GOAL OR DIRECTION?                                                                                                                      

To move forward you first need aspirations—aspirations that you can act on. 

We call those “goals.” And goals are important because we hardly ever outperform our aspirations. So in case you are committed to making this a good year for yourself, in terms of your health, relationships, career, finances, passions, learning, and skill development, then you will want to set some goals that will enable you to move forward in the direction that is important for you.

When I mentioned this the other day to one of our colleagues he asked,

Which is more important? 

• Is it goal-setting so that I have some exciting goals to aim for? or
• Is it setting a general direction for my life?”
• What is the difference between a goal and a direction? 

The difference is that specific goals will give you stepping stones for your direction. Within a specific goal you will have a precise activity so that you can do something about what you want— your aspirations.

One of my goals for 2018 is to write and publish a book on a specific area of Leadership. And the specific activity I did last weekend to make this real is that I read a few chapters on the subject and took notes. After that, I spent time working out the details of a self-actualizing culture.

Direction has more to do with the vision that you have about yourself and your life. Direction has more to do with the path that the goals put you on and presuppose (presume).

For me, the direction that my writing goal puts me on has to do with fully documenting various leadership skills and systems. And that gives me a direction. It puts me on a particular path that I will cross ways over 2017— a path of study and interaction with different leaders, coaches, leadership, coaching, and ongoing research with companies and organizations.

Goals fit into a pathway of activities and so they both create and manifest the direction that you set for your life. Goals make the direction real and ground the pathway so that you have specific stepping stones. Direction occurs at a higher level and gives you the vitality and energy, the excitement and passion because it makes the specific goals meaningful and significant.

• “Which is more important?” 

That’s hard to answer because each is equally important, but important for different purposes and functions.

Direction is more comprehensive and encompassing. With direction you are able to step back and raise up to a meta-level (read transcending level of mind) that allows you to see the why. 

• Why are this path and this direction important to me? 

Direction encompasses all the goals you set, and all the small steps you take each day. Direction describes your transcendent purpose. 

Direction enables you to question yourself on the meaning scale:

• Is this the direction I want to go?
• What does it mean to me to go in this direction?
• Does this direction enhance my life and empower me as a person? If yes, how?
• Will this direction facilitate me getting to where I want to get to?
• What meanings can I add to this to make it richer and more strong

Goals are more specific, detailed, precise, action-oriented, and feedback sensitive. With a goal you are able to step forward to do one specific thing that advances you along the path to the larger desired outcome that you want. 

Goals answers the question of how

• How can I move myself step-by-step toward the outcomes that I want to achieve? 
• Goals enable you to question yourself in a different way, on the performance scale:
• What are my goals for today that will shift me slowly forward to my desired outcome?
• What specific actions will I take today and how will I know I can test it off?
• When and where will I take this action?
• What resources do I need to make this goal happen?

One of the directions that I have for myself is the direction of putting “NLP in Business Performance Consulting, Leadership Development, Learning Processes and Training.” Two of the goals that I have for this year are as follows:

I will write a book on Transformational Leadership based on the application of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) as well as Ancient Philosophy that will validate the practical application of these concepts.

I will nominate myself for an advance class in Philosophy, Sanskrit Grammar before the end of January 2018 (which I have already done now) in order to develop more knowledge and skills on the leadership areas.

Sometimes when a goal is not sufficient to excite you (doing 100 sit-ups; writing a business plan; spending 30 minutes a day on administrative activities), ask some powerful questions:

• “How will completing this goal be one step forward in the direction that I want to go?”
• “Is this goal putting me in the right direction?” if yes How?
• If no! What can you do differently?

I thank all my coaching gurus, my clients and my former bosses for having asked and made me ask the questions stated above.

Best regards to your highest direction and your best goals to fit that direction in 2018! Have a great year ahead and good luck.