In personal development the word goals is an interesting one. It inspires some people whilst it leaves others cold. Certain individuals can even feel threatened by the word.
If you are following my blogs each week, you will see a pattern forming – that I often refer to the two types of people in life – the half full glasses and the half empty glasses. This is not intended as a judgement but just a statement of fact in life. The writer here did not invent the human race as we know it!
It is generally accepted that the ‘half full glasses’ in life, the optimists, the forward thinking, the committed to the end result types and the doers, are much more likely to be GOAL orientated. On the other hand “the half empty glasses” the less self motivated, confident or ambitious can struggle in this department. In the extreme, the pessimists, worriers, those without direction and the starters but not finishers, are less likely to plan ahead with positive intention.
Now, there is a thought - POSITIVE INTENTION, isn’t that another good description for the word goal? Well it would work in a game of football, hockey and even a business plan, having a goal, a specific end result.
Positive intentions or goals can be as straightforward as eating breakfast or getting to work on time. It could be financially orientated for the day or month. In an ideal world goals can be balanced, planned and achieved for fantastic health, greater wealth and enjoyable and fulfilling relationships – which is the core message from P S Life Can Be Easy. Each area of your life having goals set daily, weekly and monthly (even longer) where the positive intention is set by the individual. Goal setting should not be laborious, arduous or a chore. It needs to be attractive, inspiring and fun – everything to help you be clear on what it is you want, be able to achieve or need to get done – easily!
So, if all this ‘goal setting’ malarkey is such a good idea, why is it so many of us don’t do it or get around to it?
Take yourself; is it indecision on what you want? Is it a lack of clarity on what you want? Or maybe there is a resistance to having a positive intention?
Could it be a fear of failure? ‘If I don’t achieve my goal I’ll be disappointed and beat myself up. So it is easier to avoid setting the intention, rather than risk being disappointed.’
Could it be a fear of success? ‘If I do achieve my big goal, I might feel embarrassed, greedy or undeserving. My friends and family may turn against me. I’ll feel guilty I’m doing better than they are.’
These are all very common feelings around setting goals which is why some people find it difficult to set them in the first place. You’ll remember last week I wrote about homeostasis; how the human brain will naturally resist change. See article; When the Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going.
Setting goals does mean change – a change of direction on current thinking and practices.
Here are nine reasons why people fail to achieve goals;
- Fear of failure-they might be disappointed by their outcome.
- Fear of success – they don’t feel deserving enough.
- Homeostasis – fear of change, doing things differently.
- Unaware of mental blocks – the negative programming, often in the subconscious.
- Low motivation – lack of commitment/low self-esteem
- Unaccountability – no one to help and support them through it.
- Use ‘lack of time’ as an excuse.
- They don’t get clear enough to begin with on what it is they wish to achieve
- They don’t follow the daily disciplines to allow the goals to come to them easily.
Well I don’t know about you, but I’ve managed to tick all of the nine boxes at one time or another. Oh yes! Then only to look back at my lack of progress and think, ‘Well neither wonder I did not get the results I wanted!’ Doh!
Here are just some of the things I currently have set goals on;
a) That I will keep my body fit and healthy by regular exercise and eating healthily.
b) That I will attract full occupancy for summer holiday lets in our Edinburgh flat this season.
c) That I learn something insightful about myself that will make me a happier and more fulfilled guy every day.
How you can make your life easy?
1 By setting goals daily, weekly and monthly (yearly too); you will dramatically increase the chances of getting the life you want – more easily.
2 Make it fun, some like to do it as a team or as a family by supporting each other.
3 Never be afraid to look at why you may not be getting the results you want. The chances are there are some negative programmes within you that you are unaware of. Everyone has them in them. Everyone can de-program the negative thinking; everyone can design their own destiny, get their goals and live the life they want to.
This is what P S Life Can Be Easy is all about, helping you have the life you want, no excuses, no ‘Ahh buts’ and no accepting second best.
You are who you are, but you can choose who you wish to become. That is why setting goals is quite a good idea actually; easier than you think. The best use of your time possible if you want to be happy and have fun in the process. But don’t take my word for it, try it yourself and see.
So what’s the point of setting goals? Because setting them will be your gateway to success in all that you do in your life. It also means that rather than be a passenger in life, YOU are in the driving seat of your life, taking charge, getting the results you want.
You deserve nothing less.
