7 Surprising Reasons to Set Goals

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As much as I love the power of a good goal, I’m not usually a proponent of New Year’s resolutions or setting goals just once a year. But if you aren’t in the habit of goal setting or if you need to revisit your goals, now is the perfect time to get started. The big draw to setting goals is obviously having something to work towards, but there are many other reasons you should incorporate goals into your life. In fact, I have seven! 

The College Comparison

Before we get to the list of reasons you should be a goal-setter, I want to give you a bit of insight into the power of goals. Think back to your late teens or your early twenties. Very likely you were going to college and had some sort of four year plan to finish school and start living your young-adult life. Along with college came a curriculum of courses that you needed to complete, so it was easy to see the next steps and stay focused on graduating. 

Now come back to the present time, and give yourself credit for what a huge task that was! It was a big commitment with lots of steps, and it took a lot of focus to stick to the plan. I was the first in my family to go to college and get a degree, and I was determined to graduate with one. It took me more than four years because I got off track a few times, but I pushed through, returned to my plan, and did it. 

As we get older, it's easier for the days, weeks, months, and years to pass without moving forward or without an intentional direction. My question for you is, are you being intentional about moving forward in your life? Do you have short term goals that lead to the big dreams you have for your life? If you truly want to achieve those big dreams, you should. 

Important Reasons to Set Goals

1. To Have Direction. I’ve already mentioned this, as it’s the most obvious reason to set goals. They give you direction in life so you aren’t just floating along. While it can be fun to fly by the seat of your pants once in a while, most of us aren’t wired to live that way longterm. Most of us need to have a sense of purpose, and goals give us that direction. 
2. You Have Control. When you’re intentional about goal setting, you get to be the one choosing the direction of your life. It’s easy to let other people (or fate, popular culture, or your boss) set the direction of life for you, but it isn’t very fulfilling. It can even lead to stress and unhappiness. When you set and follow your own path, you get to be in control of where you want your life to go.
3. Goals Provide Motivation. No matter how clear the path to your goal looks, there will always be bumps along the way. During these times, you can use your goal as motivation to help get you through. I worked full time while going to college, and it wasn’t always easy. But because I had that big goal of getting my degree, I could tap into that to keep me going. 
4. You Get What You Want. Goals are the best way to get what you want out of your time on earth. Even though I didn’t exactly use my biology degree, being a college graduate was important to who I wanted to become. For some people, they desire money and material things. Others seek time and freedom. The point is that if you don’t have goals that align with  your unique perspective on life, it’s really easy to become sidetracked by daily life and others’ input. 
5. Goals Save You Time. When your to-do list becomes too long or your calendar is too full (or hopefully before!), bring out your list of goals. Compare your goals to your to-do list, and ask yourself if anything can go. Which items are helping you to achieve your goals, and which aren’t? Scratch off the ones that aren’t important to your goals, or get someone else to do them. 
6. Goals Reduce Stress. This is because when you use goals to focus your life and choices, it becomes easier to make those choices. The next time a big decision comes up, compare it to your goals. Should you take that new position at work? Should you go on that trip? Should you go for a run today? Ask your goals!
7. You Gain Momentum. With every step you take towards your goal, you get closer to achieving it. You get a measurable sense of accomplishment with each step, giving you a boost of energy and momentum to keep you going. Each success powers you toward the next one. 

There you have it: seven surprising reasons you should set goals to achieve the life you’ve been dreaming of. Did any of the reasons surprise you? Let me know in the comments! 

Are you ready to achieve success with your goals? Join the Success Habits Reboot and learn how to use sustainable success habits to get you there.