I doubt there are many people out there who don't remember a time during their childhood when they scored a goal. Maybe it was your first goal, maybe it was a game winning goal. Perhaps it was just a goal that you scored out on the playground, or one in university against the school's rivals. No matter when or where it was, there is always that goal that stays in your mind.
But somewhere along the line we forgot about goals. We have become so wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of life that we usually don't take the time to reflect on the goals that we have scored, or think about the goals that we want to score. Not only are we missing out on opportunities to celebrate, but goals can be a powerful motivator as well.
Read any book or listen to any speaker that touches on the topic of success, they will all share one common theme: set goals. I do not want to regurgitate points from last week's blog that touched on the importance of planning, so let me highlight the biggest difference instead. A goal is not a plan and a plan is not a goal. A plan is how you get to a goal. A goal is what keeps you sticking to the plan, what makes you keep your head up and pushing forward. Without a goal, you can't have a real plan; you would just be wandering blind.
Today I accomplished a goal. Today marks the first day of month two of me living a ridiculously healthy lifestyle. Working out three times a week and eating like a caveman (literally), is not as easy as it sounds. Especially – ESPECIALLY – with the lifestyle I was leading. I went from casual drinks every day to only having drinks three nights in the last 30 days. Went from dessert after almost every dinner to avoiding sugar altogether. But I made it. One month down.
The results have been tangible, too, which is an important part of having a goal. In this case, I can see and feel the progress being made. You don't remember the shots you took at the net that went wide, or the ones that were blocked. You remember when you score the goals.
So think about what you want, what you truly want, and write it down. That is your goal, your first goal. I have personal and professional goals, goals for my body, for my writing, for this website. They can be goals that take a month to accomplish, a year, or even more, but if you don't write it down, that goal can quickly fade away.
So don't be your own goalie. Don't be the one who stops you from accomplishing your own goals. Write that goal down. Take that shot on net. Score that goal that you will always remember.