The Importance of Goal Setting

Goal Setting is a habit. We use it in all areas of life. We often discuss goal setting as a good way to make changes and improve health. Goal setting is also important in business, family and any other area that we want a certain result. Generally, we want positive results in all areas of life. Some of us seem to find a way to be successful in multiple areas, while others excel in one area, but struggle in another.

Why is this? I think it is because thy habit of goal setting has not been formed or needs to be practiced more. Let’s take John for example:

John is a talented musician. He plays the piano and has for many years. He has been good at it as long as he can remember and now he earns a living playing. Clearly, John has talent, or he wouldn’t be paid for his music. He is good enough for people to come and watch him perform. Yet, there is a part of John that is not successful. He has struggled with his weight for years too. While he has great skill in one area, he lacks in another. It’s not that he doesn’t know how to lose weight, it’s just that he can’t seem to find the right plan to get him to his desired results.

In fact, it goes beyond that. When John and I started working together, he had a clear passion for his music. He realized that if he didn’t lose weight, he would be putting himself at risk for medical problems as he got older. He also realized that he wanted to change, but hadn’t ever tried much of a serious plan before.

What John needed, was to look at his health like he has looked at his music. When we compared his health to his music career, it was clear to John that he had been setting goals, formed habits and was on a specific plan from years ago. Once he was able to think about the desired results that he set for his career (tickets sold, gigs booked, etc.) it was easy to the importance of having goals. An even bigger light bulb came on when he thought about the habits he had formed throughout his career. Habits like practicing, rest and communication with his manager about promotion, to name a few, were the keys to his success. John realized that without the goals and habits he had developed, not only would he not be able to earn a living as a talented musician, he would not likely be this good if he even played at all!

The lesson John learned was a valuable one. Not only was he able to put some goals on paper and start forming the habits to get him there, he also improved his career. That’s right, the goal setting that became so unconscious around his music became much more directed now that he understood the importance. This lesson was a bigger one for me, as I realized that goal setting in one area can improve another area as well. The fact is, goal setting is a habit. It is valuable in all areas of our lives.