Goals in Life for Success

As you look at setting different goals in life, I want to encourage you to look at who you need to be rather than just what you need to do. Behavioral changes alone, don’t last. It’s only when we make real, internal changes in who we are that change is maintained. A critical aspect is making sure you’re being authentic.

Being “authentic” means that you are genuine and real, not just with others but also yourself. Why is this important when setting goals in life? I’m glad you asked…

You take personal responsibility

If you are being authentic, then you will be honest about your strengths and your weaknesses. You will know what you truly feel drawn toward and what you need to do when it comes to goals in life. There is no blaming others for missed opportunities. There is no burying your head in the sand. It’s a full on appraisal of who you are, acceptance of that and then your decisions flow from there.

You focus on doing your best because you know what that looks like

If you are being authentic, then you know what you’re capable of. Too often we get caught up in fears of failure, so we don’t even give goals in life our full attention. That way, we have a backup plan by saying, “Well it didn’t work out this time, but I’ll try harder next time”. Somehow we think that insulates us from what others might think. But in reality, all it does is teach us to live our lives in mediocrity.

You learn from your mistakes

If you are being authentic, then you won’t shy away from a less than perfect outcome. Mistakes and errors are a normal part of the learning process. You’re not going to be perfect all the time! But if you can be authentic with yourself and those around you, you can learn from those mistakes and take that knowledge to course correct as you move forward with your goals in life.

Authenticity is all about being ok with who you are. You aren’t looking to please someone else and you aren’t worried about what others will think of you. Instead, it’s about honoring who God created you to be (warts and all), embracing it, and making the very most from it.

Your Vibrantly Live Challenge: As you think about goals in life for this year, how can you start being more authentic in your everyday interactions with others? And, how will doing that speed up the process of achieiving what’s truly important to you?

Be sure to share your ideas below. Until next time – get out there and vibrantly live! Bye!