Goal Digging

Goal setting can be a serious business. Theories on how to follow-through and achieve your goals are so prevalent that they can command an entire section of the library or bookstore. There are a lot of things people want to say about goal setting. We want to add our voice to the conversation with a simple truth.

Goals have to be just one thing: measurable.

Depending on what books you read, advice you get, or guru you speak with, you will get more wisdom on how to achieve your goals than you knew was possible. The key question all of the experts seem to take for granted is “what is a goal?” We ask because if you mistakenly identify a wish as a goal, you run the risk of wasting a lot of time and energy only to be disappointed.

A goal is a measurable achievement you wish to fulfill. It is this element of being measurable that differentiates the wishers and dreamers from the goal setters and achievers. If you have always wanted to write a novel, you most likely have a wish on your hands. An unfulfilled fantasy. However, if your goal is to write 5,000 words a day, every day, then you are most likely going to write a novel and achieve your overall goal.

Abstraction is the silent murderer of success.

So, when you are setting goals for the quarter or the year or your business or even your personal life, make sure you’re not leaving it up to fate. Put the quantifiable pieces in place before committing. You will benefit from having a clearer picture of what it is you want to achieve, what it will take to achieve it, and when exactly you have succeeded. Don’t plan to run a marathon “some day”. Forget about “becoming a published author”. And throw out “hope to be the best in the company”. Replace the vague notions of wish fulfillment with what you’re willing to do, when, and how. Only then do you truly have a goal that is worth pursuing.