7 Reasons Why It’s Important To Set Yourself Goals

"Your goals are the road maps that guide you and show you what is possible for your life"

– Les Brown

Why are we told to set goals? What are the benefits of setting goals for ourselves?

The following are 7 reasons why it is important that we set ourselves goals, particularly when something is important to us:

1. Goals give us a purpose and direction in our day and in our life.
2. When we set goals that are important to us, it means that we are choosing how we want our lives to be and the direction it goes, and aren’t leaving it to others, fate, or any other external influence.
3. Goals can help to motivate and inspire us, particularly when we’re feeling lost in life or down and uninspired.
4. By setting ourselves goals, we make sure that we get what we want from life.
5. Goal setting saves us time as it helps us to focus our attention and energy.
6. Goal setting can reduce stress. Having a purpose can give our lives meaning. Setting goals means that we have a plan for our life.
7. Achieving goals gives us a sense of accomplishment. This helps us to increase our self-esteem as we prove to ourselves that we can step outside our comfort zone and take on new tasks and challenges.

Whilst it can seem to be fun to live without direction, human beings are wired to need a purpose and direction. Goals can give us a sense of direction and purpose to our lives and to our day.

It is often easy to let others set our direction for us. We take a job because family or friends point us in that direction and then we follow the directions of our bosses. We move in other directions because popular culture or the media tells us to do so.

The simple truth is that if we do not set our own goals then we will find it too easy to follow a path set by others. This can lead to stress and unhappiness. We have a greater chance of happiness and fulfilment if we follow our own path and pursue our own goals and dreams.

Whilst goals certainly give our lives direction, they also provide the motivation to get us through difficult times and choices. Goals help us to overcome our desire for short-term gratification or the avoidance of short-term pain, as they help us to keep our attention and focus on our long-term objectives. Perhaps going to college at night whilst working at a full-time job during the day may be stressful and difficult in the short-term. But in the long-term you’re able to see how it will help you to pursue the professional goals you desire, which will make the short-term stress seem worthwhile.

Goals also serve as the destination for what we really want out of life. For some people, goals are measured in money or material goods, whilst for others, goals are measured in time or freedom. If we do not set goals for ourselves that suit our unique perspective on life, it will be easy to become side-tracked by the goals and actions that others set for us based on their goals and dreams.

Goals can also help us manage our time, attention and energy better. When your "To Do" list becomes too long and your calendar too full, you can simply compare your goals to your ‘To Do’ list. Which items help you move closer to achieving your goals? Which items are necessary to the achievement of your goals? You can then drop those that you consider to be unimportant to achieving your goals.

Goals can also reduce the stress you feel, because using your goals to focus your life and choices makes it easier to make those choices. Should you take that new position at work? How does it match your goals?

Finally, goals give you a measurable sense of accomplishment. Every goal you achieve, in fact every step you take towards that goal, can give you a boost of energy and momentum to keep going. Each success powers you towards the next level of success.

Now, if you haven’t already done so, go and set your goals!