Kolacalie Seyie
(Delivered at Khonoma Students Union (KSU) Seminar on 15th July 2006.
What do we mean by ‘Goal Setting’? The word ‘Goal’ is used in hockey and football games. The players must kick or hit the ball inside the goal posts in order to score the points.
So the aim of each player for their team is to score goals, similarly the goal that we are talking today is ‘lifetime goals’ or ‘lifestyle’. Therefore by ‘Goal Setting’ we mean ‘predetermined plan of action’ or ‘predetermined destination’. For instance when I was told to speak in this students meeting, I had to sit down and prepare for the meeting that means I was ‘setting a goal’, The goal is to determine what I want to accomplish before you today.
Having a ‘lifetime goal’ is very important so, start with what you want your ‘lifetime goals’ to be. It should be specific, realistic, attainable and simple. Oliver Wendell Homes the famous American lawyer said ‘Every profession is great that is greatly pursued.’ Michelangelo said, ‘Trifles make perfection and perfection is no trifle.’
Successful people do not do great things; they only do small things in great way. Earl Nightingale said ‘Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal.’ Do you have a worthy goal for your lifetime, which is in progress? Then you can be a successful person. Worthy refers to our value system; which way we are heading to – positive or negative? Worthiness of our project determines the quality of the journey towards our goals in our lives. That is what gives the meaning and fulfillment. Success without fulfillment in life is emptiness.
Why do you need to set a Goal? Goals are important because they give us a sense of direction and determined preparation. Look at the Jews, they insisted that ‘Every man must teach his son a trade, and not to teach him a trade is to teach him to steal,” meaning every man must do one thing or the other without exception.
There are unlimited professions, services, trades and commerce available if we are trustworthy and sincere. You may also have many goals, day-to-day goals or short-term goals, which may be from 15 minutes to 3 years or so, long term goals may be 3 years to 10 years or can last for a lifetime. Short-term goals are easier. The long-term goals are more challenging and important. The short-term goal is to read an article on gardening. The long-term goal is to produce a lovely garden that will provide all the fresh vegetables for the family throughout the years to come. You may have many goals but never try to be jack-of-all-trades and master of none.
Making proper priority in your goal is a must. In this globalised world everything is going very fast. Almost everything is globalised, be it trade and commerce, information, education, finances, services of all kinds, technologies, culture, fashion, and diseases etc. The most important thing while making priorities, is to never forget Mathew 6:33 which says: “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and everything else shall be added unto you,” meaning we must in the first place become the citizens of heaven, obeying the heavenly given laws and we must also be honest in our talks and our works as God is, then God will provide us with all our requirements, be it spiritual or physical health, prosperity, knowledge, good home and good family life etc. Here is a big promise to fulfill your worthy goals.
In this connection you should also remember God’s nature of provision to His creation as for instance God provides food for all the birds of the sky but He does not place the food into their nests. The birds are the busiest creatures – they come out early in the morning, in search of food for the whole day and God provides them the food. If the birds were to sit idle in their nests and be fed by God, then their legs and wings would not be strong enough to fly in the sky. And in such a case their very purpose of being a bird is defeated.
Paul. J. Meyer said “If you are not what you ought to be or want to be, it is because you have not clarified your goals,” I believe the majority of the European boys and girls decide their lifetime goals at the age of 12 to 15 years. Several 13 year-old students from Europe told me that they were seriously collecting relevant information for the last three to four years so that they may be able to determine their “lifetime goals” within a year or two. We too should be serious with our goals like them and each one of us must have a “lifetime goal” for ourselves in order to survive in this competitive world.
If anyone of you is finding it difficult in “goal setting”, I suggest, write your autobiography the way you want it to read, in advance in these days. Consider you are 70 years old and you are writing your autobiography – what do you want to achieve and to accomplish or what would you like to have written on your tombstone when you die.
A goal is an object of destination. “Goal setting is simply writing down your dream, crystallizing your thinking, and then developing a plan with a deadline for attainment.” –Peler Druker .Goal setting is the process of defining specific, measurable and tangible steps designed in order to achieve a mission.
Suggestions on how to make goal setting:
1. Make the goal simple and specific.
2. Write down the purpose of the goal.
3. Write down the benefits to you and to others of achieving the goal.
4. Write down every possible obstacle you can think of, with a subject and a predicate.
• Write down every solution you can think of for that particular obstacle. Proper defining the problem is usually 90% of the solution.
• Write down every action step:
What steps are you going to take to achieve this solution? Put a target date, set the required standard, of self-discipline, positive believing, sacrifice and commitment, arrange the cost, if any and never lost sight of the goal. Continue to try to discover any further action step as may occur from time to time to accomplish your goals.
• Then you need an affirmation:
Normally the whole day you are self- talking – either confirming or condemning your lifestyle, your image, behaviour or your situation. But when you set an affirmation, it simply becomes a statement that you repeat to yourself over and over till it becomes part of you. It helps you put the goal deep within you, when you develop a positive attitude towards your goal.eg, “I will become like that and then I will be able to do that”.
• Have a desire directory
• What are your personal desires?
• What are your social desires?
• What are your mental desires? Would you like to expand your range of knowledge? Would you like a greater penetration in a certain area of knowledge?
