“Just because you feel something doesn’t mean acting upon that feeling is useful.”
—Tom Bilyeu
Goal Setting should not be Emotional
In the process of goal setting (about nearly anything we want to achieve in life), humans encounter a significant problem: we try to feel our way forward.
For example, we might make the mistake of assuming that all positive emotions translate into progress towards our goals and that all negative emotions signify danger.
We all want to go forward
The positive feelings may make it feel like we’re moving forward, but we need actual results to show for it. We must learn to think our way to progress rather than trying to feel our way forward, and we need logic and reasoning to create a strategy for our goal journey ahead.
“Emotions can make dots feel like they connect in your mind even when they don’t, and using your feelings as your primary source of credibility doesn’t prepare you to deal with the world as it really is.”
—Tom Bilyeu
Goal Achievement begins with a Dose of Reality
Achieving our goals in life will become impossible if we buy into the mistaken idea about where you’re at and what blocks are between you and your goals. We must aggressively seek what is true so that we can create a goals system based on those circumstances.
Our knowledge of the actuality of life is part of what guides us to set goals—and achieve them. Nothing will lead to more chaos and frustration than failing to recognize the nature of the world, people, and ourselves. Whether we decide to disregard or defy it—it still exists.
Set goals for long term happiness
Unchallenged feelings will not guide us towards any exact goal destination. Instead, they’ll temporarily move us towards joy and away from discomfort. What we find pleasant (or distressing) is a bias. So in order to create an effective path in life towards tomorrow’s goals, we must first confront the issues of today.
It’s not as though feelings are not necessary. They do indeed have a purpose! But issues can arise when we use our emotions as a guide for significant decisions—because sometimes, our feelings may be lying to us.
Pursue Dreams not Feelings to Overcome Obstacles
We may think that strong emotions are “useful,” but what does this mean in regards to reaching our most important goals? If acting upon a feeling or emotion does not, in fact, help move us towards our goals and dreams, we need to (consciously) decide to block/squash/cancel that action.
While our emotions can seem dependable, they often miss the mark on moving us towards achieving goals—and occasionally—direct us to an utterly undesirable destination in life.
The question is: How do we gather the correct information to integrate a system for pursuing our dreams?
Incorporating Science when Pursuing our Life Goals
Some of the most successful people in life use science while pursuing their life goals. Tom Bilyeu (founder of Quest Nutrition and Impact Theory) has created a measurable goal system similar to that used in the scientific method. His solution for efficiently achieving our goals is to incorporate six different stages to measure our progress. These stages include goal techniques that can help us to formulate an effective strategy in our journey toward achieving our most important goals.
By incorporating data, it’s the first step in determining what is truly helpful on our path towards progress. Doing so will close the gap between what we interpret when we look at something versus what is actually there.
And “within that gap is the first stepping stone to truth and, ultimately, progress.” —Tom Bilyeu
Not reviewing our goal progress to make adjustments is a significant problem
Although goals will take some time to achieve, we won’t know if our efforts are working for (or against) us if we are not reviewing our progress regularly. As I had mentioned previously, if we want to be successful and efficient in goal setting—and personal growth in general—we can implement The Six Stages of Measurable Progress.
Growthlenses would love to share our Growth Notes with you, which can assist in all types of goal setting—from starting your own business to specific time-bound goals and even guidance in pursuing the most challenging goals! We want to help you stay motivated and sprint all the way to the finish line, which is the key to achieving better overall life satisfaction.
Click here to get “THE 6 STAGES OF MEASURABLE PROGRESS”
Quick tip from the Neurogym Team:
Turn Off Background Noise
Don’t casually listen to podcasts and watch TV shows while working or doing chores. Focus on those things and cherish your ability to do a good job and take care of yourself and your home.
The willingness to put down your phone and confront whatever makes you want to run away means the difference between living a meaningful life and staying forever imprisoned by pain and avoidance.
If you’d like to learn more to learn more about some of the latest techniques to change your mindset and eliminate your destructive habits, join us for a free workshop with John Assaraf and neurogym HERE!
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GrowthLenses MindSet articles were created to educate and inspire readers, featuring our favorite thought leaders, authors, and resources.