Over the years as an organizational consultant, I have traveled literally hundreds of thousands of miles and provided services to hundreds of different kinds and types of businesses, organizations, companies and associations. As you can well imagine some of these organizations were not doing well while others did just OK, and a few, a very few, did real well. As I traveled, in the quiet times on airplanes or in a hotel room in a city I did not know, I would sit, alone and try to analyze what exactly separated the real success stories from those that did just OK and those that did poorly and those that eventually failed.

Of course many ideas came to mind. Hard work, diligence, good concept, good planning, well capitalized, well managed, all of these seemed like they were to some extent at least a partial explanation for success, but by no means were they the complete explanation. I say this because I have seen many a business that was not a good concept, did not have a business plan, was under capitalized, and the founder, owner, entrepreneur made many management mistakes, and yet...... those businesses were successful. Often times they were very successful. What I have concluded is that the one thing the successful organizations had in common was management that set goals and worked hard, very hard to achieve those goals.

If I could give one piece of advice to anyone trying to make a go of a business, for or not for profit, an organization of any kind, or success in their personal life it would be to set goals and work to achieve those goals. What I often find, when consulting, is that there are no goals. The place or the person is like a boat out on the ocean with no destination. Its not going anywhere, it is just sailing. Have you ever watched sail boats pull out from a busy marina? The wind is blowing the same way for all the boats and yet they go off in many different directions. The difference is because of the way they set their sails and because they have a destination in mind.

If you are struggling in your personal or professional life I strongly urge you to look carefully at yourself and ask yourself what your goals are. Goal setting is akin to how you set your sails on your boat. Everyone has the same wind but some go much further than others because they have goals. Below is a little information to help you set goals and unleash the power of goal setting in your life. I hope it helps you and the people you care about. All I ask in return is that you share the power of goal setting with others. Pass it along and together we will make the world a better place for everyone.

1. Goals must be clearly defined. If the goal is not clear you will flounder in the midst of trivial details that cloud your judgment. The best goals are summed up in one sentence. Two at the most.

2. Goals are written down. There is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that when you take the time to write down a goal it increases your commitment to it. Just as every air plane pilot prepares a written flight plan so they know where they are going, so should you write down your goals so you know where you are going.

3. Goals are inspiring. Set goals that challenge you to grow, to do better, and to improve. According to the great psychologist Abraham Maslow, the ultimate need fulfillment for human beings is self-actualization or the process of growing to be the wonderful creature God designed you to be. Your goals should inspire you to be your best, to grow, to try new things.

4. Goals are specific. What do you want to achieve? When do you want to achieve it? How will you know when you have achieved it? How much do you want to achieve? Successful businesses don't say "we want sales growth next year." They set specific goals for specific amounts. They state clearly how much they want to grow. Do the same for yourself. YOU are the business of your life. How much do you want to grow next year? What do you want to achieve?

5. Goals hold you accountable. By putting your goals in writing and specifically stating your goals in terms of what, when and how much, you establish accountability. This accountability tends to keep you focused on accomplishing your goal. In those inevitable times when you fall short you will know and then can redouble your efforts to achieve your goals.

6. Goals are achieved through persistence, consistency, and resiliency. Don't give up. Stay with your goals. If you are sailing your boat to London you will encounter swells and gales and some days you won't sail very far. In fact some days you may lose ground and start the next day even further behind. Don't give up. Reset your sails and persist and you will make it to London. Stay consistent. There are always low spots in any road you travel. The road of your life will be no different. Stay the course and you will succeed in achieving your goals. Keep a positive attitude in the face of difficulties and setbacks. Some mountains are steeper than others. But to get to the top you must be resilient in the face of adversity. The secret is to take setbacks in stride and continue to pursue your goals. Be resilient.

7. Goals are celebrated along the way. Don't wait until you achieve final success on your goals before celebrating. Celebrate, I mean really enjoy the success of small steps along the way to achieving your overall goals. When I was a struggling graduate student, the oldest student in the Industrial/Organizational Psychology program at Purdue, my wife and I celebrated every good grade. We knew that those individual grades were milestones marking the road we were traveling together. We knew as long as we kept hitting those milestones we would eventually accomplish our goals. Celebrate you successes along the way.

Summary: Each of us has the power to transform our lives. We can achieve what we set our mind to and dedicate ourselves to achieve. If these few paragraphs have caught your eye, stimulated you to give goal setting more serious thought, I urge you to visit the public library and check out a book or two on goal setting. One of my favorites is: The Power of Thinking Big. You have it in you. I know you do.