How To Set Smart Goals To Motivate You – 8 Ways Goals Help Encourage Growth and Development

Did you know that you are constantly setting goals?

Whether we like it or not, goal setting is an integral and important aspect of all our lives. For some of us, this is a conscious process, however for many others it is an unconscious act that has very little direction or purpose. Some people may even be surprised to learn that they are actually setting goals on a daily basis.

If you reflect back on your day, you will realize that you are actually setting and achieving an immeasurable amount of goals as you progress throughout your day. Some are relatively small and seemingly insignificant such as deciding what you will eat for lunch, while others are more important and relevant to your future endeavors.

There is in fact a method and process to goal setting that allows for greater clarity, focus and brings out the natural resources of motivation buried deep within you. This post will delve into some detail about the benefits of goal setting and how it can literally transform your life overnight. We will also explore some very important and critical rules of goal setting and delve into the details of the extended goal setting process. In fact, you will learn that there is much more to goal setting then just listing down a bunch of things that you want to achieve.

In addition to all of this, we will identify some techniques and strategies you can use to constantly keep yourself motivated and moving forward towards the attainment of your goals and objectives, and also take a look at some common obstacles that prevent people from setting goals.

The Incredible Benefits of Goal Setting

I’m sure we have always been told by at least one person how important it is to set daily, weekly, monthly, yearly and lifetime goals. However, most of us will never truly understand how critical this process is, that is until we realize and comprehend the dramatic psychological changes that setting goals can bring into our lives.

Goal setting isn’t simply something that you do once and then forget about it for the remainder of your days. It is rather something that needs to be repeated over – and – over again on a daily and weekly basis. We will discuss more about this later. However, for now let’s take a look at some extraordinary benefits of goal setting and how this simple habit can literally transform your entire life.

8 Ways Goals Help Encourage Growth and Development

Goal setting encourages the growth and development in the following ways:

Personal Growth

The moment you begin setting goals, you will immediately feel a shift and transformation within your mind. You may find that for the first time you are thinking about your life in a renewed and invigorated way. You are seeing your future with greater clarity then ever before, and the emotional rush of energy that is now circulating through your arteries is forcing you to think in new, unique and creative ways that will move and propel you forward. You may also come to a realization of the essential skills that you must now learn and master in order to achieve these goals. This will further encourage you to pursue new avenues of self-education and personal growth.

Responsibility

Setting goals brings with it a set of responsibilities. When we have no concrete goals, life just seems to pass by without a second thought. During these phases of our lives we may be feeling somewhat free, yet empty at the same time. Once you start setting clear, defined and passionate goals, you will likewise come to acknowledge that you are now fully responsible for your life.

Responsibility brings with it a greater clarity of thought, it encourages better decision making and forces one to take smarter actions in directions that will bring long – term happiness and fulfillment.

Achievement Orientation

Without goals we tend to become lazy and scattered in thought and action. What goals do, is they focus you on a specific aspect or area of your life. This focus directs your mind towards the attainment of this goal in the most efficient and effective way. As a result, all of your choices, decisions, behaviors, habits, and actions are now directed and focused upon this one objective. And because of this achievement oriented perspective, you now have a renewed energy and vigor that will build momentum and pick up speed over time.

Better Decision Making

Without focus or direction we become very scattered in our thinking and hesitant when making decisions. However, once you set and clarify your goals following this smart goal setting process, you will find that your decision making almost immediately improves and helps you to further clarify what you want and what is most important in your life.

Prioritization of Activities

Setting goals and making effective decisions requires the process of prioritization.

Goal setting naturally enhances your ability to prioritize your activities and tasks in ways that focus you on areas that are most important to your long-term objectives. Prioritization is closely tied into the process of effective time management.

Control of the Changes in Your Life

Without our own personal goals, we are naturally swayed by other people’s decisions, actions, opinions and behaviors, as well as by the circumstances of the environment within which we live, play and work.

Even though it is impossible to control everything that affects our life, we can however gain some form of sanity by directing aspects of our life in ways that will bring a sense of purpose and intention.

Instead of being flung around by other people’s ever changing decisions, behaviors and perspectives, you will now have control, and as a result will make your own decisions based on the goals that have the greatest personal and professional impact on your life.

Development of Skills and Talents

Goals provide us with great clarity and insight. One of the insights that you are likely to gain once you begin the process of setting goals is the need to develop your skills and talents in specific areas of your life.

Setting goals has an interesting way of unveiling neglected areas of our lives that need to be attended to and expanded upon. It is only through the process of goal setting that you will come to an understanding of the skills and talents you must work on developing in order to one day experience the exhilaration and satisfaction of attaining your goals and objectives.

Sense of Purpose and Direction

Goal setting will provide you with a sense of purpose, while directing your decisions and actions in ways that will help you to accomplish and obtain this purpose.

If you’ve ever read a biography about an achievement oriented person, then you would’ve probably come to a realization of the deep and inspiring purpose that drove and propelled their behavior forward on a daily basis. Without it, they would be nothing, however with it, they probably accomplished what others would have deemed to be quite impossible and improbable.

Goals Help Prevent Self – Sabotage Behavior

The process of goal setting naturally decreases the habits of laziness and procrastination. These two behaviors go hand-in-hand in sabotaging many promising creative ideas, wishes and dreams. Goal setting will provide you with a renewed energy and a sense of direction which promotes and motivates action and quick decision making.

Goals Encourages Forward Movement

When you set clear, passionate and definitive goals you will find that this process naturally increases your desire, passion, motivation, the certainty you feel about life, and the action you take on a daily basis that move you forward towards the attainment of these objectives.

Another overlooked aspect that is also increased and enhanced is your awareness. The process of goal setting naturally focuses your awareness not only onto your future, but it also redirects it internally unto yourself.

Goal setting will help you to identify both your strengths and weaknesses, as well as possible unfulfilled desires that have been languishing within your mind for years.

Goals Improve How You Feel About Yourself

Smart goal setting is a process of personal growth and development that will help to enhance your self – image (the way you see yourself in the eyes of the world), while at the same time dramatically energizing your body in ways that will enhance many other seemingly unrelated aspects of your life.