Author: M Akbar Omari
The importance of goal and goal setting in life (Part one)
Introduction
Goals and objectives are among the fundamental pillars of every individual’s and organization’s life. In fact, setting goals helps us draw a clear roadmap toward success and progress in various fields. Goal-setting not only enables us to define our life’s path but also provides the necessary motivation to face challenges and hardships.
In today’s fast-paced world, characterized by constant changes and intense competition, goal-setting is of great managerial and psychological importance. By having clear and specific goals, we can effectively manage our energy and resources and make the best use of every opportunity. Therefore, it is essential that every individual and organization precisely identify what goals they pursue and how they can achieve them.
In this regard, goal-setting not only contributes to the realization of dreams and aspirations but also allows us to perform better in the process of learning and personal growth, and to deal with life’s challenges more effectively. Determining the right goals is one of the key reasons for progress and success in any field. Consequently, the importance of goals and goal-setting cannot be ignored, as these two elements shape our life path and lead us toward a bright and successful future.
In general, a goal gives meaning and purpose to our lives. It is through having a goal that a person can maintain hope amid pain and difficulties and seek guidance in the darkest moments.
In this article, we aim to illustrate the importance of goal-setting and its method in several sections. Questions such as What is a goal and how should we set one?, What are the key characteristics of a good goal?, What points should be considered when setting goals?, and other similar questions will be answered throughout this article.
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The Concept of Goal and Goal-Setting
Goal in its literal sense has meanings such as “target,” “elevated structure,” or “strong and great man,” among others.
In terminology, although there is no universally agreed-upon definition of a goal, it can generally be described as a need or desire that motivates movement from the current state toward a desired one. In another definition, a goal is a statement that describes the expected learning outcome of a student. This latter definition emphasizes the importance of goals in education, since while goals are important for everyone, they hold particular significance for students and learners.
Perhaps the most important issue in the process of setting goals is to fully understand the details and stages of goal-setting. Therefore, before discussing the methods of setting goals, it is necessary to thoroughly understand the nature and concept of goal-setting, which we will now explain.
Goal-setting is an organized and systematic process aimed at achieving aspirations, fulfilling needs, and attaining what we envision. These aspirations and needs may exist in various domains such as personal, business, economic, social, or even global levels. Goal-setting allows us to determine a precise and clear path toward achieving these aspirations and thereby ensure the improvement of our life quality and facilitate our success.
In our goal-setting process, we must carefully define what we want to achieve in each educational period, by what date, and what our expectations will be after each stage—for example: earning a specific amount of income, allocating it to certain sectors, investing in certain fields, reaching a certain number of website users or social media followers, and other similar objectives.
In summary, goal-setting is a systematic method used to achieve predetermined objectives.
Differences Between a Goal and Similar Concepts
An important point to understand from the very beginning is the distinction between the term goal and other similar concepts that people often confuse. To clarify this, we will distinguish between a goal and related terms below:
Difference Between a Goal and a Dream
A goal and a dream are two distinct concepts, each with its own characteristics:
Goal: A point one strives to reach, having the following two main features:
1. It is attainable and realistic.
2. It must be clearly and precisely defined so that there is no ambiguity.
Dream: An ambitious desire one wishes to achieve. Its realization often seems impossible or very difficult and is expressed in vague and general terms.
Examples of Goals:
1. I intend to start and complete a course in graphic design.
2. After finishing the course, I will practice daily to improve my skills within six months.
3. This year, I plan to market my new skills and earn my first income.
Examples of Dreams:
1. I wish to one day travel to Mars on an Airbus aircraft.
2. I hope to live in a world where no one is foolish or wicked.
3. I wish to learn programming effortlessly.
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The Difference Between Goal, Purpose, and End (Ghayah)
• Goal: More specific and tangible; it requires actual achievement.
• End (Ghayah): Refers to the general or ultimate result.
• Purpose (Gharaz): Refers to a deeper intention or underlying reason for striving toward a goal.
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The Difference Between Goal and Desire
