What is on your plate today? Most people’s calendars are filled with things they have to do (job, errands, chores, exercise) with a few fun activities listed when possible (going to a party, seeing a movie, meeting friends for dinner). The routine of daily life can feel set, but the reality is that people have significant control over how they spend their time. Little, consistent changes in people’s daily life can make a big difference over time in what their life could look like. One of the best ways to take control of the mundane routine is to set specific and regular goals.
“If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and inspires your hopes.” —Andrew Carnegie
All too often, goals are associated with misery—a way for people to force themselves to do the things they should but do not want to do. However, Andrew Carnegie offers another perspective: goals could be the passage to happiness. When people set goals, they often become focused upon what truly matters to them. Instead of merely surviving the mundane of daily life, goals can energize and inspire.
Even though numerous studies unpack the power of goal setting, many people struggle. One challenge is that objectives worthy of people’s time and effort almost require sacrifices in the short-term. If only there were a magic formula or a quick-fix. There is no silver bullet, but many people have found that working with a counselor or a life coach has aided the process of setting and achieving a goal.
Thriveworks Peachtree City has seen many clients who are ready to use their time well—to prioritize what they want out of life. Our counselors and life coaches know what it takes to achieve an important goal.
Setting a Goal: What’s the Point?
When most people stop and think about what they want their lives to look like tomorrow, next month, and next year, they have a general idea of the answer. Goals take that general idea and focus on specifics: exactly what can be achieved and how?
Often, goals serve the function of …
- Boosting people’s self-discipline.
- Continuously directing people’s attention toward their priorities.
- Ignite significant action.
- Bring focus and behavior into alignment.
- Maintain momentum, even through challenges and obstacles.
Varying the Target
When people utilize goals well in their life, they often aim at various targets. Some goals might be serious and significantly challenges. Others might be for fun, relaxation, or refreshment. Examples of the different kinds of goals that can be set include goals about one’s…
- Attitude: What kind of character do you want to build? Who do you want to be?
- Career: Is there a particular type of job or career you want to pursue now? What could you career look like in five years?
- Finances: What type of lifestyle do you want to sustain? Do you want work part time? Travel? Live debt free?
- Physical strength: What health changes would improve your quality of life?
- Fun: When are you most happy? What puts a smile on your face?
- Family: What kind of family do you want? Do you want to be single? Married with kids? Married without kids? What kinds of relationships do you want to build with your extended family?
- Education: What can you explore and research? Is there a skill or a hobby you want to grow?
- Artistic growth: Would you enjoy learning how to paint? Making time to practice the flute?
Far from bringing boredom and misery into people’s lives, setting and achieving various goals in all spheres of life can be exciting and fulfilling.
The Goal’s Form
Excellent goals come from within an individual’s skills, values, and talents. This is one of the ways that counselors and life coaches assist people in setting and achieving healthy goals. Mental health professionals help often guide people toward self-awareness.
The details of each goal will be deeply personal, but the form that goals take is not unique. In fact, most healthy goals have similar characteristics in how they are formed. Well-formed goals are often…
- Shared: Tell people who will be supportive of your goals—either through tangible help or through encouragement.
- Written: People often take documented goals more seriously. They can also revisit goals that are written instead of spoken.
- Specific: The more details there are to a goal, the better. For example, “becoming healthier” is a vague goal, but “eating three fruits of a day” is a specific, measurable goal.
- Time-bound: Individual goals should have deadline. The deadline could be within the day, in a week, in a year, in five years, or more. The important aspect is setting a timeframe.
Setting Goals with Thriveworks Peachtree City, GA
Are you ready to stop the mundane schedule and start working toward what really matters for your life? Is there a specific benchmark you have been eyeing? Do you want more focus within your day? If so, you are not a lot. A lot of people are setting important goals, and a lot of people are reaching out for the help they need to succeed. Thriveworks Peachtree City is ready with support and guidance—we have appointments for goal setting help available.
Know that our office does not keep a waitlist, but most new clients see their coach or counselor within 24 hours of their call to make an appointment. We also accept most forms of insurance. Give Thriveworks Peachtree City a call today.
