There is a common quotation used in the self-help world to do with goal setting and it comes from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland:
‘Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?
The Cheshire Cat: That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.
Alice: I don’t much care where.
The Cheshire Cat: Then it doesn’t much matter which way you go.
Alice: …So long as I get somewhere.
The Cheshire Cat: Oh, you’re sure to do that, if only you walk long enough.’
This quote shows three things that are crucial to help us answer our question::
- You need to set goals if you want to reach a destination
- If you make progress, you will end up somewhere
- The Cheshire Cat would make an awesome life-coach!
So what can we learn from this? If we don’t purposefully head towards a destination, we can find ourselves miles away from where we want to be.
So what are the benefits of setting goals?
1. Gives us direction
A plane takes off from one runway, aiming to land at its destination. How does it get there? The GPS informs the pilot of the heading and indicates which changes to make in order to get there, taking into account the factors, like winds or bad weather that might knock the plane off course. We need a similar GPS system to help us reach our goals and redirect our progress when obstacles get in the way.
Our goal to run next year’s local marathon means our GPS (Goal Positioning System) indicates the literal steps we have to take to allow us to run 26.2 miles, dressed as a dinosaur, without needing the help of a crash team from A&E!
We can use our goals to decide how to condition our body to cope with the toll our training will take and how to adjust course if injury sets us back. Setting goals do not have to be used in isolation – hundreds of other novices have gone from couch potato to finishing line buster, so use the plans and journey others have used to become successful. You can always adapt these routes to suit your situation.
2. Gives us a timeline to work towards
Writing a blog is hard work but so satisfying! But unless we know that it could probably take months before we get our first visitor, let alone make any money.
But if we don’t really understand the timeline sufficiently, we can easily become disheartened and give up. So many people use initial enthusiasm and put massive effort into getting going, only to get disappointed before things have a chance to get going. Having a realistic timeline, especially if we use other people’s experiences to guide us through this process, helps us apply patience and determination to continue when the road gets rocky.
3. Sets realistic expectations
In a similar way to the timeline, realistic expectations allow us to temper the enthusiasm we start projects off with! We have always wanted to learn how to sing so we book a singing lesson or two.
What we don’t do is: get an agent, contact a Hollywood music producer and book out the O2 Arena as part of a sell-out 3 month tour with Adele and Elton John! We need to learn to walk before we can challenge Usain Bolt to the 100m dash!
Whilst this may sound ridiculous, we often underestimate the effort, time and cost of setting up a business, beginning a new project or buying that little ‘doer-upper’. If we have unrealistic expectations at the start, it affects our ability to motivate ourselves along the journey. We can easily become discouraged.
4. Clarifies the important steps we should focus on and guides our decision making process
There are many steps to reaching any worthwhile goal. How do we know which ones to take first, or even at all? Given the possibilities, our goal can act as a compass to help us decide which of our Next Few Steps we need to prioritise.
Our dreams of losing 20 kgs have reached a tipping point and we need to take action in order to get that beach-ready bod for our Summer holiday. But what next few steps should we take? Do we focus on our diet, cutting out sugars or carbohydrates or do we go for a fasting regime? What about exercise? Do we take up running, pumping iron at the gym or HiiT sessions at the local sports centre? Do we join one of the well-known weight control groups or follow an online course?
Having a clear idea of our goals can help us to focus on our priorities. Getting rid of that spare tyre around your midriff will suggest certain exercises over others. We know we have tried cutting out sugars but really struggled. Perhaps, cutting down and focusing on reducing carbs might be more effective. Each time you make a decision about what to focus on, let your goal be your North Star and find the most efficient way to crush that goal.
5. Stops us feeling overwhelmed
Having a game plan can keep us on track. Setting up a website is nowhere near as difficult today as it was 20 years ago. But if you’re a complete noob, you may find it challenging. So take it one step at a time. What is the first task to complete – research which hosting platform to use. Once that is done, the next step is to choose a domain name. After that, register that domain name and link that with the hosting platform.
This ‘one step at a time’ process stops us from losing the will to carry on in the face of baffling odds and overwhelming information.
6. Allows us to prioritise change
Change can be scary. Someone leaving a job to start their own business or moving to a new country with a different culture will usually suffer some form of stress. Getting married, separating or coping with bereavement are all massive changes that can set us on edge at best and floor us at worst.
When we know our intended goal, we can structure changes more easily. Adapting to new situations is often easier if we manage small changes to enable us to minimise the stress we might suffer.
7. Provides agency over your actions
Life can be difficult and we can feel helplessly tossed on tempestuous seas without a rudder to steer us. Having a goal can be that rudder, allowing us to feel more in control of a current situation. Your work has just been aggressively taken over by another bigger firm and rumours of redundancy are rife. It is easy to feel vulnerable and helpless in this situation. But making a goal can help. Perhaps it is to prove to the new company that you are invaluable. Perhaps it is to look for a new job and jump ship before things get stormy. Or could you even take this opportunity to take a change of direction and begin that side hustle with the hopes that if you do lose your position, you have started growing an alternative source of income?
Taking action can leave you feeling less vulnerable and take your mind off some of the stress you might be feeling.
8. Offers you life satisfaction
The old saying that sharks would die if they don’t keep swimming is only partly true. Sharks like the Great White and the Mako do, indeed, need to keep moving in order that enough oxygenated water passes over their gills, whilst some others, like the nurse shark, have the ability to rest, forcing water over their gills with spiracles.
The same could be said for a fulfilled life. If we stop moving, some people feel restless and frustrated. However, there is recent research that proves that people without goals can actually be happier. If this is the case then this obviously depends on the type of person. Some love learning, reading and discovering new things. Others find that having goals can jar with their long term progress and leave them feeling dissatisfied with their current position.
So, depending on the type of person you are, setting yourself goals may lead to increased happiness or decreased sense of fulfilment.
9. Allows us to enjoy the journey
Having well set out goals, with systems that allow us to achieve them efficiently and effectively mean that some of the uncertainty is removed from our lives. We know that if we continue to make steady progress towards our goal, we can let go of the constant nagging of our monkey minds and begin to enjoy the journey. This often happens when we find someone to mentor us. We know that the advice our expert is giving us is relevant and appropriate and therefore, rather than always second guessing ourselves, we can relax and enjoy the ride.
10. Gives us purpose to our lives
When we find the things we have been put on this planet for, people often report experiencing a sense of ease and relaxation. We don’t need to have ‘that one big thing’ but many say that they have a variety of elements in their lives that give them purpose. Spirituality of any sort, working towards a cause and helping others are some of the best ways to give you a sense of purpose.
Finding this purpose can be a difficult process but one helpful piece of advice is to follow your instincts, those activities that speak to you and make connections with as many people as possible. And say “yes” more than you say “no” and to embrace as many new experiences as you can.
For an inspiring TED Talk, click this links to hear Christian Troger talk about the importance of having goals.
Conclusion
For many people, goals can help guide us towards our intended direction and allow us to adjust our course when events don’t meet our expectations. However, goal setting is just one piece of the puzzle. If you want to learn a clever 4 step process to making and achieving your goals, you might want to check out our post: the easy way to crush your goals.
If you feel you have found other benefits from using goals in your life, we would love it if you would share them with us in the comments box below.
And in true Next Few Steps style, find at least one thing you can take form this article and apply to your life within the next 24 hours. Always transform inputs into outputs, so don’t just read and forget – read and take action!