In Ask Coach Tony, you can put my Operation Melt coaching to the test by asking me questions about how to achieve your goals.
Because a question asked by one is often a question had by many, I am regularly sharing these answers via the Operation Melt blog.
Amuse-Bouche Before we jump into today's post, I offer you this "dad joke" as a light "amuse-bouche" to entertain your mind before we get serious. Like any other amuse-bouche, you may hate it, but it is worth every penny you paid for it, right? I once saw a magician make a stick of butter disappear. It’s wasn’t a great trick but it was butter then nothing.
Why Goals? 3 Ways Goals Have Hidden Magic Powers.
Coach Tony: You talk/write about goals A LOT… why are you so passionate about goals?
You’re absolutely right; I am very passionate about goals. I am constantly setting and pursuing goals in my own life. Beyond my own goals, I am committed to helping others achieve their goals through my blog, coaching, leadership, mentoring and as a friend.
Goals are core to who I am… not only because I am an Enneagram 3. As I have previously shared, I am on a mission in life… I want to help people achieve their goals and to build a world where no goal dies of loneliness.
Why goals? Because goals are magic! In this post, I will share three magical powers hidden inside goals just waiting for you to discover them.
Goals make you happier
You may not know this, but we are suffering an epidemic of unhappiness in America.
The University of Chicago publishes a General Social Survey (GSS), which evaluates the level of happiness in America. In 2018, less than one-third of Americans said they were “very happy” with their lives. Then the pandemic happened, and this number dropped significantly… only 14% of people were “very happy” in 2020… an all-time low.
You might be unhappy, but you can make a different choice.
The abysmal level of happiness in America is particularly concerning when you explore what it means to be happy. Psychological research has determined that a significant portion of happiness is well within your control. Yes, factors outside your control impact your happiness (including your genetics), but your level of happiness isn’t entirely at the mercy of these factors.
Goals make you happier.
Another conclusion reached from happiness research is that people are happier when pursuing goals. People who pursue goals they consider attainable reported higher cognitive and affective (mental and emotional) well-being. These higher levels of happiness existed even when the participants didn’t actually achieve the goals. An attainable goal doesn’t have to be successful to result in a happier life.
Despite their happiness-driving power, goal-setting is rare.
Approximately 80% of people in the United States have not set goals. People cite uncertainty, fear and a lack of belief in themselves as the rationale for not setting goals. Unfortunately, this means that only about 20% of people are engaging in goal-setting activities that are proven to improve their happiness.
In summary, by setting well-crafted goals, you will likely be happier with your life.
Abracadabra! Goals are magic!
Goals help you move on
Over 70% of American adults have experienced some form of traumatic event in their past. If you are one of these people, you are likely still carrying that past negativity with you today. Have you ever allowed past trauma to interfere with today’s happiness?
Goals help you focus on the future.
By definition, a goal is focused on a future accomplishment. When you define goals, they give you something to look forward to and to focus on, which helps you stop your past traumas from stealing today’s happiness.
This is a similar concept to meditation. Telling your brain to stop thinking will likely result in a rush of thoughts that block the benefits of meditation. The trick is to give your brain something else to focus on instead – your breathing, the environment around you, a mantra or something else. By focusing your brain on something other than the flood of thoughts, you can silence those thoughts and get meditative benefits.
Telling your brain to focus on a future goal will help you move on from those past events and visualize a better future.
Alakazam! Goals are magic!
Goals put you in control
Do you feel like you are in control of your life?
Most people are just trying to get through every day of their lives. They wake up after too little sleep and rush to work at a job they hate. After work, they drive the kids around, get quick food, and put them to bed before vegging out in front of the TV until bedtime. Then, they repeat the process again the next day.
When this is your life, it becomes difficult to feel like you are in control of it. Life controls you, and you are simply doing whatever you can to keep up.
Life is a little different when you are pursuing big goals. Your goal becomes your vision for the future… your north star. Meaningful goals drive you to take more deliberate actions to move closer to your vision. This gives you a filter to evaluate your commitments and activities – do they help or interfere with your journey?
When you start making deliberate decisions about your activities, viewing them through the lens of your goals, you will quickly start feeling like you are back in the driver’s seat of your life. Who doesn’t want that?
Hocus Pocus! Goals are magic!
I focus most of my daily energy on goals. I prioritize my own goals (fitness, career, life) and your goals through my blog, books and coaching. Not a day goes by when I am not thinking about goals because I have learned that goals are magical and can change your life in many ways.
If you want to get started unleashing the magic of goals in your life, download my free Goal Success Quick Start Guide eBook. This book will help you figure out what goals are important to you and shape them into SMART, attainable goals that move you closer to the life of your dreams.
Are you interested in a more hands-on approach to supporting your goals? That’s what I do as a Master Life Coach. I would be happy to help you build good goals, create a plan to achieve them, and be your partner throughout your journey. You don’t have to do it alone.
I believe in you and want to help YOU believe in you!
Please visit the Operation Melt coaching page and let me know you’re interested.
Meet Coach Tony
My name is Coach Tony, and I am a coach, author and project manager on a mission. I am working to build a world where no goal ever dies of loneliness.
I almost allowed one of my biggest life goals to die without ever being attempted for forty years. My goal almost died, not of failure but of loneliness. But, I took a risk and leveraged a simple, logical process that helped me wildly exceed my goal.
I transformed my life, and you can do the same with the help of Operation Melt.
Operation Melt provides engaging, practical content and hands-on coaching to inspire, motivate and equip project managers and other left-brained high-achievers to pursue and accomplish their biggest goals.
Breathe new life into your goals
Download my free ebook to learn how to create goals that actually work and get the jump-start you need in life!
