How Big Do You Need To Set Your Goals ?

Setting your goals can be confusing. If you have read all the self help guides on positive thinking and goal setting you would read and think that setting your goals high is the way to go. Most of them tell you to think big, don't limit your goals and reach for the sky. I am going to be a little controversial here and say that I completely disagree. If you have ever bought one of these books you probably seen headings on the cover like " over 10 million copies sold worldwide"
Have you ever wondered how many of those 10 million people that bought these books actually managed to change their lives? I do not have the figures or proof to provide you with the answer but being a realistic person I can hazard a guess at not many. Sure, the authors will provide you with stories from people that experienced huge changes but if a survey was done on all the people that bought one of these books I bet the percentages would show a different picture.
Now do not get me wrong here. I am not taking a pop at these books or authors, I think they are great motivational tools, but I am challenging the way they write about goal setting. Goal setting should be approached in a different way from setting your ultimate destination. Your ultimate destination should be a complete picture of how you want your life, the things you want, the person you want to be, the people in your life. When you write this down write it as though you have already achieve it, write it as if you are writing a letter to yourself, a letter from the new you, in your new life in the future ,to the present you, in the life you are living now. Tell yourself of the amazing journey you have traveled and all the great things in your life. Write this letter on the finest note paper you can afford to buy and put it in an envelope and then put it somewhere safe. If at anytime you are losing your way then take the letter out and read it, use it as motivation during the tough times on your journey.
Now here is my point about setting goals too high. Unlike your ultimate destination your goals need to be achievable stages along the way to your destination. If your goals are achievable then there is a better chance you will succeed because you will see yourself succeeding and progressing as you go along. Also, if you experience failure with an achievable goal then you will be more inclined to try again but if you set your goals too high and you do not feel that you are succeeding then there is a high chance of you giving up and not trying again.
So to answer the question, how big do you need to set your goals? That answer lies within you, only you know what you are capable of achieving so make sure you can achieve the goals you set yourself. Let yourself think big with your destination but make the journey full of stages you can reach without turning back and heading home to your old life.
Now take some time out, and write yourself that letter.

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