Goal Setting: Why Should I Bother?

A clear vision of what you want in life is powerful, but that is just half it. How can you reach your goals? This is the first in a three-part December series on setting (and actually achieving) your goals in 2015.
Did you take one look at this title and roll your eyes? I don't blame you... But at least hear me out! The topic of goal setting has been beaten to death - in classes, in internships, and in every career-related article ever. But in reality, only eight percent of people achieve their goals for the New Year, while almost 80 percent of people believe their life lacks an overall goal. And you know what? That sucks.

A clear vision of what you want in life is powerful, but that is just half it. Until I started defining what I wanted, but also how to get there, any goal I had was forgotten by the week's end. Setting goals is a two-part process, but before it can work, you have to believe in what you're doing.

We all have things that we want to achieve in life -- whether it's landing your dream internship with that big company, starting your own business or taking that dream vacation across Europe. Think about it. What's that one thing that you keep promising yourself will happen "someday?" Keep it in mind.

So why should you even bother with goal setting?

It helps you create the life you want.

Deciding on what you want out of life is an important part of living it to the fullest. You deserve to feel excited getting out of bed each morning and fulfilled going to bed every night.

It can help you achieve the things you're afraid of.

Big dreams are suppose to scare you, at least a little bit. Since part of the work is deciding how you'll reach a goal, you are actually building yourself a step-by-step road map to navigate that fear and doubt.

It builds your confidence.

There's a thrill that comes with meeting a goal, and once you catch a taste of it, it's that much easier to adopt a "I can do this" outlook. You deserve to feel empowered by what you accomplish every single day.

It makes you a much more productive person.

Learning to set and map out goals involves a process that makes you productive. I know it changed me in the way I approach projects at work and how I set my personal monthly budget

Your homework? Start building a list of what you want - big or small. Then, check back next week for a complete guide to building your action plan. If you already have a goal in mind, tell me about it in a comment!

Blog: www.coffeeandcardigans.com Twitter: twitter.com/coffeeandcardis Facebook: facebook.com/coffeeandcardigansblog