Choose Your Goals Wisely
Once again, it is the time of the year when all of us are evaluating
our choices and thinking about our goals. Some of us have given up on
the word 'goals,' and the rest of us are still thinking to give it a
last try. Which group are you in? Have you given up on your goals, or
do you still want to give them another chance? Whichever side of the
fence you are on, I would encourage you to take the plunge and not give
up on your goals and dreams.
I have noticed that when we don't achieve our goals, there are usually
only two reasons: First, our goals are not internally motivated. Second,
we don't have a process in place that allows us to achieve our goals
on a consistent basis.
What are internally motivated goals? Internally motivated goals are
the ones that fuel your passion. Internal goals are who you are at the
deepest level of your existence. These goals are not your parents',
they are not your spouse's or your children's goals. These are your
own goals. These are the goals that make you jump out of bed because
you cannot wait to get to the activity that would allow you to achieve
these goals.
First step in finding out what your internal goals are would be to
get to know yourself. Who are you? What do you value in life? What is
most important to you in your life? How do you define success? For example,
even though I enjoy my career, spending time with my son is very important
to me too. If career-related activities take away from the time I want
to spend with my son, I feel unsuccessful. Having a balance between
spending quality time with my son and my husband, along with career-related
activities, is therefore one of my internally motivated goals. The attainment
of this particular goal means that I will have to sometimes choose between
career and quality time with my family. However, when I do make this
choice, I know this is the right choice for me because I know what motivates
me internally.
It is very easy to give in to external pressures when you don't know what is important to you, what you value in life. Society may not value what you value. Therefore, before you set goals this year, I would encourage you to spend some time alone and ask yourself: “What is most important to me?” Listen to that quiet voice and go after what feeds your soul. It could be a burning desire to support a cause that you believe in, or it could be something as simple as having an extra hour every day to nurture yourself or meditate. Whatever it is that you choose to make your goal this year, make sure that it is internally motivated.
Zahra Efan is a Life and Success Coach who specializes in helping women achieve their dreams. To book a complimentary coaching session give Zahra a call at 604.582.7759 or visit our web at www.zahraefan.com.
