The Tribune

Have you ever achieved something, some goal, only to realise that it didn’t matter as much as you thought it would? You are not alone. Many are familiar with that depressing and disappointing feeling that comes after investing a whole lot of time and effort into achieving something only to realise it was meaningless or didn’t matter that much.

This is like desperately climbing to the top of the proverbial ladder of success only to find that it was leaning against the wrong building.

For this reason, you must set goals that mean something to you. The goals keep you going are the goals that have meaning; they are the ones that really matters. And for them to matter they must make a positive difference in your life, your community and/or the world.

One of the strong pillars of personal growth and development is the habit of goal setting. Those who succeed at living the life that they love understand the incredible value of setting worthy goals and have it as a major component of their life’s master plan.

Let’s be real, we all have things we want to acquire and experiences we wish to enjoy. The only road to getting what you want is to find ways to make it happen. A surefire way is to set goals that matter. This means taking the time to identify what you really want in specific terms.

Here is where most people drop the ball. They don’t know what they really want and tend to live life just going through the motions. This is often because of the lack of intention and attention. Living an empowered life requires that you be intentional. It is an enriching way to move through life. It’s more than just going through motion or following the herd. Instead, you are being intentional about what you chase and why it matters to you.

So how do you be intentional? The best way to be intentional is to pay attention to what you are paying attention to. Your attention is a big deal. It is the most potent energy that you possess. Without the value of paying attention there would be no great discoveries and no major breakthroughs.

Take a look at the statement “pay attention”. It is very clear in telling you that you pay with your attention. In other words, every prize has a price; a cost. Living an empowered life is no exception; it comes with a price. This price is paid with your attention of time and effort. For example, the medical or law student must pay the price of time and effort before they gain the prize of being a doctor or lawyer. This is true of all great achievements.

You can achieve anything that you desire if you are willing to set goals and invest the time and effort to make them a reality. Fail to pay attention to the use of your attention and you fail to achieve your desires.

However, today’s environment of endless texting and talking is a major distraction, which results in people wasting a whole lot of valuable time. After hours of talking and texting most have nothing to show for it. No goals were achieved; nothing even etched out. Besides a few jokes, all of that valuable time doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. They are clearly not paying attention to the use of their attention.

Stop wasting time! While jokes are not a bad thing, do you really want to live a “jokey” kind of life? Rest assured that each of us will get something out of this life. Since you will get something, why not get what you want?

The bottom line is, if you fail to set goals and fail to pay attention, you will end up a resident of that popular community known as “Whateverville”. Folks in this community are basic drifters. So tossed around by life challenges, they have become addicts of the tumbleweed experience; ending up wherever the wind blows. Such a life is not empowering.

Leader to leader, take responsibility for choosing the life you want to live. Setting goals that matter makes the difference in whether you thrive or just barely survive. Worthy goals help you to focus the use of your time and energy.

Wherever you are now, even you are living in ‘Whateverville”, know that you have the power to make a new choice. You were not born to drift aimlessly. Instead, you were born for greatness. Setting goals that matter is essential to living an empowered life. Yes, you can do it!

What do you think? Please send your comments to coaching242@yahoo.com or 429-6770.

• Michelle M Miller is a certified life coach, communication and leadership expert. Visit www.michellemmiller.com; mail can be sent to PO Box CB-13060.