Right before the new year starts, everyone decides to create resolutions. People are consistently trying to better themselves but can have trouble doing so because there’s no clear sense of direction.

You’ll need to create a plan if you want to achieve everything on your list. But why is goal setting important? We’ll outline a few reasons and discuss how you can maximize your potential once you define your objectives.

1. There’s Something to Work Towards

Whether personal or professional, setting a goal gives you something to work towards. How many times have you thought about something you wanted to do but didn’t make a plan of action to get there?

Once you clearly define an achievable goal, nothing else matters. Your daily tasks will weed out any behaviors that aren’t conducive to your plan.

2. You Can Easily Measure Your Progress

When you first set a goal, you’ll be overwhelmed because the finish line seems so far away. However, that’s the beauty of goal-setting; once you know what you want to accomplish, you can track your progress along the way.

By measuring your progress, you’ll be able to keep your energy levels high. Although you’re not at the destination yet, you can see that you’re slowly taking steps to get there.

3. Encourages Motivation Through Tough Times

If there’s a job promotion you want to grab, or you want to lose weight, there will be tough times throughout the journey. But achieving those goals would be even more challenging without a concrete plan. 

You would be more inclined to put progression off because of the lack of motivation. However, having goals will inspire you to put the work in.

For example, think about professional athletes. Most of them had that dream when they were children and wanted to continue playing that sport for the rest of their lives. 

But they couldn’t just sit there and hope it would come true; the work had to be done. It didn’t matter if they had a good or bad day, didn’t feel good, or had external factors hindering their motivation; consistency was vital.

Even though that long-term goal presented its challenges, they were motivated to continue pushing because they knew the end game. And the same can be said for you. Whatever goal you’re trying to achieve will require motivation and consistency, even on the days you don’t want to.

How Do You Set Goals?

It’s great that you want to better yourself. But how do you know if the goal you’re setting is a good one? Here are a few tips that can help you choose the right goals.

Reflect On What’s Important to You

Reflection is essential when it comes to goal-setting. Yes, there are various aspects to life, meaning there will be many goals you want to achieve.

But which goals are important to you? Once you’ve figured that out, you can start creating a plan to help you achieve them.

Set “SMART” Goals

Do you know what the acronym S.M.A.R.T. in relation to goal-setting means? It stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. You can use this tool for personal and professional goals. 

Here’s a quick overview to give you a better idea of the concept:

• Specific: Ensure goals are specific so planning can be more effective

• Measurable: Figure out what evidence will help you track your progress throughout the journey. Reevaluate if things become unclear.

• Attainable: You should be able to achieve your goal within a reasonable time-frame

• Relevant: Any goal should align with your long-term objectives

• Time-bound: Have a realistic end date for your goal rather than keeping it open-ended

If you break your goals down in this manner, you’ll have more clarity in your plan for achieving them.

Write Your Goals Down

Everyone thinks about goals they want to achieve. But they could be fleeting thoughts, and you might forget. Instead of leaving them to wander in your mind all day, write them down. 

Physically seeing your goals gives you the motivational boost to know you’re working towards them. Once you achieve a step in your plan, you can cross it off the list, which shows that you’re making progress.

Have an Accountability Partner

Tell a family member or friend if you want to hold yourself more accountable for your goals. They can keep you on your toes if you lose motivation or aren’t doing tasks that will help your progress.

Plus, it’s better to have a support system than tackle the goal without anyone knowing.

Setting Goals Keeps You Focused

When you set goals, you clearly outline a plan for your life. It doesn’t matter if it’s personal or professional; taking actionable steps will keep you focused.

Before you know it, you’ll be making progress and achieving your goal in no time.