I’ve always felt that goal setting was intimidating.  Years ago, I was staunchly against it. SMART Goals made me want to hide under my desk. Creating vision boards and then setting goals to reach that vision (a tool that I know works well for a lot of folks) gave me anxiety. My philosophy was, “I don’t know where I’m going to end up, but I know I am going in the right direction, so why should I need an actual goal?”

I thought this way for a few reasons:

1.      How disappointing is it to have a goal that you are working towards, but then get sidetracked, have to jump over unanticipated hurdles, or get discouraged and quit? I can’t fail if I don’t have a goal, right?
2.     On your way to the goal, you realize it's wrong (reference my college experience for an example).
3.     Sometimes goals seem so BIG. I would find myself becoming discouraged just due to the sheer intimidation of it.

So, I chucked goal setting until I was forced to change my perspective. How would I be able to work with clients in setting and achieving their goals if I didn’t set them myself? I’m not the “do as I say and not as I do” type. My father taught me that one, and it did not work well at all.

After I began setting goals for myself, my opinion began to shift.  I learned that to reach goals, I needed to identify the ultimate goal to help focus my energy. I began being present, and appreciating all of the things I was doing, the muscles I was building, and the wisdom I gained on the way.  I began expecting hurdles and giving myself grace and time. Instead of intimidating me, I was excited to see my future.

 Accomplishing goals is not just about accomplishing the goal but the journey you take to get there. It’s not only the destination but how you grow into it. So, I wasn’t wrong in my previous line of thinking, but my perspective was not very productive. Now, when I set goals, I am not intimidated by them.

If you’re like my previous self, and shy away from setting goals, take a step back and remember real benefit comes from the path that gets you there. Before you know it, you will turn around and say, “Holy shit – I did it!”