WHAT
ARE GOALS?
(Why
we can’t do without them!)
Weekly
Motivation for 4th January – 8th January 2016 by Ndimofor
Aretas
Good,
good morning dear students;
We
are already 4 days into the New Year!
Ø Have
you started implementing your resolutions yet?
Ø Do
you feel any different from last year?
Ø Do
you have an idea of how you will want this year to be for you?
This
is the beginning of the second term.
-
Have you decided upon the things you
will or will not do?
-
Have you identified the errors you made
last term?
-
What are you doing to maintain or
improve upon your performance this term?
The
above questions are a few that can help us to set some goals for ourselves.
A
goal in simple terms is something you
want to achieve”.
For
every major goal you wish to achieve, there are a number of minor goals you
need to achieve. There are short term
and intermediate goals that you must achieve in order to fulfil a long range
goal.
For
example, let’s assume that one of your goals is to have better marks this
term. There are a number of things you
need to do or not do in order to achieve that goal. Therefore after a goal you need to have a
plan.
A
goal without a plan just ends up being a wish.
When you have a plan and write it down, you make it even clearer and
that is why it is very important to write down your plans and make them to be
as clear as possible. Clear goals
increase your confidence, develop your competence and boost your levels of
motivation.
Another
very important thing about goals is that you need to act in order to achieve
them. So when you have a goal and a
plan, the next step is to take action and do those things that will help you to
achieve your goal.
The
basic steps therefore in setting and achieving any goal include;
1) Finding
out WHAT YOU WANT,
2) Finding
out HOW YOU CAN GET IT and
3) Then
DOING the things you have to do, in order to get it.
Although it is that easy, many of us
still do not set and achieve goals for ourselves for many reasons including the
following four;
1) First
of all most of us do not realise the importance of goals. Some of us even think that goals ARE NOT
IMPORTANT! Part of this is caused by the
fact that some of us grow up and socialise in environments where goals are
neither discussed nor valued. Look
around you. How many of your friends or family members are clear and committed
to their goals?
2) Secondly,
most of us don’t know how to set goals in the first place. Unfortunately, goal setting is not taught in
our schools and so when many people say they have goals, what they really have
are wishes. Here are some
characteristics of goals;
-
A goal is clear, written and specific.
-
It can be quickly and easily described
to another person.
-
You can measure it, and
-
You know when you have achieved it, or
not.
These
are the things that separate a goal from a wish.
3) The
third reason why we don’t set goals is because of the fear of failure. Failure
hurts. So when we set a few at first and
fail, we stop setting them all together.
4) The
fourth reason that people don’t set goals is because of the fear of
rejection. People are afraid that if
they set a goal and are not successful, others will criticize or ridicule
them. This is one of the reasons why,
when you begin to set goals, you should keep your goals confidential. Don’t tell anyone. Let them see by your
results and achievements what you have accomplished, but don’t tell them in
advance. What they don’t know can’t hurt
you.
Now that you know how to set goals, let
me throw some light on the advantages of setting and achieving goals.
-
You only feel truly happy when you are
making progress, step-by-step, toward something that is important to you. Victor Frankl, the founder of Logotherapy,
wrote that the greatest need of the human being is for a sense of meaning and
purpose in life.
-
Goals enable you to instil meaning and
purpose into everything you do. You’ll
find good reason to be at school early enough, to be disciplined at school, to
pay attention in class among others…
-
Goals give you a sense of direction.
-
As you move toward your goals you feel
happier and stronger.
-
You feel more energized and
effective.
-
You feel more confident and competent in
yourself and your abilities.
-
Every step you take toward your goals
increases your belief that you can set and achieve even bigger goals in the
future.
Setting goals, working toward them
day-by-day, and ultimately achieving them is the key to happiness in life. Goal setting is so powerful that the very act
of thinking about your goals makes you happy, even before you have taken the
first step toward achieving them.
To unlock and unleash your full
potential, you should make a habit of daily goal setting and achieving for the
rest of your life. You should develop a
laser-like focus so that you are always thinking and talking about the things
you want rather than the things that you don’t want.
There is nothing as wonderful as happily
succeeding throughout school and in future.
As you do this, remember these bible verses;
-
Proverbs 16:9 says:
“In his heart, a man plans his course, but the Lord will direct his steps”
-
In Jeremiah 29:11 God says:
“I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not
disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for”
IN
JESUS’ NAME, AMEN.
By
Ndimofor Aretas
Monday,
04/01/2016
(For the week of 4th January – 8th January 2016)
Sources of some of the points:
Goals! How to Get Everything You Want — Faster Than
You Ever Thought Possible by Brian Tracy
