What is a Goal?

" Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat."

- Napoleon Hill

(1883-1970) Author / Speaker

I can think of few things that have been covered so completely in books, speeches, classes, on line, off line and in any other way more than goals.  A quick search of Google will show you 101,000,000 results.  You can find 185,688 books on Amazon that deal with the subject.  We all become very aware of goals at the end of a year and the beginning of a new year.  However, the majority of people never set a goal and those who do often do not really understand what they are doing.

Goals and Wishes

                Some people think that a goal is something you wish would happen or something you hope would happen.  It is kind of like playing the lottery.  You would love to win a hundred million dollars, but you have little you can do outside of buy a ticket and hope for the best.

Goals and Corrections

                Some people think that a goal is a correction to past mistakes.  We start the year wanting to change wrong behavior and get things right.  The most common of all goals or "New Year's resolutions," is to lose weight.  We decide to diet, change eating habits or just give up the sweets.  Yes, we get the benefit of a better health, but what we really want is to not feel we are out of control.

Goals and Magic

                Some people think that goals are magic tickets to getting all you want in life.  If you set a goal all you have to do is wait for it to come true.  If it did not come true this year, set it again for next year.  The goal is set at the start of the year, maybe even written down, but never looked at or thought of again till the next time to do goals.

Goals in Reality

                Success-minded people know that a goal is a plan; it is action; it is work; and it is time sensitive.  Setting a goal is not saying what you wish you had but planning what you will do to achieve your dreams.  Setting a goal is not changing your behavior, it is changing your life.  Setting a goal is not easy and endless.  It is hard work, the goal is in itself a decision to work hard at something.  Goals have a time table and they must be done and progress must be made to their achievement.

Goals and Real Power

                What is it that turns a weak and useless goal into a strong belief in achievement?  Desire.  There is no desire in a wish.  If you really desired to get one hundred million dollars you would discover a way to earn it and never take a chance on a bet.  If you had a strong desire to be healthy and active, you would do all that it takes to stay healthy and enjoy it.

Goals and the Price Tag

                You will find that the successful, those success-minded people who achieve their goals, have a passion for what they do.  They are the ones who get up early and stay up late working hard to achieve their goals.  They are the ones who achieve their goals and celebrate by making another goal and off they go again.  Success-minded people know there is a price to pay, not if they succeed, but if they fail.  Zig Ziglar said, "You do not pay the price for success, you pay the price for failure.  You enjoy the benefits of success."

                Look over your goals.  Do they cause you to burn with passion for their achievement?  Do they motivate you to do all you must to see they are achieved?  If not, re-think them, re-write them and take the action needed to achieve them.  Make your goals a burning passion that powers your engine of success.  Remember the words of American author, Arnold Glasow, "Success isn't a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire."

To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business or group, visit our website at http://www.growthcenter.net or www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2014 John Patrick Hickey