Come Back From a Place You've Never Been? Impossible

How can you hit a target you don’t have?

Goals are very important.

It’s just as difficult to reach a destination you don’t have as it is to come back from a place you’ve never been. I agree with Zig Ziglar in his book See You At The Top when he says that one reason people never reach their full potential is that they don’t have definite, precise, and clearly set goals.

Thirty years ago after reading that book, I realized that if I didn’t set goals my life would continue to go absolutely nowhere. I wasn’t reaching my full potential, and probably never would, until I had something to reach for. I truly believe people who don’t set goals reach only a small portion of what life has to offer.

I would like to share with you some of what I learned from Zig Ziglar. He says we should start with a plan and direct it toward a specific goal or target. But how do we do that?

Let's start with the basics: a definition of the word "goal". The dictionary says a goal is an aim or a purpose. It’s a plan. Something you expect to do. Lets establish first that whoever you are, wherever you are and whatever you want to do, you should have goals.

Zig Ziglar says there are seven different kinds of goals.
1. Physical
2. Financial
3. Spiritual
4. Career
5. Family
6. Mental
7. Social- I will elaborate on these later.

He also says there are four characteristics of goals:

1. Set big goals but not so unrealistic that they aren’t attainable. When you set goals you can’t reach you are setting yourself up to fail.
2. Goals must be long-range. Long range goals are easier. Why? Because you go as far as you can see and when you get there you will always be able to see further.
3. Goals must be daily. Frequently, the difference between great and the near great is the realization that if you expect to make it big, you must work toward your objectives everyday. Being sporadic is not the way to get where you want to be. If you want to see change work on your goals everyday.
4. Goals must be specific. Zig says, “It doesn’t matter how much power, brilliance or energy you have, if you don’t harness it and focus on a specific target, and hold it there. You’re never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrants." Remember the art of goal setting is to focus on one specific, detailed goal. And if you want to reach your goal you must first see yourself reaching that goal.

Check in next Wednesday as we explore how to approach goal-setting in each of the seven areas listed above.