Are you focusing your energy on the things that matter most to you? Are you in control of how you are spending your time? At times I’ve found myself running on autopilot, allowing my subconscious to take control. I’d reach the end of the day wondering where had all my time gone and if I really accomplished anything! Approaching life with strong aspirations and well-defined goals can make all the difference between accepting whatever life brings and taking control to manifest your dreams into reality.
Mindset plays a pinnacle role in your experience of life. Do you believe life is happening to you, or are you in the driver seat and have control over your destiny? One thing is certain, time will pass but by taking the time to clarify your goals, you can outline the path you’d prefer to take and live more intentionally, improving your performance in all aspects of life.
The performance benefits of goal setting include:
- Improving Clarity – With clarity comes confidence. With a well-defined goal, we can recognize the steps necessary to accomplish it.
- Focusing Energy Effectively – With your next best steps identified, you are better able to focus your energy where it matters most and trigger the behaviors necessary to attain your desired results.
- Supporting Behavioral Changes – To attain different results requires different behaviors. With clearly defined goals and the steps required to attain them, there is an increase probability and acceptance to make the necessary behavioral changes to accomplish it.
- Building Momentum – Clarifying your desires and creating a pathway towards achieving it reduces the initial barrier to getting started. As you get going, momentum builds making it that much easier to continue and succeed.
To ensure you are taking action on the goals you’ve set, it’s important to:
- Break Your Goals Down into Measurable Next Steps – Taking the time to create an action plan will provide you with a roadmap to follow, clearly defining the steps you will take towards achieving your goals.
- Keep Your Goals Visible – Using the analogy from sports, keeping your eye on the target plays a big part in whether you hit it or not. This holds true with goal setting and performance as well. Review your goals frequently to ensure your activity aligns with the outcomes desired.
- Track Your Progress – Things aren’t always going to go to plan but keeping an eye on what you plan to do and what you are achieving can help you refocus and maintain momentum. There is a tendency for people to overestimate what they can do in a day or week and underestimate what they can do in a year or more.
- Recalibrate Your Plan as Necessary – Your goals and/or the pathway to achieve them can change over time. As you progress you are likely to gain additional insights into what is necessary so take the time to recalibrate and adjust your plan accordingly.
- Hold Yourself Accountable – progress is not always going to be easy. Maintaining clarity of why you are pursuing the goal and holding yourself accountable for the choices you make is necessary to overcome any obstacles faced. Enlisting the support of family, friends and others with a vested interest in your success can assist you with holding yourself accountable.
- Celebrate Your Successes Along the Way – Life is more about the journey than the final destination. Be sure to celebrate your progress and achievements along the way.
If you’re not satisfied with going through life on auto-pilot and are looking for ways to improve your performance, consider investing some time towards goal setting and create your personal roadmap to success!