Setting Goals that Actually Work

You already know some dreams are bigger than others, some dreams are easier to obtain, and some are merely whimsical.  So what’s the most important criteria about the dreams you have for the future?

I believe it is the measure of how motivating they are for you.  Some goals are aspirational and/or inspirational.  But inspiration is an external influence.  Motivation is an internal influence.  Motivation is what causes you to act.  So for a goal to actually make a difference in your behavior, it must meet two criteria:

• Be achievable enough that you believe you can attain it.
• Be compelling enough that it actually motivates you into action toward achieving it.

If you’re earning two dollars a day at a sweatshop in Asia, and you set a goal to be a millionaire next month, your subconscious mind is unlikely to believe that and act on it.  If you’re earning two dollars a day at a sweatshop in Asia, and you set a goal to earn an extra twenty cents a day next year, it’s probably not going to motivate you into tangible action to achieve it.

Your goal must nestle into the sweet spot between an enticing but believable challenge.

This means it leads you toward something you want to become and actually believe you are capable of.  That’s where the magic is.

How you doing on this?  Do you have that kind of goal now – one that you believe you can achieve and is powerful enough to pull you towards it?  Please let me know in the comments below.

Then in the next post, I’ll reveal what I believe is the “perfect” type of goal, the kind that transforms you into a better version of you.

-RG