Inch by Inch

The first quarter of 2017 has come to a close with some leaders still questioning the need to set and accomplish specific goals for 2017. We all dream of being successful but those who have actually achieved some measure of success consistently say that the keys are focus, and hard work.

Recently, I was watching a segment of the Steve Harvey Show where an audience member asks Steve for advice on a particular topic. On this episode, a person asked for advice on how to save money. It wasnt a large amount that the person wanted to save but she was unsure of how to get started. Harvey said that he lives by the motto of inch by inch, anythings a cinch and proceeded to tell the person that by breaking down big goals into very small steps, anything is possible. His advice was to start saving a monthly amount that was reasonable and build from there. His advice was simple enough but a recent study showed that the 92% of Americans do not achieve their goals. How can this be? The simple answer is that most people do not take the time to set proper goals.

I remember reading an article titled 4 Tips to Setting Powerful Goals by Jim Rohn. Rohn was a pioneer of the self-help industry who, through books and speeches, encouraged people to expand their imaginations on what is possible. He was a proponent of developing SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time) goals to increase productivity which naturally leads to achieving higher goals. Since the idea of SMART goals was first introduced in 1981, many business leaders have advocated using this method as a way to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their organizations. Lately, people have started to question whether setting goals is really SMART.

I read an article in Psychology Today that points to scientific studies which say that setting goals is pointless. It pointed to neuroscience research which showed that the brain protects itself by resisting change; therefore, any goals that require any significant thought or behavioral change will automatically be resisted. In addition, Entrepreneur and Forbes magazines cite a Leadership IQ study in which only 15% of respondents stated that goal setting helped them achieve great things. In other words, are SMART goals really dumb?

Setting goals has been around since the beginning of time. In Proverbs 21:5 (ESV), the Bible states that The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. Even our founding fathers recognized the value of goal setting. Benjamin Franklin once said, If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. Setting goals aren't just a good idea but critical to achieving any level of success. In his article 5 Powerful Reasons Why Goal Setting is Important, Lucas Falconer states that Goals are the oxygen to our dreams. Falconer goes on to state that goals give focus, measures progress, eliminates distractions, provides accountability, and supplies motivation. In short, it gives you a reason to get up in the morning. It also shows how leaders make the impossible become possible.

One may agree that goal setting is essential, but the key question is how to do it. There are many recommendations on how to set goals but one strategy that I found to be simple and straight forward was written by Michael Hyatt in his blog post The Beginner's Guide to Goal Setting. Hyatt recommends focusing on only a handful of goals, using the SMART goal method, writing down goals, reviewing them frequently and being selective when sharing goals. He also references psychological research that concludes that people who make consistent progress toward their goals are happier than those who don't.

Based on these facts, one can conclude that goal setting is the key differentiator between those who are living a dream and those who are just dreaming.