goals. Goals help you live your best life and allow you to achieve your potential so that you can help and inspire others as well.
4.1 Definition of Goals, Objectives, and Rewards
A goal is “the end toward which effort is directed” or “aim.” Hence, when we are working toward a goal, we are moving in a certain direction and aiming toward a desired end result. That end result is a dream or a vision we have for ourselves, and the goal is the description of that dream or vision.
Sometimes goals are associated with the word “objective,” and the words can be confused or interchanged. An objective is “something toward which effort is directed: an aim, goal or end of action” which sounds very similar to the definition of goal and in fact includes the word “goal.” If goals and objectives are listed in the same document, often a goal is the specific statement representing the dream, and the objective may be a description of how one is working toward the goal. We’ll discuss how to write goal statements later in this chapter, but for example, a goal may be to “increase sales by 30%,” and a related objective may be “by hiring two more salespersons.”
Goals can be short-term and long-term. Usually a short-term goal can be achieved within minutes, hours, days or months up to one year, and a long-term goal would take longer than one year to achieve. Having a timeframe is an important element of an effective goal, and you can decide whether your goal is short- or long-term. Often long-term goals require a series of short-term goals to be completed as steps toward achieving the long-term goal.
The primary reason we have dreams that we turn into goals is for the positive outcome we seek. That positive outcome is a reward for achieving our goal, and rewards can be “intrinsic” or “extrinsic.” Intrinsic rewards are intangible, meaning not visible or concrete, and usually involve emotions or thoughts. An example of an intrinsic reward is a sense of accomplishment or pride. Extrinsic rewards are tangible and concrete and usually are visible items. An example of an extrinsic reward is a trophy or prize.
