What is the importance of goal setting anyway? Is it absolutely necessary to set goals? 

Setting goals is vital to getting on (and staying on) the road to success. Goals clarify vague aspirations. They turn the unknown into the known. If that isn’t reason enough to start setting goals then here are five reasons that further drive home the point.

Goals give you focus.

Without a goal you don’t have sight of the target you’re aiming for. Your time and energy will feel disjointed. By having a goal you can easily align your efforts in a more concentrated manner. What seemed chaotic at first now has order.

Goals help track progress.

Tracking progress is rewarding and helps you stay focused on success. Seeing where you have been and where you are can give you a boost of confidence. Maybe you aren’t at the end goal yet but simply knowing you are making progress in the right direction is worth acknowledging. By the way, the only way you can track progress toward achieving a goal is by setting one in the first place.

Goals are a consistent source of motivation.

How much easier would it be to procrastinate if you had no goal? A lot easier. It’s easy to put off work until tomorrow when a goal isn’t set. Making progress toward a goal each day, no matter how small, will move you that much closer to achieving it. The desire to reach the goal will motivate you to take that next step without the delay.

Goal achievement enables a burst of encouragement.

Once you set a goal and achieve it you will feel a rush of joy. You’ll want to set another goal and tackle it. Attacking the next goal will challenge yourself to achieve more. This cycle of setting and accomplishing goals will help you achieve more than you ever imagined.

Goals help clarify what you want.

Actively writing down goals makes you really consider what you want out of life. What is your personal definition of success? What does your dream home look like? Where do you want to be in 10 years? Setting specific end goals will help in creating action plans. By breaking down large goals into small doable chunks you can make consistent progress in the direction of the finish line. 

Are you setting achievable goals? Start today!