Valuable Benefits of Setting Goals

There are several important benefits of goal-setting. The process:

• sets a destination, daily or otherwise

• clarifies purpose

• motivates you to action

• delivers a sense of accomplishment

• provides a benchmark of success

• validates that you are successful

• builds self-esteem

• provides a clear commitment

The SMART process stimulates a clear commitment from you to achieve your personal and professional goals. Commitment casts aside self-imposed barriers such as procrastination, the virus I spoke of earlier. Consider this story taken from Lee Boyan's book, Successful Cold Call Selling:

Well, most people feel safer in a twin-engine plane. They figure if one engine quits, you have another one to keep you up. But consider this. It takes a lot more pilot skill to keep a twin-engine aircraft flying with one engine out. It's terribly unbalanced. It's especially tough in bad weather. Worse, if you have to make a forced landing in bad weather.

But pilot skill is only part of it. The real reason you may want to consider a single-engine airplane safer is this. If that engine quits, the pilot is totally committed to land that bird. There is no other option. Total attention, skill, and effort are concentrated on bringing it down as gently as possible. No distractions.

A twin-engine pilot, no matter how skilled, isn't applying all of that skill to the one critically important task. A twin-engine pilot's mind is going back and forth struggling with a dilemma. Should I keep it up? Should I bring it down?

I am sure many people drift through life like that. They never fully commit to a specific goal. They dabble in this and that, not doing anything very well. Don't simply try something, commit to it. Success requires unshakeable commitment: Commit your full attention, your energies, and your skills to fulfill your goals. If you only try something, it becomes a very trying experience. Be passionate, not merely interested. Don't be like the kamikaze pilot who flew 17 missions. Get focused.

I recently set a personal SMART goal to lose 15 pounds within 90 days. The goal kept me focused, kept me on course and ensured that I did what was necessary. Goals keep you focused regardless of whether you like the necessary activities. I didn't particularly cherish the thought of dining exclusively on cabbage soup and veggies, but those activities were necessary. The discomfort of discipline.

Tim Commandment #1

Set personal and professional SMART goals frequently.

Ask: What are my personal and professional SMART goals for today, for this week?

Next: Dynamics of Motivation

This is part of Attitude # 2: Set Goals