I love setting goals. They motivate and inspire me to challenge myself, work hard and ensure I’m focused.
I like to set goals at the start of a new month, around my birthday or whenever I discover something I want to improve on or achieve in my life. Like many others, I also love setting goals at the start of a new year.
There are no rules for when you should set your goals. If you want to make a change or discover your true calling in life then write out your goals TODAY. Don’t wait for Monday or the start of a new month, just get started on them right now.
If you’re reading this post then I’m guessing you’re keen to learn more about the topic of goal setting. That’s fantastic! I hope that this post will give you an understanding of why setting goals is important.
The importance of goal setting
It’s important to have a clear vision for the the year ahead or even a few years down the line. It may be for work, fitness, a hobby, your relationships or any other aspect of your life. Get personal and figure out what YOU want to focus on in YOUR life right now (don’t be influenced by the goals of others). Then break those goals down into short-term goals which you can aim to achieve monthly.
I personally set goals for all parts of my life. These live at the front of my diary – it’s so important to write them down and see them each day. The ones I share on PGT are usually focused around my career and my health and fitness.
QUICK QUESTION
Do you have what people call a lifetime goal? I prefer to refer to this type of goals as a LEVEL UP GOAL. Now, I don’t mean your ultimate lifetime goal (that’s your end game) or what you hope to be remembered for. If you have that in mind then fantastic, it will make goal setting so much easier. In reality, many of us aren’t thinking of our lifetime goals. We’re thinking of ways we can LEVEL UP. By that I mean: Do you have a big goal that will hopefully shape your life once you achieve it? AKA levelling up.
Examples:
– To become self-employed
– To become the editor of the magazine you work at
– To have children
– To move to a different country
– To live your life on the road
A more personal example:
My level up goal is to create a flexible business where I’m earning enough to pick up my laptop and go and work in LA for a month and then follow it up with a week in Austria. I want to fit my career around potential kids and family life.
So, I want to have a flexible business which will then lead to a flexible lifestyle – a result of my level up goal.
Spend some time thinking about your ‘lifetime’ goal and then create your goals from that.
Let’s get back on track and dive into the benefits of goal setting.
Life direction – Setting goals helps you to clarify your vision for your life. Take some time to think about what you really want from your life. Where you want to go and what you want to achieve. Some people hope to have a family, some hope to climb the career ladder and some simply want to sit on a beach and enjoy the sunshine. It’s subjective, it’s personal and whatever your goals are that’s perfect. Just figure out what’s right for YOU and don’t be influenced by the goals of your friends and family.
Focus – Having a clear focus in where you want to go in life will help you to set your goals. Those goals will then give you something to focus on.
Motivation – By focusing your energy and time into reaching your end goal you’ll always be aware of the end goal.
Time Management – Goals can help you to keep on top of your time management. You’re focused and dedicated to your goals and you’re aware of what free time you have in the week.
Confidence & Self Awareness – There’s something really special to be said about figuring out your ‘lifetime’ goal. It means you’re aware of the things you like, the things you dislike and the work you’re willing to put in to get there. Hitting your targets and goals will build your confidence too.
My goals for 2018
My goals for 2018 (image taken from my Instagram Stories) include:
– Hit first weight goal by April and the second by the end of August
– Launch podcast and update consistently
– Upload weekly on YouTube
– Improve video and editing skills
– Work on PGT branding
In the photo above you can see the steps in which I plan to achieve my goals. Breaking goals down into bite-sized chunks is the way forward. I’ll share a post on this next week.
Before I go, I recently launched a shiny new podcast PGT Biz & Motivation. If you subscribe you’ll be notified when our chat about goal setting comes up.
Now we’ve discussed the benefits of goal setting please feel free to leave a comment below and tell me what your goals are for the year ahead.
I’d also love to know if you’d be interested in seeing a post about how to set goals?