One of the main reasons why some people succeed and others fail is that the former have a clear and defined goal in life. You may consider goals as finish lines, however, goals are your starting point to set your path, and all the actions you need to take in order to achieve them.
“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible”. - Tony Robbins
Having a clear picture of what you want in your life, your job, or whatever field you can think of makes or breaks your success.
If you know exactly what you want to achieve in life, it will be easier to understand what you need to do to reach it.
Based on the goals you set for yourself, you will make different choices; take different paths and you will even become a different person.
That’s why having clear-defined goals in life is of paramount importance.
Setting goals helps trigger new behaviors, focus your attention, define and carry out your projects.
Having a goal is like deciding on a vacation destination.
Only if you know where to go can you start planning your trip, booking a place to stay, and buying what you need to start the journey and eventually get to your destination.
If, on the contrary, you put off the crucial decision concerning your destination and you just say, "I want to go on vacation", you'll eventually be left with a wish you won't be able to fulfill.
Or you will be forced to be content with what you have, or follow those who have clearer ideas than yours.
But, will it make your life fulfilling?
If you've landed here and you are reading this post, I'm sure you want to get so much more out of your life.
So, the first thing you need to do to become successful in whatever journey you embark on is to know where you are heading for.
In other words, you need to know exactly what you want.
Let me stress once more the importance of knowing your target through the following story that hopefully will open your eyes😉.
THE ZEN MASTER ARCHER WHO MISSED THE TARGET
Once upon a time, a Zen Master summoned one of his students.
“Come and watch me during my bow shooting practice, I want you to learn a life lesson”, the Master said.
The student who had already seen his master shooting his bow several times was not enthusiastic, but nonetheless, he followed him obediently.
They walked through the forest for some time until they reached the usual spot, a vast expanse with a big oak tree right in the middle.
There the Master started unpacking the items he had brought.
As usual, he took out his long bow and the arrow, as well as a small apple, and fixed it to one of the oak branches.
However, this time he also had a silk scarf with him; he asked the student to blindfold him with it and take him to the usual spot, more than 500 feet away from the tree.
Then he took his shot.
“Go and see if I’ve hit the apple, then come back and tell me", the Master instructed the student.
As he came near the tree, the student noticed that not only the apple was intact but the arrow hadn't even hit the massive oak tree and was nowhere to be spotted.
Puzzled the student went back to his master uncertain how to tell him what he had seen.
“So tell me, did I hit the apple?”, the Master asked.
The student was feeling truly uncomfortable at this point, but then he found the courage and said, “Master, you didn't hit the apple, nor the tree, I couldn't find the arrow; you must have missed by a great length”.
The Master smiled.
So the student became even more confused; “Master, I don't understand, I thought you wanted to teach me that through concentration and the power of thought the arrow would find its target".
“That’s correct my dear, I just taught you the most important lesson about the power of concentration and thought”, the Master replied.
He then went on, “When you want to hit a target, focus on it because no one will ever hit a target they can’t see”!
FINAL THOUGHTS
You may be the most talented and skillful archer in the world, yet, if you don’t see your target you are no one, you will always fail your shooting!
The same holds true with your life.
To get where you want to be in life, you first have to see it, you have to see your target, otherwise, all the skills and talent you may have will be wasted.
So don’t blindfold yourself, open your eyes and see where you want to go in life.
Having a clear purpose helps put life into perspective.
Your main focus becomes an instant guide to setting priorities, a sort of GPS that eventually will guide you towards accomplishing your goals.
“I don't care how much power, brilliance, or energy you have, if you don't harness it and focus it on a specific target, and hold it there you're never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrants”. - Zig Ziglar
I’ll leave you with one challenge:
Let your life not be just acceptable, but memorable. Let others play small, but not you; start setting clear-defined goals!
More resources for YOU:
You have to know where are you are going in order to get there. It seems obvious and yet we sometimes miss it…
It looks like the goal of an apple is to enlighten humanity – from your Zen master it found its way to Isaac Newton and later to Steve Jobs 🙂
The goal of an apple is to enlighten humanity indeed😁😉