The Power of Setting Goals

  Written by William Nissen on Feb 1, 2010 11:30 pm

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At some level, most of us understand the importance of goal setting as a high achiever activity. Every motivational speaker we hear preaches the necessity to create, maintain and re-evaluate our individual goals and objectives to reach the level of success we desire. So why then, do we find ourselves setting and failing our goals, just to find false expectations that often create higher levels of stress in our life? Or worse yet, focusing our energy and limited resources on goals which really don’t represent what will bring us true joy and achieving those things of temporary satisfaction which ultimately leave us unfulfilled. I believe so powerful is the human mind that we need to be very careful what we ask it to guide us to receive. Remember the old saying: “be careful what you ask for, you may get it”

For many years, I worked hard to achieve what I considered the better things in life. Fine automobiles, an estate size home, a second home in the mountains, club memberships and vacations around the world. Through goal setting, I had achieved a lifestyle and status that required a lot of resources to maintain and protect. I always thought in terms of improving my personal resume, a document in my head that listed my achievements both tangible and intangible. What is wrong with that you may ask? Well, everything, because… I had it all backwards! My goals were driving my purpose in life not the other way around. And because of this, my purpose became distorted in an effort to maintain control of all I had created. The proverbial “cart was ahead of the horse”.

And now I know why… From my early childhood, I remember my family always trying to go to “take it to the next level”. I grew-up in a Midwestern town and my Father was a middle manager with a large corporation. He came from a large family with little or no financial resources. He built our first home and sold if a few years later for a fine profit. We moved about every 5 or 6 years until my sister and I were both grown. My father was always working hard to make incremental improvements in our lifestyle. He was a good and honorable man who died just prior to his 70th birthday some 7 years ago. I am my Father’s son, in almost every way. I too had focused my goals on achieving the American dream, but at what cost? With these Goals in mind, I had a certain sense of infallibility around my decisions. I had lost sight of what my Father had held so dear, to serve other people first.

The problem was, I took what my Father had taught me and put it on steroids. Using the principles of financial leveraging, I borrowed as much money as the banks would lend (and at the time, they would lend a lot!) and bought the best homes in my area. I made decisions to change jobs almost entirely on how it would increase my net worth and enhance my ego. I entered into business deals and invested significant sums of money with people I was not comfortable with because I was romanced by their apparent level of success and a promise of the same for me. I fed on the idea of a tomorrow that never came. A tomorrow built on greed and an “ends justify the means” approach to dealing with others. Gordon Gekko would be proud. (a reference to my favorite movie, Wall Street)

Because I had set my GOALS and focus on acquiring these things, they were unknowingly fulfilled with disregard and in conflict with my hidden desire to have a higher purpose in my life. My thinking was once I had those things, everything else would fall into place. My ability to serve others would then be enhanced, my personal relationships would flourish, I would take the time to improve my health and spend more time with my family and finally I would build a closer relationship with my God… How many of us play the lottery and dream of how life will be after I win? All of the happiness that we will derive from the things we can buy. All of our problems solved! I don’t have anything against the lottery, except where it focuses our mind on those things not consistent with our life purpose. I would suggest to anyone who has won the lottery or received an inheritance or any financial windfall that they first examine their personal mission statement before they establish their goals.

What then can I pass on to you?   Just these three simple ideas...

1. Develop your Personal Mission Statement first, which defines your individual purpose on this earth and clarifies your true wants.
2. Take the time necessary to establish your GOALS, they can focus the most powerful force in the universe, your mind to achieve anything your heart desires.
3. Balance your actions against your GOALS. Thus establish Objectives and Tactics which are not in conflict, but rather support and sustain your GOALS.

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