We need a Goal (I need a Goal)

“If you don’t have a goal, you don’t have to worry about missing anything”

As the old saying goes, no hope no disappointment. I probably won’t progress or achieve anything besides living my life by eating, working, playing and sleep.

Do I need a Goal?
If I am a progressive person who wanted to achieve something with my life, then I should have a goal on what I need to achieve to make myself a happier person. If I am not, then I am happy with just sleeping and eating. Without a goal, I am lost; I have nothing to achieve, nothing to loose, and not sure of how far I had gone. I am busy everyday, I might love or hate what I am doing, yet I am not sure will be achieve something which I am happy at the end. A goal should be something I want to do, thus I set myself to do it. If there is nothing I want to do, then I don't need a goal; only if I am happy just the way it is.

How high my goal should be?
There is a lot of knowledge and techniques towards setting a goal. Some said you should set a higher goal, so that if you would achieve 50% of it, it would still be good. If I set my goal too high, I might think it is impossible and won’t even be bothered with it. If I set my goal too low, then there is no challenge and defeat the purpose of having a goal since I am going to make it easily. So I say set 50-100% higher than the target I would eventually going to achieve anyway without much difficulty.

When to set a goal?
Usually all start with New Year resolution, but sometimes a year’s plan is too long and too vague, but still a good start. Each goal should have a timeline, where some might take 1 month and those which take one year, break them down to 3 months milestones. If is good to have a half-yearly or quarterly review just to remind ourselves how far off is our ratio of effort and result. Without a review, we will have no idea where we are; thus defeat the purpose of having a goal if we don't intend to achieve it. If we know that we are far off, do something about it (anything). A goal is supposed to be difficult, and that means it won't be easy (extraordinary effort is required here). If it is so damn easy, you wouldn't desire for it in the first place.

Mission, Vision, Goal & Strategy
This is not so clear to most of us most of the time, but I shall try anyway. Mission is basically explaining why we exist, probably our purpose in life. Vision is more about what we want to be or do, more of future planning. Goals are smaller components which need to be done to help us achieve our vision, and Strategy is how we are going to do it. Since I think our life on earth is a god-given adventure to learn and explore, I shall take that as my mission. My vision is to be a good person and make this world a better place to live in; or at least take care of myself (so I don’t cause burden to others) and the people around me (just in case they need me), and don't do evil in the process. Everything starts from ourselves to our family to our community to our country and eventually to the world. Before we try on something too big, we need to help ourselves before we help others; love ourselves so that we could love others. So most of our goals happen to be more “selfish” and centered around ourselves, but I believe only when we are satisfied and successful in our own way then only we could help others. A beggar or a drunken can’t really take care of themselves.

Last Words
Basically is all about what we want to do in our life, and setting goals to do it one step at a time. People who dream of being a superstar but do nothing about it (besides dreaming) is not going anywhere. Most of us dream or talk about what we wanted to do, but action is the element which move things. Some of us might not have a dream, don’t understand his or her own mission and have no idea to conjure what kind of vision. Maybe we could do the reverse engineering: based on your goals (what you want to achieve), you might find out what matters to you or what would you prefer to do.

“Goals allow action to be taken. I worry not about action, but inaction”. Rather than worry about what if I fail, you should be more worried about what if I don’t try. There shouldn't be too many if, just like there shouldn't be too many regrets.