Think about a boat out on the open seas. The boat has the most modern tools and gadgets on board. All of the officers and sailors have completed their training. All of the fuel is in the tanks. Everything works well. Everything is just right. Except that the boat has already set sail, and the captain doesn't know where it's going.
Some people live on boats like these. They have a good education and are physically healthy. But because they haven't made any plans for their lives, they keep changing directions whenever they can. What are goals, and how do they help us live better lives? Let's talk about this. Many parts of our lives come together to make us look like a whole person. Some of these things are our job, our home, our religion, our hobbies, and our friends.
For some of us who are still young, our main goal is to get a good job. For some people, family goals are just as important as other goals. Friends, hobbies, and religion are the most important things for people who are now retired. One has to sit still, think about, and write down their goals. One has to think about the perfect life they want and what needs to happen to get there. That will help set broad goals in many different areas.
Once we know what our general goals are, we need to rank them. Where do you start? For example, if I want to reach the top of my company and get more promotions, shouldn't I spend more time and energy on that than on making new friends? After the big goals are set, they can be broken down into smaller steps. In the next ten years, I want to reach the top of my company. I will try to get at least one promotion this year. Or, I want to stay fit for the rest of my life. This year, I'll add more fibre to my diet and stop eating things that my doctor tells me not to. I won't give in to temptations, but I will always keep in mind that I want to be fit.
Take a weekly look at everything after you've broken down your goals into small steps. What did I do this week that was good? Was it good enough? Where did I make a mistake? What needs to be changed? What do I want to do in the next week? Every week, every month, and at the end of the year, you should do the same exercise.
When you set goals and see that you are getting close to them, it will give you more motivation. It will make you feel better about yourself. It will help you stay on track and give you more drive. Happiness comes from hard work and getting things done. No one ever feels happy when they waste time. Happiness comes from knowing that you did your work well enough for yourself. Set goals if you want to be happy.
