What Is A Goal And Why do We Need One?

What is a goal? Why do we need one? Two very vital questions we should all be asking!

Many of us feel lost in life, like we have no purpose. We wander through each day thinking there must be more to life. Like there is something missing.

I was like this! Felt like there should be more. But I have learnt something that many of us are never taught…

We must have a goal.

A destination.

Something we are striving towards.

The personal development field generally defines a goal as a specific and measurable objective that an individual sets for themselves in order to achieve personal growth or success. These goals are often related to self-improvement, whether that be in the realms of career, relationships, health, or any other aspect of one’s life.

What Defines A Goal As A Goal?

A well-defined personal goal typically includes several key elements.

First, it should be specific, meaning that it clearly outlines exactly what the individual hopes to achieve. This might include details such as a desired outcome or result, a timeline for completion, and any relevant metrics or milestones that will be used to track progress.

Second, a goal should be measurable, meaning that it can be quantified in some way. This might involve setting a numerical target or benchmark, such as achieving a certain level of income, losing a specific amount of weight or developing a particular skill.

Third, a goal should be achievable, meaning that it is attainable given the person’s current resources, skills, and circumstances, but also takes into consideration what the person can learn and train themself to do. This is effectively limitless, and if the person can see themselves doing it in their mind and they want to do it, then they can achieve it in the real world if they are willing to learn and do what is needed. It is important to set goals that are challenging enough to motivate and inspire, but not so difficult that they are impossible to achieve regardless of how much work and effort is put in.

Finally, a personal goal should be relevant and aligned with the individual’s overall values, priorities, and aspirations. This might involve considering factors such as personal interests, career ambitions, and lifestyle goals in order to ensure that the goal is meaningful and worthwhile.

The only prerequisite for any goal is simply to want it.

Why Not SMART?

These four slightly differ from the current SMART approach to goals in that time is not included, and relevant is used instead of realistic. The personal development field widely states that goals should have a target date to create a sense of urgency, but this date can move. And also, that realistic aspects do not apply to goals.

To be realistic assumes that you should base your goal on what you have already achieved. But this then limits you to what you can see around you now, rather than focusing on the possibilities of the future you.

By establishing clear objectives and working towards achieving them, people can build greater self-awareness, confidence, and motivation, and ultimately achieve greater levels of success and fulfilment in their lives. These objectives should be based on the person you want to become and the things you want to have.

A goal should not be limited to what you can see in your physical world now.

How Does Bob Proctor Define A Goal?

Bob Proctor, a renowned personal development coach and author, defined a goal as;

“A vivid, specific, and compelling image of an ideal future state.”

According to Proctor, goals should be seen as a roadmap for achieving success and fulfilling one’s potential. He regularly discussed the difference between A, B, and C-type goals.

A-type goals are goals you have achieved before. B-type are goals you haven’t achieved but think you can do (if everything falls into place!). The C-Type goal is something that you really want but have no idea how you are going to achieve it!

Proctor emphasised the importance of creating a clear and compelling vision of the desired outcome. This means taking the time to really think through what you want to achieve, and then visualising it in detail. The goal should be something that excites and inspires you. That you are willing to commit significant effort and resources towards achieving.

In addition to being specific and vivid, Proctor also stressed the importance of making goals measurable, as mentioned above. Breaking down the goal into smaller, more manageable steps or milestones that can be tracked and measured along the way. By setting clear benchmarks and tracking progress, you can stay motivated and focused on your desired outcome.

Your Goal Should Align With Your Values As You Take Action

Proctor also emphasised the importance of aligning goals with your overall values and priorities. Goals that are in line with your core values and aspirations are more likely to be meaningful and motivating. And less likely to be abandoned or forgotten.

Finally, Proctor always stressed the importance of taking action towards achieving your goals. This involves developing a plan of action and taking consistent and purposeful steps towards the desired outcome. Proctor, even though he has now gone, still encourages individuals, through his videos and written work, to embrace challenges and setbacks along the way. To view them as opportunities for growth and learning.

Overall, Proctor’s definition of a goal emphasises the importance of creating a clear and compelling vision of the future, and then taking consistent and purposeful action towards achieving it. By aligning goals with your values and priorities. Breaking them down into manageable steps. Tracking progress along the way. You can achieve success and fulfilment in your personal and professional life.

Now we understand what a goal is, let us take a deeper look at why we need a goal.

Why Do We Need A Goal?

Think of a goal as the destination you input into your sat nav. Unless you put in the destination, the sat nav will not give you the directions or warn you of traffic or detours ahead.

Your mind is a target seeking organism. Without a target, a goal, a destination, your mind will wander around jumping from one thing to the next.

