The Truth About Goal Setting

"The entire purpose of your goals is the step it's causing you to do today. The purpose of your goals is the awareness you must attain, the lessons to be learned, the power inside to be remembered in order to manifest the goal you desire. It's not about getting the carrot, it's about the muscles ..."The entire purpose of your goals is the step it's causing you to do today. The purpose of your goals is the awareness you must attain, the lessons to be learned, the power inside to be remembered in order to manifest the goal you desire. It's not about getting the carrot, it's about the muscles you must build in order to catch it.

This is why we desire. If you get this now, that it's not about the end result but the path along the way, you will save yourself the disappointment that comes with thinking a carrot will bring you peace. Peace not only will bring the carrot to you easier, you won't get attached to it - and you can see what it really means to be free."

I wrote that quote one day when I was wanting to come up with something inspirational to say to the members of my 90 day program. Since then, I have become more and more aware of what this really means. I use the term "getting the carrot" because it conjures up the image of the poor dogs at the in the races that are chasing that thing, and never actually catch it. However, if they did catch it they would probably eat it and then just want another carrot.

Hence, the human quest for the carrot.

I have attained the carrot several times. Whether it be a car, a relationship, some money, that nice apartment - whatever. I felt so relieved for a while. I felt "full", which is usually what happens right after you eat, right? As with hunger, it didn't last - I just got hungry again. I went after another thing, situation, person - only to find that the peace that I thought it would bring is short-lived. I wound up disappointed again and again.

I've heard the phrase "It's the journey, not the destination" many times. It remained more of an intellectual understanding than an experience. For most of those types of phrases, I believe that we hear them, and they make sense. For most of us, the time from that initial exposure to an idea to the time the light goes on and one actually "gets it" - well, that path is different for everyone.

If you want a different life, you will need to not only do things differently, but you will need to think differently in order to manifest these new situations. In order to do and think differently, you will go on a path of self discovery and bring to light those things that are now unconscious. If you don't, then you will keep creating the same situation over and over again.

Becoming more aware is the ONLY way to make lasting changes in your life. Every single human on this planet is creating their own reality - and creating it primarily from the unconscious mind. That is precisely why we have situations come up over and over, because those situations are being created from a place that we aren't aware of. When you have a goal, and it's something different than the current life you lead - you must literally become someone who is living, thinking, and acting in alignment with that goal. And in order to do this, you must become aware of that which is underneath the surface.

That's the point - that's the reason you're alive. To realize the totality of who you are, your entire being, your entire potential. Having goals, desires, and passions is what drives you to do this. Keep up with your goal setting, but remind yourself that the reason you have the goal is the step it's causing you to do today. When you know this, you can have the undercurrent of peace behind everything you do, let go of the struggle, and begin to enjoy life for what it is.