By: Ken Austin
What's your purpose in life? If you don't have a ready answer, don't be surprised. Even the greatest of the philosophers who had ever lived succeeded only in making this question more profound. Why? Because the answer lies not in simply knowing what's your purpose in life but lies in discovering what's your goal in life. The last one is only possible if you have already gone through the process of goal setting.
Soul-searching is actually personal goal setting in its infancy. The only problem is that for many people that infant never grow up into maturity. The person involved in soul-searching might dismiss this process as nothing but being sentimental. Without realizing it, the person had just killed the infant, or his chance to flesh-out the course of his purpose driven life.
But luckily, soul-searching is a recurring process. So the next time you have been given the honor of another visit, be mindful.
Personal goal setting is a powerful tool for setting a course for a meaningful and fulfilling life. Personal goal setting is the first step toward a purpose-driven life.
The process of personal goal setting in itself is powerful enough that if you're going through with the process you might think that your life's meaning or purpose had been found. But it is not. The euphoria is only a result of your self finally realizing that you're on the right track.
For some, the process itself is motivating. Once you've found a way in making this a habit, you will soon realize that achieving your goals that look like impenetrable walls in the past is nothing but a purpose that needs a set of personal goals as the key.
Personal Goal Setting: What Should be Set?
Since there is more to life than the four letters that it represents, personal goal setting involves a review of all the aspects of your life, and all of these should have a corresponding goal. But before going to the process of setting-up goals, you must have one general goal that encompasses all the other goals. In fact the other and smaller goals should work in the service of this large goal of yours.
1. Career. What aspect of your career do you think needs an improvement? Or perhaps, ask yourself: is time for a new career?
2. Outlook or attitude. Is there a part of you, particularly on how you perceive things, that needs to be changed?
3. Financial. Do you have a clear projection as to how much you should be earning in a particular moment in your life? This aspect is closely related with career, so better review and come out with a goal with these two side by side.
4. Potential development. Perhaps some of your talents and skills need an improvement, or are maybe already clamoring for an improvement. Life, after all, is discovering your potential and developing it in the process.
5. Academic. Perhaps you're no longer getting any mental stimulation lately. Maybe your education-related goals had expired many years ago. Perhaps it's time to go back to school for another degree, or engage in any thought provoking activities.
6. Family. What is your idea of a family? Getting married, having and raising kids? When? How?
7. Social involvement. Perhaps you want to help achieve something that would make the world a better place? Perhaps you're into animal protection, environmental concerns, and human rights issues?
These are just some aspects that generally come to mind when it comes to personal matters. If you feel or think that this list is not enough, or doesn't fit well with you, you may add or change it.
Remember, personal goal setting is what its name is -- a personal task. It is all up to you to device it and make it happen.