This is covered in great detail in the book Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz. But today I want to really focus on why we need a goal and go deeper into the science behind how our mind works.

How Does Our Mind Work?

According to Maltz, the human mind is a goal-seeking mechanism that is constantly striving towards achieving its desired outcomes. However, if you do not have a clear and specific goal in mind, your mind will default to its most familiar and comfortable patterns of behaviour. Our bad or unproductive habits. Which may not necessarily lead to success or fulfilment.

By contrast, having a clear and specific goal helps us to direct our subconscious mind towards achieving that goal. Maltz refers to this as the “self-image,” which he defines as the mental picture that we each have of ourselves and our capabilities. By setting a goal and visualising ourselves achieving it, we can create a more positive and empowering self-image. Which in turn helps to build greater confidence and motivation.

Furthermore, Maltz argues that having a goal helps us to overcome fear and self-doubt. When we have a clear and compelling goal in mind, we are more likely to take risks and embrace challenges, because we are focused on the potential rewards that await us.

Bob Proctor’s work took these concepts and built on them further. He linked this work to that of Dr. Thurman Fleet, who introduced the world to the Stickperson concept.

The Stick Person Concept

The stick person is a very simple drawing of two circles and a few lines. These represent the mind and the body. The mind is split in half to account for the subconscious, emotional, mind, and the conscious, thinking, mind.

Thurman Fleet was a New Thought teacher who created the Stick Person concept as a tool to help people visualise and achieve their goals. The concept involves drawing a stick figure that represents the person, and then drawing smaller stick figures to represent the various goals or aspects of their life.

By using the Stick Person concept, we are encouraged to focus on our goals in a more concrete and visual way. This can help us to stay motivated and take action towards achieving our desired outcomes.

Additionally, Fleet believed that by visualising and focusing on positive outcomes, we can attract those outcomes into our lives through the Law of Attraction. A concept from New Thought philosophy which suggests that thoughts and beliefs can influence your reality.

The Stick Person concept is a simple yet powerful tool that can help us clarify our goals, stay focused on our desired outcomes, and attract positive experiences into our lives.

What Will Having A Goal Do For Our Life?

To put it simply, everything!

Having a goal that is decided by you, and in line with the person you want to be, the things you want to do and what you want to have, is the most motivating thing you can have.

Having a goal has a significant impact on our lives in a number of ways. Such as:

• Providing Direction: A clear and specific goal can provide a sense of direction and purpose in life. It gives us something to work towards and helps us to focus our time and energy on what’s important.
• Increased Motivation: Having a goal can provide motivation to take action and make progress towards achieving what we desire. It can inspire us to overcome obstacles, take risks, and persevere through challenges.
• Building Confidence: As we work towards achieving our goals, we develop new skills, learn from our mistakes, and gain a sense of accomplishment. This builds our confidence, which can spill over into other areas of our lives.
• Fostering Personal Growth: Working towards a goal requires us to step outside our comfort zone, challenge ourselves, and learn new things.
• Creating Meaning: Having a goal that is aligned with our values and priorities can create a sense of meaning and purpose. It gives us a reason to get up in the morning and to feel more fulfilled and satisfied.

It is also worth mentioning that achieving the goal is only a secondary benefit! The main benefit for setting a worthy goal is the journey that you go on to get there. The things you learn along the way. Things you learn about yourself. The connections you make along the way.

It is a journey of finding your true self and there is no greater purpose in life!

What Do You Think?

Think of a goal as the destination you input into your sat nav. Unless you put in the destination, the sat nav will not give you the directions or warn you of traffic or detours ahead. Your mind is a target seeking organism. Without a target, a goal, a destination, your mind will wander around jumping from one thing to the next.

Overall, having a goal can help us to live more purposeful, motivated, and fulfilling lives. It provides direction, increases motivation, builds confidence, fosters personal growth, and creates meaning.

Maxwell Maltz’s book Psycho-Cybernetics emphasises the importance of having a goal in order to achieve success and fulfilment in life. Maltz argues that having a clear and compelling goal provides each of us with a sense of direction and purpose and helps us to focus our energy and effort towards achieving what we desire.

The goal is the thing that we desire more than anything else. Our purpose and morals all stem from this big goal. Achieving it will define who we are and give us the life that we want to lead. It is the thing that we would ultimately give our life to achieve.

Because, if it is not worth our life, why do we want it?

If this resonates with you and you want to discuss it further, then get in touch today. Either here or through any of my social medias or schedule a call to discuss it with me directly.

I look forward to speaking with you.

To your success,

Jaiye