In today’s post, since we’re focused on aiming high in all aspects of our lives this month, let’s discuss some of the upsides of setting definitive, high goals.
Self-Confidence
It’s in our human nature to feel gratified by achievement. Winning is wired so deeply into our brains that it can actually produce the physical sensation of feeling good. So it’s no surprise that in any goal-setting scenario, the reward of setting and achieving your goals has such a positive effect on increasing self-confidence. It becomes addictive and increasingly beneficial to living one’s best life. When you set high goals, you have to put in a lot of time and effort to achieve them. Therefore when you finally reach them, you’ll have all the confidence and pride in the world. If you’re one to not rest on your laurels, high goals will always have you feeling like you’re working towards something. When used in conjunction with a well-planned routine and discipline, like maintaining an exercise regimen, the increases to your own self-confidence and well-being are limitless.
Accountability
Setting high goals is sort of like making a deal with yourself that you, and only you, can fulfill. No matter what your path to achievement is, self-reliance and accountability are two major driving forces that can be both frustrating and extremely satisfying at the same time. Whether it’s weight loss, flexibility, stamina or strength training, the results of the effort are always attributed to you, the individual– holding yourself accountable and staying focused.
Perspective
Learning what you are capable of establishes a performance bar by which you’ll be able to set and measure future goals. Perspective, much like hindsight, is also 20/20, which means that the perspective you gain is cumulative and only really becomes clear when you reflect on goals you’ve already accomplished–or failed. Acknowledging perspective is disciplinary by nature, but it’s also a motivating factor for fine-tuning your path forward and recognizing opportunities for improvement. Understanding perspective is simply understanding your ability to achieve big goals by accomplishing them one small goal at a time.