A Goal Without A Plan Is Just A Wish

In all aspects of your life, did you exceed your own expectations this year?

Do you feel that you have grown and educated yourself to improve your quality of life this year?

If the answer to the above questions is NO, then read on. If your answer to those questions was YES, Well done. Read on.

When I used to speak to younger soldiers, I talked about them setting goals and having plans for their lives. It’s true that most people plan their Christmas holidays with better care than they plan their lives. I used a metaphor to explain what goals were and their importance.

I compared goals with Google Maps. Not having goals or a clear plan of what you want out of life is like walking to a destination and not knowing how to get there. If you have Google Maps and plotted a route, you eliminate the frustration of going around in circles and wasting time and energy. Life without a plan or goals is no different from wandering around lost.

When we don’t have a picture of what we want to achieve in our lives, success becomes a struggle. When we know exactly what we’re looking for, most of the time, the pieces just fall into place.

The primary reason people don’t write down goals or resolutions is because they have a fear of failure. “What happens if I don’t reach that goal?” “What happens if I fail?”

These are the questions and excuses I normally hear. Starting is the hardest part, but once you get started, you develop momentum and things become easier.

For Google Maps to work, you must type in a destination and where you want to go. The site will design the best possible route to get you there, and if you follow the route, you will arrive at your destination.

Goal setting works in a very similar way. By visualising a clear mental picture of your goal, you can design a vision board and an action plan and prioritise how you are going to get to your destination.

2017 is around the corner. Time to start thinking ahead and coming up with three mission criticals that you wish to achieve, in each quarter of the coming year.

What you can do this week to get started:

Once you have a clear plan and have established what your goals are, everything seems to conspire to move you closer to your goal. Concentrating on what you want will make the how’s inevitably appear.

Make no mistake, the biggest gamble you will make in 2017 is not doing what you want and thinking you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later on in life. Do it NOW and make 2017 your best year yet!

No one every does it alone!
The most successful people are the ones that surround themselves with the right team and always have someone to hold them accountable and to ensure they are not listening to the lies and excuses we convince ourselves of.

Have a great week ahead.
Ritch