Goals: Tell me about an important goal that you set in the past. Were you successful?
Jenny's Dream
Jenny enjoys doing her friends'hair. She loves the feel of hair running through her fingers or taming natural, unprocessed hair. She's creative, and whether it's an elegant French twist or framing her subject's face with the perfect style to compliment her bone structure, she masters it with ease.
From the time Jenny was about 16 years old she knew she wanted to be a professional hair stylist. She did her research and knew the schools she wanted to attend where she could get her degree and training in hair care and hair styling at the same time.
Unfortunately, when she shared her dream with her parents, they raised strong objections. From her father, a doctor, “You need to do something in the medical field! There will always be a job for you. You can go as far as you want to.” From her mother, a nurse who now trained nurses, “Why would you want to be a hairdresser and stand on your feet all day? There are so many other professions you could choose.” Jenny found that quite ironic knowing how much money her mother spent each week with her own hairdresser.
Her parents did not let up until Jenny decided that, for the sake of peace, and since her parents were paying for her to attend college, she'd do what they wished. She put her dreams on hold and did what her parents wanted.
Does this scenario sound familiar? Your goals should make you happy. For you to enjoy the process of achieving your goals, they need to be yours, not someone else's.
Jenny's story is not unusual. People often put a lot of time and effort into reaching the goal someone else set for them.
Like Jenny, they may get into medical school or a branch of medical and healthcare because of family pressure. Or they choose a corporate career because their spouse wants financial security. What they really want to do is less glamorous or impressive, and may not bring them the type of income others feel they should be earning.
Your Goals Should Align with Your Passion
Unless commitment is made, there are only promises
and hope but no plans. ~ Peter Drucker
Because you are going to work on achieving an important goal, you should choose a goal that expresses your deepest passion. You should choose a goal that makes you happy.
There are many reasons why this should be the case. Let's examine just two of them.
Achieving a challenging goal takes commitment. Change is scary and actively seeking change is complicated. People often put obstacles in their own path to sabotage their efforts in achieving a goal.
It's not unusual to set up a plan to meet a goal and then to find yourself procrastinating. You may get distracted doing tasks that don't lead to your goal. You may simply put off doing tasks that do lead to your goals. But at any rate, your actions do not match your supposed intentions.
Why would you consciously or unconsciously do these things?
Your heart is not really in it. Those things can happen even when you are fully committed. How much greater is the possibility if your heart is not in it! Working towards a challenging goal when you are divided about it will be an ordeal. And it will probably not be a success.
In order to achieve a goal and embrace it once you're there, you need to be fully committed. You can't have hidden doubts or be only lukewarm in your enthusiasm. You need to be able to focus all your energy on achieving your goal.
The second reason that you should choose a goal that makes you happy is that you're cheating yourself if you don't. Spending time and energy going after something that doesn't bring you joy is a waste of your life. If you are going to work hard and dedicate yourself to a challenging goal, the outcome should be a gift to you, not to someone else.
Conclusion
Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort. ~ Paul J. Meyer
In conclusion, always remember that initially, it may be challenging to identify a goal that is challenging and fulfilling. Not everyone knows exactly what they're passionate about and what brings them the most joy. For many, it's a gradual process.
Once that is in place, find the goal that is aligned with your passion so that your goal can make you happy and feel fulfilled.
Are you working on goals in your business that bring you joy? Do they make you happy? If not, it's time for a re-evaluation.
Being committed to any cause requires a change in mindset. In my NEW Group Coaching Program and Bonus Membership, we will cover, “Mindset – the Ultimate Factor in Your Success”, under which we'll take a deep dive into five areas. Learn more about the 6-month Coaching Program: “From Prospects to Profit” Group Coaching Program.
