Why having a goal is CRITICAL to success.

I think that when many, if not most of us, hear the words goal setting, we groan inwardly.  Goals are something that we talk about, but very rarely actually use.  However, I believe that the humble goal is a much maligned  thing, and let me tell you why:
 
I would like you to imagine that you want to travel from A to B.  A can be anywhere and B needs to be somewhere else.  In an ideal world, the quickest way between these two points would be in a straight line or ”as the crow flies”.  However, I believe that most women would identify with the following way of travelling from A to B:  A is your house and B is the house you are going to for the first time for a coffee with a whole group of women and a new friend/colleague/mum from school.  You know roughly where it is and so you set off in your car to the place that you believe is “somewhere near”.  However, when you get there, you realise that your mind’s eye was being unrealiable today and that actually, you really don’t know where you are going.  So, you go home to find the directions that you were given, but have mislaid and didn’t worry too much about, because after all, you knew roughly where you were going.  So, you do arrive eventually, but you are seriously late. Or… more likely perhaps is that by the time you get home and realise that those directions have been put somewhere safe and you just can’t find them, you cry off altogether and stay home.

My analogy here is quite obvious:  A goal is a map.  With a sound, clear map, you know where you are going; without one, you bumble along and get to some fun places on the way, but as you are never heading anywhere specific, you always end up somewhere general.

Let me take the analogy a step further.  The best map in the world is of no use whatsoever, if you don’t know where you are to start with.  Same with a goal – if you don’t know where you are today, you will simply never get to where you want to be tomorrow.

As a business woman, you more than anyone else, need to have a goal if you want to move on to greater things.  I find that this is particularly important if you are also a wife and/or mother.  The reason for this importance is that the tendency for women who fit into this catagory to try to do it all, all the time is bordering on the overwhelming.   When you are not just trying to run a business, but also run your family and home with all the attention they deserve, a goal is MORE important than ever. If you look at those women who succeed, and succeed well in business, they will, without exception have a goal.

So, to conclude, any journey worth taking is worth having a decent map for.  One that you can refer to, confident in the knowledge that you know where you are and where you are heading.  In business, we call that map a goal and creating one that is unique to you, and therefore fits perfectly, is what goal setting is all about.

My next post will be instructions on how to set that goal and create that all important map.