Source: attitudes4innovation.com
If you are like me, you already have been hearing a lot of reasons that were mentioned to convince you to have goals, because you should have at least something to aim at, something can inspire you to take action. You do not simply enter in your car and drive 10 kilometers without having any idea about the destination that you are going to. Similarly, this should also serve as a reminder about the importance of having goals that are clear and that are also specifically defined, so that you know whether you achieved them or not.
Today I read a very good article from Zachary Sexton about his system of setting, reviewing and focusing on goals, and something that grabbed my attention was his explanation about the importance of goals. As a former math teacher, he used an example from algebra, telling that your head might not be a good place to keep your goals, because chances are that you will probably forget about them, as there are thousands of distractions that keep deteriorating you from your goals and your values. He said that most of the people might not be able to solve this equation in their head:
12 = -4(-6x-3)
because if involves a few operations that might be a bit difficult to find the unknown variable. However, a lot of people who have at least heard about math and been able to attend some basic math classes, should be able to solve it simply with a few steps, using a pen and a paper.
Similarly, writing down your goals will not only reduce your stress levels, but will also serve conserve your mental energy and having to think countless times about your goals solely in your head. Having the goals only in your head it can be daunting, frustrating and can even have negative impacts in your concentration ability. Moreover, when you have written down your goals, you can also write an action plan with specific steps alongside them that should be scheduled and prioritized according to their importance and urgency.
