In examining the concept of Goal setting and why we as humans set them, we reference the story of processionary caterpillars. A researcher once set processionary caterpillars on a hut; the way they work is that once one caterpillar takes the lead, the rest follow the leader.
The researcher took the processionary caterpillars, put them in a round pot, and ensured that the last processionary caterpillar was in front of the first, and they formed a perfect circle – they kept going round and round. After so many days, they died of hunger and exhaustion.
The most surprising thing was that in the center of the pot were pine leaves, a favorite food of the caterpillars. However, they were active but not productive because they were following each other. This is because they were engaging in meaningless activities, sticking to routines, habits, and nature, and driven strictly by their instinct.
The processionary caterpillar’s case is not far from what we do as humans.
We tend to do things because we are driven by culture or because peers drive us. Society dictates everything we do. This is why when you ask people randomly why they work, you find that some go to work to pay rent, provide food, help others, etc.
The truly great are those who say they are inching closer to their goals every day they go to work. These are people with objectives. They have clear long-term goals they want to achieve in their lives, and every day they wake up to go to work, they see it as a step towards greatness.
The few who set goals eventually become high achievers because goal setting takes you out of the activity mindset into the productivity mindset. You wake up daily and consider how the day’s activities contribute to your goals.
Here are five reasons why you need to set goals for your success
Clarity results in productivity
You will have clarity of where you want to go, and you will find ways to make your daily activities align with your purpose.
The excellent character of self-discipline is cultivated
Once you have a goal and are very certain that you want to achieve it, you follow through with the daily actions of achieving your goals regardless of the hardship you face.
You always circle back to your why. With self-discipline, you develop the trait of persistence.
Having developed the outline of the actions that will get the goal going, you gather a group of people to help you achieve your goal. Because you have an emotional connection to this goal, you find it effortless to take action. When you fumble, you rise. When someone has a goal, and the discipline kicks in, there is persistence to do what is required, not what is easy.
Don’t take the path of less resistance.
The path of less resistance makes all rivers and some men crooked:
When people start looking for lines of self-resistance, they don’t have clear goals they are pursuing. Thus they start looking for shortcuts in life. They start looking for excuses and explain why they can’t do the right thing instead of focusing on how they can knock down their barriers and problems.
Increased personal development:
One of the best reasons to set goals is increased personal development. As you go about your career and life, pay more attention to who you are becoming. This is because what you become in that process is more important than what you get. You can lose what you get but can’t lose what you become
What you are becoming in this process becomes more important than what you are getting. The fastest and most productive way to become as grounded and as productive as possible is through continuous personal development.
The books you read, the seminars you attend, the networks you build and the people you learn from, the peers you create, and the environment you model for yourself advances your personal development.
Results in increased clarity and focus:
Everyone who has clearly defined what they want first starts by knowing what they do not want. Whenever you come upon these distractions, which eventually become energy leaks that suck your energy, you avoid them.
With increased focus, you can get to your goals faster because you can compile every ounce of energy into what you want to achieve.
To be a meaningful achiever, you must know the goal clearly and definitely, as it will give you the focus. The motive gets you started. The discipline gets you to continue and avoid self-destruction.
How can individuals prioritize their goals?
There are two ways to achieve this;
One is to have your lifetime goal, i.e., your primary goal. Identify it, then write it down.
The second thing you need to do is break it down into little achievable bits. These, in turn, become your weekly, daily, and monthly goals.
Ensure that every action you take on your goals aligns with your primary goals.
