Goals: Who Needs Them?

In the Beginning

I had the good fortune to learn the power of goal setting when I was in high school.  I remember the coaches on my high school football team preparing us to set goals for my senior year. We were in off-season spending most of our time lifting weights.  For me, lifting weights was not a lot of fun until I started setting goals for myself.

Key Concepts

During this time, I learned several key concepts about setting goals. One was to make your goals specific. We set a team goal to win the district championship. We were asked to set individual goals. I wanted to be the starting center on the football team. At 172 lbs., I was not the most likely center for any football team.

The second concept was to make the goals measurable.  This concept sticks with me to this day. Have you ever heard the phrase, by Peter Drucker, “if you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it”? For our team goal, we set out to win all (100%) of our football games.  For my personal goal, I wanted to be able to bench press 200 lbs. 

The third concept was to make the goal timebound.  What does this mean? It means to set a date and time for reaching your goals. What does this do for you? It motivates you to get started now and helps you to determine if you are successful in the timeframe that you have committed.  For our team goal, the timeframe was the end of the football season for my senior year.  I set a timeframe for the end of offseason for my personal goal of bench pressing 200 lbs.  The end of offseason was the same as the end of the school year for my junior year.

The final concept that I remember was to review your goals every day.  Keep your goals fresh in your mind.  Part of reviewing your goals was to visualize your goals by putting a visual reminder on your bathroom mirror or somewhere to remind you to think about your goals. 

What Happens When You Set Goals?

The best part of my last two years of high school was learning to set goals. The team did not win the district championship, however, we performed very well as a team. Personally, I reached my goal to bench press 200 lbs. There were some extra successes that I had not planned for. I became one of the leaders of the team and I was selected as All-District as a center on the offense.  I learned that working toward and achieving your goals can be very fulfilling.

What does this mean for you? You too can set goals. Whether you are in sales, looking for donors or investors, finding new volunteers, or leading a team. Working toward your goals can be very motivating and rewarding.  Remember to make your goals specific, measurable and timebound.  Review and visualize your goals regularly to increase your chances for success.

Who Needs Goals?

I have practiced setting goals throughout my life. I have applied goal setting in the areas of personal and professional interests including, cycling, personal finance, sales, training, speaking and leadership. I have set goals in every area of my life including mental, physical, spiritual, financial, emotional, and social. It has helped me to maintain focus and motivation as I strive to reach new heights in all aspects of my life. It is one of the most important things I have learned in life.  Who needs goals? Everyone needs them! I encourage you to also develop and set goals for your life and your career.