If there is one topic that proliferates more than any other in the personal development world, is is the subject of goal setting. We all know that goals give us a boost of motivation, and a sense of purpose and meaning in our lives. I am sure that we have all read up about how to set goals, but do we spend enough time thinking about why? So here are some thoughts.
As we know, goal setting is a great tool for personal and professional development. It encourages people to challenge themselves, learn new skills, and grow, leading to increased confidence and resilience. It usually involves pushing your limits and stepping out of your comfort zone. The process of setting challenging goals promotes continuous learning, skill development, and personal growth. As Jim Rohn once said 'It's not what you get, it's what you become.' So one of the real reasons for setting a goal is not to achieve the goal, but rather to see who you need to become in order to achieve it. The wise question to ask is not 'Am I worthy of the goal', but 'Is the goal worthy of me?' Perhaps that is often why that once we have achieved our goal, it often doesn't feel like the big deal that we thought it would be.
You know how everyone says it's not the "things" you really want, it's the "feelings" associated with the things that you think you will achieve once you have the things? My belief is that the true reason that most people set goals is to experience the emotions that they link to achieving them. For example, if your goal was to own a Ferrari, imagine the feelings you would experience once you finally picked up the keys. Can anyone see a problem with that? Firstly, that feeling simply doesn't last, and before too long it has worn off, and you're off chasing the next shiny object.
Secondly, why wait until you have reached your goal in order to give yourself permission to feel that way? Why not just start practising feeling that way now? You're not going to find those emotions outside of yourself. All the books tell us that in order to manifest things effectively, we must live with the emotions of having the wish already fulfilled. In other words, once you’ve got a clear vision of how the end goal looks, you must live in the state of your future self — emotionally, mentally, and physically. Does this not therefore suggest that if we are waiting for something to happen externally before we can experience the positive feelings, then we are putting the cart before the horse. We are living in a world of feel great WHEN, or feel great IF, instead of feel great NOW.
 
From my heart to yours
David