Live with intent or go back to sleep

Slumped on the sofa - ice water to my left, television across the room playing some mindless, but entertaining, Netflix series - I place fingers to keyboard. Mondays are my preferred writing days. Now is the time I should reflect on the first day of the work week and the accomplishments it produced.

Did I fulfill everything I set out to do today?

Wait, what was it that I intended to do today?

Recently, I came across a quote declaring, “if you woke up without a goal, go back to sleep.”

Logic, by way of random quote, reveals I should have tapped sleep instead of snooze on my alarm this morning.

SO WHAT AM I SAYING?

First, let's get this out of the way: a goal is an observable and measurable end result of one or more objectives, to be achieved within some sort of timeframe. Depending on your style, your goal-setting may involve establishing specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bounded criteria. These can be long-term, intermediate, or short-term.

After reading that fabulously exhilarating definition I’ve outlined above, one should be able to deduce that no, I am not talking about #goals that teenage girls use on Twitter and Instagram to describe something they like.

I want to explore the true, deliberate reason we should set tangible goals.

Most of us have heard or read that goal-setting is an important feat in many aspects of life, but are our lives truly lacking if we don’t set ourselves an attainable goal each and every day? I have concluded that goals are indeed an important part of living life with intent. Delving into this topic, I have found a few things that may be able to resonate with us habitual non-goal-setters.

HOLD ON, GOALS SHOULD BE SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY?

Don’t freak out. You’re not alone in worrying that setting goals every day is too much. To alleviate any pressure you feel about this - like I did at first - I suggest setting a combination of personal and business-related goals. Personal goals are easy; it can be something as simple as “talk to someone new today” or “clean my closet.” Business goals can be tasks aimed at where you want your career to go and what impacts you can make in your current role.

Think of objectives that build your character - ones that will make you proud of yourself.

DO THIS TO GET THAT

So, you want a promotion? Hoping to go on vacation to Greece? Trying to pay off some debt? You’ll need a plan; a plan that involves an observable and measurable end result, to be achieved within some sort of timeframe.

Something I’ve found helpful is to set your smaller, daily goals, with the aim of assisting you in reaching a larger, long-term goal. Think of things you can do now to get to your true end goal. Not too difficult, right?

Let’s say you’re working toward a promotion at work. Try listing out the steps you want to take in order to get you there. Boom. Goals.

PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK

One of the most satisfying outcomes of daily goals is the sense of accomplishment that you feel. And you get to feel it literally every day. Coming home from work on a day I didn’t set a goal for myself, it’s crazy-noticeable that my self-worth is not as prevalent as it is on days where I can physically or mentally cross something off my list.

Accomplishments feel good. And they are something that’s just for you. Something that’s your own.

SO NOW WHAT?

Simple: Set daily goals to keep track of the things you do to make yourself happy.

Live every day of your life with intent, or go back to sleep.