Question

***Please do not copy the answer from other sources, you need to write your own****

Question: Do you set goals for yourself? If so, what motivates you to do so? If so, do you tend to accomplish them? Why do you feel you do or do not accomplish the goals that you set for yourself? If you do not set goals for yourself, explain why not. Be specific.

Answer 1

A goal is a desired future result that an individual strives to achieve and puts efforts for the same. Goals give us motion and a purpose in life.

Setting goals for self is comfortable as well as equally tough task. It is easy because we, as a person, know ourselves the best. So, it helps us to set realistic goals and motivates us to achieve those. It may be a complex task because it is human nature to work better under pressure and control.

We generally follow goals set by the others in our day-to-day life. In student life, we follow goals set by education system to pursue our career in right direction. As an adult, we follow goals set by the organization we work with to earn salary. Even the society we live in has set some norms which we are supposed to follow to co-exist with other individuals.

So, setting goals for self is a tough task as it is hard to be followed in long run without any outside motivation. But it is more beneficial. Let’s discuss how –

Steps in the accomplishment of goals:

1. Make a realistic goal: If a goal is vague and naïve, it remains unachievable in long run. As a result, efforts are wasted. So, the first step is setting a realistic and related goal.
2. Pen down the idea: This is an important habit to write our goal. It should be visible to our eyes. Writing it down will increase the focus to fulfill it.
3. Set a time frame: It is a disciplinary action. Without a strict time frame, we will lose our determination. Time reminds us continuously about the set deadline and we’ll naturally make efforts to complete the required actions.
4. Create small milestones to measure performance with time: It helps focusing towards achieving goal in time and in correct direction. It is most helpful when the goal is long-term.
5. Keep a check on the current performance: Tracking the performance is an important task. We may involve another person to do so or it may simply be done comparing the set milestones in the previous step. A table or a spreadsheet can be made to do so.
6. Include small rewards for each milestone achieved: For example, in our weight loss journey, for every 5^th kg of weight shed, we may gift ourselves a nice dress or eat the most favorite dish. It works as a driving force to continue.
7. Never to avoid or delay: Lastly, once the goal is set, must we put our efforts honestly. We shouldn’t leave this process in between if the result is half achieved or not even achieved as expected. As slow and steady wins the race.

Motivation behind self set goals:

The biggest motivation can always be the personal environment of an individual. It consists of family, friends and the people we are affected with. They play the key role to perform better each day. These are the individuals a person works hard for. For example getting a handsome package would make my parents/spouse proud. We learn from them, we try to excel for them and we work harder not to disappoint them.

Other motivational factors can be a desire for recognition, success, and access to better lifestyle, competitive and healthy work-environment, lucrative financial terms etc.

Advantages of self-set goals:

• Self set goals are practical as we know our capabilities and boundaries.
• It gives a sense of taking charge in life for something better. It helps in enjoying the journey to the achievement of that goal.
• We may fulfill our hidden wishes or delayed desires with the help of self set goals. Example – learning to play guitar.
• Nobody is there to judge and criticize in case of delay or non-achievement.

Limitations:

• Self set goals are generally easy to avoid due to work-overload, lack of motivation by external factors, frustration etc.
• Feeling of breakdown and failure is higher when we set goals for ourselves and can’t achieve those due to certain reason.
• It is hard to judge the progress in absence of a strict measure.

Reasons for failure in achieving the set goals:

The first and the most common reason is lack of encouragement. When we set goals for ourselves, we forget to be strict and time-bound. Other priorities or simply ignorance lead us to neglect that goal. Also, when the goal is unrealistic, it is tough to achieve. Thirdly, a feeling of unease captures us in case of any hindrance, and we lose focus. Also, we are sometimes afraid of failure. This may lead to leave the process midway and as a result, efforts are wasted.

Conclusion:

Either a goal is set by us or others, it must be taken critically. Goals are meant to improve the current status of an individual. They trigger human behavior and inspire to achieve better life situations. Without goals, an individual, a company or a nation can’t run successfully in long-term.