Goal setting as it is typically taught rarely "works."
There is, however, a system that is actually likely to succeed
with predictability.
What is it....a couple of thumbnail sketches of success help
reveal the plan...
....The Beatles didn't sit down and plan on being the most
successful rock group in history. Elvis didn't set a goal to
become the number one performer in the history of the world.
....but they did and on a per capita basis no one ever came
close to touching either of them. (per capita in this case means
percentage of people in a country that bought record albums)
Achievement seems to work a bit differently than starting with
a goal. In fact, success doesn't necessarily start with setting
a goal.
Elvis loved to sing. He cut a record for his Mom as a birthday
present and the studio owner couldn't believe how good it was.
Elvis always had just loved to sing. Gospel, blues, country. He
did some local events and had a great time. His dream, his goal
was to get on the Grand Ole Opry. They literally told him to go
back to driving a truck. He had no chance of success.
The negative reaction in Nashville hurt the young Presley and
motivated him and his backup band to get more gigs, learn more
songs and have more fun...and they did. A set of movie contracts
tied the young man up for a period of 8 years at which time he
once again went back to what he loved. Singing to a live
audience. It was then that he realized his dream. It wasn't to
be #1, it was to have fun. While he was on track and having fun
he succeeded richly. When he was off track, his life self
destructed.
The Beatles story was similar. From '60-'62, they just wanted
to have fun, keep getting better, write songs, and live a dream.
They never planned on becoming #1. All of them were often quoted
as saying that they would be lucky to see their success continue
another few months. Like Elvis, their goals were largely short-
term. Learn more songs, get better as musicians, put out as much
good material as they could. And...have fun. While they were
having fun they succeeded. Once other things became more
important than the current dream of playing, they bitterly
split.
The residual from their work never dwindled and they all
succeeded in their new careers as soloists, as we know.
When you analyze those who succeed at anything, they almost
always do so by doing something they are either:
a) good at
or
b) love
or
c) both.
When you look at the lives of people who live unfulfilling
lives, they often have as much skill as those who love their
work, but they are not doing what they love, like or have
skills for.
The foundation of "goal-setting" is laid in the love of the
dream. Is the dream a nightmare, or is it truly a dream? Many
people are very skilled, say, as a musician only because their
parents made them play when they were children, but they don't
actually enjoy their playing to any significant degree.
Where there is no desire, there is no passion for the goal.
It's very hard to artificially generate a passion for something
you don't love. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy success at it,
however. Someone who has a passion for financial independence
and the lifestyle it brings, can definitely do something they
don't enjoy to achieve that goal.
Clearly when one lives a life that one enjoys and one
where you are doing what you love while storing nuts for the future
.... is superior to any other alternative....so as you think of
mid-term and long term goals, you want to think in terms of
doing something that rewards you just for doing it. Something
you might do for the love of the experience itself.
This is more than just a useful philosophy. This is good
neuroscience.
