5 Benefits of Setting Goals

Focus

If you have a goal it gives you focus something to aim for, a target or dream to work to.

Motivation

Achieving or making progress towards a goal can be hugely motivating.  Imagine for example you want to improve your fitness.  When you start you can only exercise on the treadmill for a short period of time at a relatively slow speed.  Pretty quickly you can comfortably run for 15 minutes at a reasonable speed.  It’s a great feeling when you reach and then pass a previous best.

Success

If you set yourself a goal you are more likely to succeed.  Once you set an idea in your mind that you are going to do something, there is likely to be a much greater chance of success.  Why? The reason is that you will go the extra mile to achieve it.

Confidence

If you start setting and achieving goals your confidence will rise.  I use myself as an example.  I left school at 16 with basic qualifications.  I started an Accountancy Diploma at night school.  Each time I passed a set of exams it gave me the confidence to tackle the next level.  Eventually I qualified as a Chartered Management Accountant.

Growth

Every time we set a goal we grow as a person.  The reason for this is that we are probably going to have to develop or learn about something to achieve it.  Setting up my web-site is a good example.  I would describe myself as IT competent.  Despite this I purchased a website builder, had a go, got some feedback and asked for help when stuck.  The learning and growth from doing what might appear as a simple task was huge.