Goal setting is one of those things that often gets talked about and recommended in entrepreneurial circles, and among ambitious people who want to be as productive as possible.
When it comes to the average person who is simply striving to live their best life, and to have the most meaningful set of experiences, however, the idea of setting goals may not seem so appealing – and some people even argue against it, as pursuing goals can be a potential source of stress.
But whether you want to visit a particular destination, have an aesthetic treatment such as SmilePath done, or take up a particular hobby, there are some real benefits to setting yourself goals and keeping a bucket list – benefits that relate to your general quality of life and well-being.
Here are some reasons to set yourself goals.
Because it’s way too easy to get distracted and for time to pass you by without you even noticing it.
It would be nice if time only passed when we were “ready” for it, and were living in the most actualised and meaning-driven way possible. The sad reality is that time always passes whether we are paying attention or not, and whether we are doing anything meaningful or not.
In life, it is simply way too easy to get distracted by the preoccupations of everyday life, and to then find that time has passed you by without you having made any progress on pursuing your dreams.
Setting goals can help to ensure that you remain focused on doing the things that you really care about, instead of letting those opportunities evaporate.
Because life is always more exciting and interesting when you’re working towards something that you genuinely value and are enthusiastic about.
It’s probably fair to say that just about everyone wants their life to be exciting and interesting – something like a great adventure.
Ultimately, life is always more exciting and interesting, and it’s always easier to feel motivated to get out of bed in the morning and meet the day head-on, when you are working towards something that you genuinely value and are enthusiastic about.
Setting yourself goals that you find really meaningful, and that you can get excited about, can make your whole life more exciting.
Because if you don’t have a clear idea of what you want to do at any given moment, the sheer volume of options can overwhelm you.
It might be tempting to think that you’ll just “wing it” without any goals, achieve positive and uplifting things, and have a great overall experience from one day to the next. And maybe you will.
But there is also a very real risk that, without goals, the sheer volume of options on offer for how to spend your time and what to do, can end up completely overwhelming you.
In his book “The Paradox of Choice,” the psychologist Barry Schwartz notes that an overabundance of choice actually drives stress and inaction more than anything else.
It’s better to have a sense of direction.
