The problem of goal-setting is not purely philosophical. It is practical and concerns each of us. Setting goals consciously and planning to achieve them, devoting a lot of effort to a cause for a long time is an exceptional property of a reasonable person. In our brain, the area responsible for goal setting and planning, the prefrontal cortex, is much better developed than in higher animals. It must be used for its intended purpose! Goals are crystallized dreams that are ready to be realized.
What do you breathe?
To set the right goal, you first need to identify your key life values. You can do this in notepad, a file with a password, or special applications for smartphones. But correctly set goals are always the result of a deep understanding of values. Otherwise, it turns out either not too diligent pursuit of an elusive target (examples you see every day in the face of losers), or obsession and fanaticism, like Captain Ahab from the book "Moby Dick", who believed that the main goal in life is to killthe white whale that crippled him. At the same time, the captain took almost the entire crew of the ship to the bottom of the sea. Worthy goal? Unlikely. And, by the way, so the captain and not achieved.
Understand yourself
When a person's goals stem from some values and at least do not contradict others, a basis for motivation is created. For example, if a plump girl considers an abundance of love experiences a value in her life and understands that in order to realize her dream she needs to lose weight, then there is a high probability that she will succeed. But until she realizes why it is important for her personally to eat little and torment herself with loads, most likely there will be no result. But verbally expressed, written down, conscious goals are the most powerful fuel of motivation in moments of weakness.
Clarity is the sister of results
For a dream to become a goal, you need to work through it. Be sure to formulate the goal specifically. It's just that "personal growth" is a loose concept. But, for example, acquiring the skill of concentrated work without distractions for a certain number of hours is already a specific goal. Although here, too, performance criteria are needed. Otherwise, there will be a dream of “successful success.”
How to dream productively
Next - it is important to set yourself deadlines for implementation. And it is better to set the first deadline for the project for the next 48 hours. But if you are just thinking about what you would like to do in life, then it is recommended to make a Bucket List. This is a list of what's importantto do before your life is over. These are not quite goals, but quite worthy of their predecessors. Bucket List is a great tool to understand what you would like. It helps a lot during periods of apathy and depression. You can also write down other people's favorite goals there - and then analyze how much they are needed for you. You can not show the list to anyone, but you can brag.
Goals are what give life meaning and characterize you as a person. Therefore, they must be strong and meaningful to you personally. Achieved goals are the foundation for self-confidence and knowledge of life. So make the most of this positive experience.
