Goal Setting is a very healthy and effective technique used to increase the likelihood of creating personal success in our lives. Just about every obstacle we encounter can be overcome by devising a plan of action which can ultimately lead to internal satisfaction, that is, if we don’t assign expectations to the outcome or the journey leading us there. When we have expectations instead of goals we set ourselves up for disappointment, defeat and discouragement. Generally, when we set our focus on expectations we are not truly in control of our journey and leave very little room for self-empowerment.
On the other hand, Goal Setting gives us the opportunity to look within ourselves to discover where we need to make improvements and execute a plan in order to obtain what it is we desire. Goal setting does not require perfection or even a direct route, but rather a general outline or path we can take to reach our objectives. Goal Setting provides a vast array of options for re-routing and even mistakes along the way, whereas setting expectations tends to be an unforgiving, rigid mindset that allows very little room for understanding, compassion and cognitive reframing as we put unnecessary pressure on ourselves and others to live up to perfection .
Setting ourselves up for success can be as simple as knowing that we have a plan and we will do our best to reach our goals. The idea is to be both motivated but also realistic about the plan we make. If we rely specifically on expectations we are robbing ourselves of the opportunity to be in control of our own wellbeing and the invaluable lessons we learn along the way.
Do you have a goal you’d like to achieve? If so here are some helpful tips to remember when beginning the Goal Setting process:
Written by Michelle Meyers, MS, NCC.