The Art of Goal Setting

The Art of Goal setting

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.
“I don’t much care where …” said Alice.
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.
- LEWIS CARROLL, Alice in Wonderland

”Obstacles are those frightful things you see
when you take your eyes off your goal.”
- Henry Ford

What about Goal Setting
Goal setting is probably the least used and most under estimated technique you can use to get ahead faster in life. Just by having written goals you set yourself aside from most people in the world. Many people don’t have written goals while even more don’t know what they want out of life. How on earth can they know when they get it? You are different; because you picked up this book there is something inside you that know there something more than this for you out there. You have a yearning to do something with your life.

Also, having goals will make you a happier person – someone with a sense of purpose.

What most people fail to realize is that having big goals, goals larger than life, is more motivating than having realistic goals, goals that you know that you can achieve. The larger than life goals will give you the additional push to overcome any temporary setbacks that you will encounter, and you are bound to encounter a few. It will tailor you with that extra bit of persistence that you will need to endure.

One of my goals is to help you achieve your goals faster in life by reading this book. I did not discover this technique before I was in my early 30ies. Maybe you in your late teens or early twenties, you can get ahead even faster than I did. And, for those who are already in their prime, don’t worry, the art of goal setting work for anyone, it is age indifferent. In fact, with a lot of life experience you maybe have an advantage by discovering all the things you don’t want, making it easier to achieve that which you have already dreamed of.

Your major definite purpose
Let’s start with a test; put this book away, and give yourself one minute right now to think about this:

What would you do with your life today if you knew that you could not fail?

…………………………………………………………………………………….

Now, write this down either in the space above or in your journal. Most likely, this is your definite purpose in life, something that will make you happy. And remember this, it doesn’t matter how long it takes as long as you do something that takes you there. There are no such things as permanent failures, only temporary defeats. With that in mind you will become a force of nature, unstoppable. Believe me, there will be temporary defeats. There is just no way if you want to lead an extraordinary life that you can control all the outside influences, things that can happen.

Murphy’s Law
And then there is Murphy’s Law, referred to by Jack Sack who described the law in his 1952 mountaineering book as an “ancient mountaineering” adage, “Anything that can possibly go wrong, does”.

Familiar Resistance
Also, be ready for some resistance from your family and friends. They may think they have your best interest in mind when they try to persuade you that pursuing your goals is complete madness, as they themselves, have resisted listening to that voice that tells everyone to follow their definite purpose in life and settled for less in the comfort zone. Though you may not be able to totally block some of these people out of your life, you should consider spending less time with people that drain your energy, the toxic people who focus more on what cannot be done, than what can be done. I have done this myself on many occasions, sometimes it is really hard, but you know deep down in your heart that if you stay on their level you will never reach the next plateau.

First of, you must know exactly what it is you want. Most people never make this decision. Second, you must determine the price that you will have to pay to achieve it, and then get busy paying the price.

Jim Carrey and goal setting
Most people are familiar with the famous actor Jim Carrey, famed for movies such as The Grinch, The Truman Show and Ace Ventura, Pet Detective. Before Jim Carey was taken on the cast of Living Color, a black comedy show by the Wayan brothers, Jim had been rejected by Saturday Night Live, which had been a dream opportunity for him. As a struggling wannabe actor he was sleeping in his car, barely affording food while out on casting calls and auditions. During this time, Jim write out a check for himself, dated it for Thanksgiving in 1995, carried with him at all times. Many times during his struggles and rejections, he would take out the check and look at it, visualize how great it would be to cash in that check.

"I wrote myself a check for ten million dollars for acting services rendered and dated it Thanksgiving 1995. I put it in my wallet and it deteriorated. And then, just before Thanksgiving 1995, I found out I was going to make ten million dollars for Dumb & Dumber. I put that check in the casket with my father because it was our dream together."
– Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey often tells people about this story, though now that he is successful, he downplays how hard it was at the time. It has inspired and will inspire many in his footsteps.

Who will you inspire?
‘During many of my dark hours I never considered myself inspiring anyone. However, as years have gone by, I have been contacted by many friends, colleagues and clients, whom have told me that I have been an inspiration to them. It is a great feeling, though very humble, when you consider all the setbacks you have had, and all the time things did not go according to your plans, never mind the goals. Similarly, when you are successful most people will forget out all the hard work you have endured and all the trials and tribulations. Most people, the ones in the comfort zone, might say “Oh, he or she is just lucky”. Well, luck is something that you create for yourself…no one is going to do it for you. It wasn’t like Jim Carrey was sitting at his couch watching TV while someone who did not know who he was called him to ask him whether he wanted 10 million to do Dumb and Dumber.

Note that Jim added what he was going to do in return for that check, “for acting services rendered”. What will you do or give back for your check.

Goals with a deadline vs. goals with no deadline
Goals without deadline are merely dreams or daydreaming if you will. How else are you going to know when you are on track? By constantly writing and redefining your goals you will be able to measure your success, month by month and year by year. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see the results according to your set deadline, you have planted the seed into to the universe and whatever you think you can, you can achieve as long as you take the appropriate action.