Why is Goal Setting Important?

Extracts

The overwhelming majority of human beings have tremendous untapped potential. That’s why HARD Goals work so well; they are designed to help unleash the depth of great possibility that already exists inside of you.
A HARD GOAL is something that is out of your comfort zone. It isn’t impossible, but it is hard and it does push you to a new level. When you seek to build your physical strength, you need to push yourself just to point of failure. This is when you begin to rebuild and get stronger. A “hard” goal is heartfelt, animated, required and difficult (HARD).
Hard goals help you to reach your potential. Most people do not push themselves enough. They do not set goals or they establish meaningless goals they quickly forget. In one research survey, only 13% of the respondents indicated that their goals helped them in reaching their potential. Why is this? Because they don’t use goals effectively. Most procrastinate striving to achieve their goals.
We all know that goals can help us, if we can just take them seriously. In one survey, 94% of respondents indicated, “procrastination hurt their happiness.” It does. For instance, if losing weight is an objective, and you don’t pursue this, you may end up with several medical problems.
Many focus on establishing what is referred to as “SMART” goals. SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-limited” goals. Mark says that “SMART” goals are “STUPID” goals. When hard goals are set and embraced, miracles can happen. President John F. Kennedy asked the country “commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.” It happened and remains one of the proudest moments in history.

Fear of Failure

Fear can curtail your growth as a person. We all fear failure for many reasons. We all hate to be humiliated. However, often these fears are irrational. Analyze your fears maturely. The point is, you know you need to push yourself out of your comfort zone. Are you making too much of embarrassment? Is failure along the way okay? Of course it is. What happens if you don’t push yourself and take chances?

Heartfelt

If someone tries to set a goal for you, chances are you won’t put your full heart into it. If your goal is truly important, you will do all you can to achieve it. Steve Jobs with Apple looks as his work at the time the most important work there is. Steve called the iPad project “the most important work he’s ever done.” Steve had the same passion for his other projects

Animated

When Steve Jobs envisioned the iPad, he said he “saw a movie in his head” in which he saw customers happily surfing, reading and watching videos on their iPads. This vivid image motivated him.

We are motivated by and remember more clearly when we see pictures. We remember about 10% of what we hear – three days later after hearing it. When a picture is included in equation, we remember 65%.

Having a vivid image of the goal in mind, greatly improves the chances that you will accomplish your goal. For instance, if your goal is to lose weight, imagine what you will look like 30 lbs. lighter. It will help to motivate you. Better yet, actually come up with a picture to help you see the future. Place the visuals wherever they will best motivate you.

Required

You need to believe that you must achieve your goals. You need to understand in your mind and heart just how vital your goals are to you and those around you.

Difficult

Many ask “how hard is hard enough?” In this book you learn how to set goals that are “optimally challenging to tap into your own personal sweet spot of difficulty.”

Why is Goal Setting Important?

Highlights by David Willden