• What are your physical desires? Would you like to be able to handle a sport well that you are not master of now or do you want to gain or lose weight?
• What are your financial desires?
• Are you up-to-date on the latest information with regards to your goals? Because nurturing your goals through newspapers, media, etc and strengthening them by getting up to date information is important for achieving your goals.
• What are your recreational desires? Consider life as a whole and be balanced.
• Write down 10 to 20 items which you want to achieve or accomplish, then slowly and carefully minimize them into just one or two, however there will be so many goals relating and supporting to your main goal and you should not neglect or omit any one of them.
• Then carefully examine each of the items which “you want more of” and which “you want less of”. Try to get maximum information, continue to examine and meditate till you come to a certain conclusion. Do it with a determination and burning desire because it is a must.
• Remember that nobody can set goals for you. Neither your teacher nor your father can do it.
• Never confuse “goals” with daydreaming or fantasizing. Do not try to escape from reality.
• Do not try to use other people’s goals. It will be a waste of time and energy.
• The goal must be realistic and attainable. e.g. You need several qualifications so as to do your Ph. D degree.
• Goals must include necessary character changes: If you cannot control your temper, your leadership potential will be hampered.
• With rare exception, keep your personal goals confidential. Talking so much about your goals tend to relieve the psychological pressure you need to do for the job. This is only a suggestion; there is no any fixed rule in it. The average students in Nagaland have never defined their goals. This is a tragedy for all of us. I started defining my goals at the age of 45, which is too late. However better be late than never. It immensely helped me in my life.
Benefits of setting goals:
5. It is the first step in regaining health: By changing attitudes, people many times can overcome their sicknesses.
6. Setting goals expresses an inner assurance that you, under God can meet your needs. Do not go looking for others to solve your problem.
7. Setting goals feed the proper kind of a positive self image: If you do not know where you are going, you do not have a good self- image .You are like a thermometer. If the temperature is cold, you register cold. If people are happy you are happy. If people are sad you are sad. We must be a thermostat – able to change the climate with courage and determination.
8. Setting goals provides a focus for energy: You’ve got to put out energy. The muscles become large as effort is exerted. Energy within you cannot be allowed to lie dormant. Some people say that the “worst thing you can do when you are tired is to rest and become idle.” Focusing on a particular goal can help us develop our attitude towards positive life.
9. Goals simplify the decision making process: Now you have the sense of priority. You do not have to say ‘Shall I do this or shall I not’ you know exactly where you are going.
10. Goals dissipate stress: When you know where you are going, you don’t get in knots on the inside or anxiety. Goals can prevent one self from getting succumbed to inferiority complex, depressions and frustrations etc.
11. Goals honour God since He has a purpose and a plan for every life: The man who says “I am a useless person” is a wicked person. Setting goals can prevent you from getting disappointments and remaining idle.
12.Goals build confidence: You have a definite purpose in life and a clear vision of your Future. It also helps you to realize your potentials in different fields.
13.Goals generate respect: People will always follow and respect the person who knows where he is going.
14. Goals provide a system of measure: If I am going to Tokyo from Kolkata, I know how far I’ve gone, and how long it would take me to reach my destination by jet.
15. Goals produce proper priorities: Goals focus on what is really important in your life, for your future and the society at large. It also generates careful planning with factual descriptions in step by step process that help one in achieving their goals.
16.Goals alert you to facts, information and knowledge necessary to help you realize your highest potentials: For instance, when you are sincerely working on a project, and suddenly you read some articles, or listen to a newscast and hear people discussing things that naturally seem to relate to your project. So goals alert you to those beneficial inputs that help you realize your highest potential.
17. Goals lead to intensity of desires: There have never been great people who did not demonstrate great intensity. Adolph Hitler, Franklin Roosevelt, John Sung of China are some examples who had burning desires to achieve their goals.
18. A goal tends to produce persistence; because you are naturally committed to your goal. Nothing will take the place of persistence, not even talent, genius and education. The world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
19. Goals tend to eliminate fear: There is always fear of the unknown. But when you set your goals they tend to eliminate your fears.
20. Goals generate hard work: Success is not something that you run into by accident. It takes a lot of preparation and clear vision. It takes sacrifice and self- discipline. Goals build and create interest in hard work. Henry Fort said “The harder you work, the luckier you get.”
17.Goals tone up the character. Character and lifestyle are co-related with your goals. The more you are committed to your goal the more it inculcates your character. And the character is the sum total of a person’s value, believe and personality. It is not the election polls or public opinions but the character of the leader that determines the course of history. The road to success has many pitfalls. It takes a lot of character and effort not to fall into them. It also takes character not to be disheartened by critics. Your goal and abilities will get you success and character will keep you successful.
18. Goals promote enthusiasm: You are running in a race with a worthy purpose and a promise future. Your life is interesting, alive and affective. There is no idleness and boredom in your life.
Conclusion:
Goal setting is challenging and not easy. It is hard work but is a rewarding work indeed. Do you have a goal in your life? If yes, you must examine your goal constantly, review it at least ten minutes a day and move towards your goal with a positive mindset. If you have not set a goal, set one today. Its never too late, one must target where one is going and also measure the progress now and then and record it.
