Why Goal Setting Is A Crucial Skill You Need To Master

Why Goal Setting Is A Crucial Skill You Need To Master


Simply put, goal setting is the act of deciding on an objective you wish to achieve. Considering it in this way, this skill looks quite straightforward. But that's not always the case.

By far, the most challenging task about goal setting is determining whether or not you're willing to accept the sacrifices you'll need to infuse into it.

To a certain degree, you already know what you want to accomplish, whether in your personal or professional life. The real challenge is to determine what you're willing to do to reach that goal, what compromises you're willing to make and how much pain you're willing to endure to that end.

Before you get where you want to go, and finally savor the sweetness of satisfaction and pride of getting there, well, there's a price you need to pay.

Imagine you aim to win a gold medal in the next Olympics. To this end, you would need to create your own vision, first. Quite easy, right? You bet. The game becomes interesting when you need to put your own energy and effort for the desired outcome. Steadily and surely.

However, if you're absolutely determined to hit your target, whatever it could be, it's definitely worth the journey and it deserves your deepest commitment.

Nevertheless, there are a few things you should pay attention to when it comes to goal setting.


Steer Clear of Goal Competition

As I said earlier, goal setting is not as straightforward as it may seem. You may have a whole lot of things you want to accomplish, and possibly (almost) all at the same time. That would be nice indeed. Unfortunately, it's simply unrealistic. This is why you should create a scale of priorities between your goals.

Goal competition is quite common these days. Many psychologists agree that it's one of the greatest barriers when it comes to reaching goals. You can have many different ambitions, but every one of them is competing for your time and attention. If you devote your efforts to all of them at the same time, you'll end up reaching none of your targets.

So, it's vital for you to organize your priorities and determine which goals are less important and which ones are worthy of your full attention and focus.

Multitasking is a useful skill, but not in this case. Laser focus on one individual goal at the time. In the long run, this will save you time and energy and will eventually allow you to score your winning points.

Just cut the excess. Be ruthless with your goals and save your attention for the ones that make your heart skip a beat.


Specificity is the Key

Is commonly known and demonstrated that people who make a clear, detailed and written plan for their goals, are far more likely to accomplish them. By doing this, you possess a lot more chances to succeed than people who have goals set to remain just wishes.

You can start implementing this strategy by combining current habits with new ones. 

For instance, I wake up every day at 8 AM, I read a chapter of my favorite book while sipping my coffee and then I take a shower. If I wanted to start exercising more, it would be a good idea for me to do a 20 to 30 minutes workout just before my shower.

This just to show you how easily you can integrate a new, constructive habit in your normal daily routine.

No matter how small or big your goal may be, it's easy to find a spot, once you take a look at your routine. Stacking your habits like this will help you a lot and it will make reaching your goals a lot easier and less painful to organize, especially if you already have a lot going on.

Consistency and organization are fundamental. So, choose your goals wisely and simply ask yourself:

  • How will this goal improve my life?
  • Is it supportive of my other goals? How?
  • Where does it fit in the big picture of my life?

Keep in mind that motivation plays a big role in what it takes to achieve your goals. Commit to what you truly believe in, and you'll set yourself up to success.