12 Classic Quotes to Help You Become a Goal Setting Master
Almost everyone has some major goals that they’d like to achieve — but only a few ever go on to attain them.
Why is this the case?
Well, there are several reasons, including picking unrealistic goals, procrastination, and lacking a definite plan to follow.
Goal setting is a subject that has captured the interest of people for thousands of years. This is good news for us, as it means we can draw upon a treasure chest of wisdom and advice.
That’s the main purpose of this article, to share with you some of the all-time greatest tips and inspiration on setting and completing your goals. I’ll also include some action points for each quote, so you can immediately begin to take steps to transform your life.
Be sure to read right until the end, as in the concluding section I’ll introduce you to a little-known but highly-effective goal setting method named SMART.
Ageless wisdom you can use right now
1. “Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” — Tony Robbins
To succeed in life, you must have goals to aim for. Decide what you want. Write down a plan to achieve it. And then start taking action! I’d also recommend that you break down big goals into smaller bite-sized tasks. This will help you stay motivated and on track.
2. “If you can tune into your purpose and really align with it, setting goals so that your vision is an expression of that purpose, then life flows much more easily.” — Jack Canfield
Your life will be smoother and more rewarding if you choose goals that align with your life purpose. If you need help finding your life purpose, then please check out my article: How to Effectively Find Your Life’s Purpose
3. “Goal setting is the most important aspect of all improvement and personal development plans. It is the key to all fulfillment and achievement.” — Paul J. Meyer
Without goals, you’ll drift aimlessly from one thing to another. But with a definite destination in mind, you’ll be purposeful and successful. Try it and see what an amazing difference it makes.
4. “I believe in the saying, ‘If you aim at nothing, you’re going to hit nothing.’ So if you don’t set goals, then you have nowhere to go.” — Taylor Lautner
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut and let life pass you by. However, if you want to capture your youthful vigor and energy, then set yourself ambitious goals that you can aim for. These might be career goals, or they could be goals related to hobbies and relationships.
5. “Time and tide wait for no man.” — Geoffrey Chaucer
Many people put off setting goals and taking actions as they feel that the ‘time is not right’. However, as the above quote neatly states, the world is in constant flux. If you wait for the perfect time, you’ll probably never get started!
6. “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” — Albert Einstein
If you have a goal that you can’t quickly and simply explain to another person, then it’s almost certainly too complicated. Keep your goals clear and precise. This will help you achieve them.
7. “The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.” — Confucius
Having a goal and a plan to achieve it is crucial, but you also need to have the necessary desire and motivation. In my experience, this comes back to quote #2. Your goals need to align with your life purpose.
8. “Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” — Tony Robbins
We all have pictures in our mind of what we’d like to do and achieve. However, if we do nothing with these pictures, then they’ll just remain wishful thinking. But if we take action and set the pictures as definite goals, then we can begin to turn them into reality.
9. “The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.” — Albert Schweitzer
The best goals are ones that help and support others. For instance, if you’re starting a business, don’t put all your focus on income and profits. Instead, put the customer and their needs first.
10. “Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” — Carl Jung
It’s all too easy to be shaped by the opinions of others. Whether this is from the media, colleagues, family or friends. Of course, sometimes opinions can be useful. But sometimes we need to follow our heart and ignore the external noise.
11. “Success is about persistence. You can only afford to be persistent in something you deeply enjoy.” — Cenk Uygur
All major goals take time and persistence to achieve. Obstacles will inevitably come your way, but if you keep your focus firmly on your goal, you’ll eventually cross the finishing line.
12. “A goal is a dream with a deadline.” — Napoleon Hill
Without deadlines to guide and motive you, you’ll find it incredibly hard to achieve your goals. Fortunately, setting deadlines is quick and easy. And once you’ve experienced the power they provide — you’ll never set another goal without giving it a deadline.
Time to be SMART
I’d like to share with you now a tried-and-tested technique for setting and achieving goals. It’s something I’ve personally been using successfully for many years now.
The technique is called SMART, and it works like this:
Specific — be clear about what you want.
Measurable — set targets that you’ll be able to tick off when you’ve hit them.
Achievable — choose goals that push your boundaries but are still achievable.
Realistic/Relevant — if you need a new job, make sure that’s your goal (best leave the dream holiday goal for another day!).
Time-bound — goals are much easier to achieve if you have a definite date of when you must achieve them by.
The strength of the SMART method is that it gives you a clear path and time frame to help you achieve your goals.
Let me give you an example to show you how this works:
Let’s say you want to start saving some extra money for your retirement. The first thing to do is to be specific about how much you want to save..
Next, you should ensure that your goal is constantly measurable. In this example, it could mean stating that: “I will start planning toward retirement by starting an annuity plan and saving $500 every month.”
Then spend some time deciding (you might want to chat to your partner about this) if your stated goal is achievable. Ask yourself these questions: “Do I have, or can I get, the resources needed to achieve the goal?” and “Is the goal a reasonable stretch for me?” (I recommend that it’s neither out of reach nor too easy.)
Then look to see just how realistic the goal is before you commit to it. In this case, the obvious thing to check is… can you afford to put aside $500 every month from your salary?
The final step is to make your goal time-bound. This will include setting a definite date of when you will begin saving. You’ll also want to set how long you will save for, and when you expect to receive your pension.
Remember that some goals are short term while others are long term. It’s important to always bear this in mind, because this will help you in making a clearer and realistic strategy for your SMART goal setting.
The SMART method is a simple way to set and achieve your goals.Try it out on your next few major goals, and I guarantee that — like me — you’ll be able to vouch for its effectiveness.
Become a goal setter and goal achiever
Effective goal setting is sadly something that very few of us are taught at school or college. Yet, it’s one of the critical components of success.
Picture yourself setting sail from a harbor with no idea where you want to go. Your ship will either be lost in the sea, will go around circles, or may even crash against the shoreline!
Now picture yourself setting sail from a harbor with a definite destination in mind. Every turn and every mile will bring you closer and closer to your goal. And because you know where you’re going, you’ll also have planned how much fuel and food you need to get you there.
This is what all your goals should look like. Planned. Timed. And organized.
With effective goal-setting, you’ll be able to transform all areas of your life. And you’ll also quickly become known as someone who always gets things done.
So, I urge you to adopt the timeless words of wisdom in the 12 quotes I’ve shared with you in this article. When you put these into action in your life, they’ll make the difference between failure and success.
If you’d like to get into the goal-setting habit but you’re not sure where to start, then grab my free guidebook The Foolproof Guide to Reaching Your Goal This Year. This workbook will help you learn from your past failures and guide you to form a plan that will work this time.
