Goals need little introduction. They are the fuel that should guide our focus on the desires of our hearts. They offer a sense of accomplishment. They can create excitement for us. They promote a sense of purpose. The biggest challenge with this somewhat simple trait is that people do not fully understand their value.
There is a story told of two basketball teams who were playing for the national championship. Both teams were on the floor warming up with shots and drills prior to their encounter. After completing the drills, each team departed to their respective locker rooms for pre-game strategy. Soon both teams re-entered the arena to complete last-minute shots before the game was whistled into play.
As they grabbed balls from the ball rack and started toward their respective ends, they noticed something odd. While they were in the locker room, someone had taken down the goals from each end. The call rang out, “Coach! The goals are gone. How can we play a game without goals?” The teams understood what they needed to accomplish. They needed to put the ball into the goal on their offensive side more times than their opponent to win. However, without those goals, there was no way to accomplish that. There was value in having those goals.
I have heard it said that the purpose of goals is to force one’s attention. However, just having that attention does not necessarily mean that one will keep pressing onward. It demands discipline on one’s part to fully understand what the goal or goals might be and what makes them so important. Thus, it is easy to understand that individual commitment is vital to any goal initiative.
Life without clearly defined, time-sensitive goals is meaningless. As John Condry once said, “Happiness, wealth, and success are by-products of goal setting…” Perhaps Dorothea Brandt said it best, “Don’t concern yourself with how you’re going to achieve your goals. Leave that to a power greater than yourself. All you need to know is where you are going and the answers will come to you.” Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Maybe easier said than done. But, when you have clear goals, know the “why”, which makes them important; and, you can openly see the value. There should be, as Peter Daniels proclaimed, “…a logical fulfilling approach to dynamic living.”
