Set goals to achieve desires in life Published Nov. 8, 2006 By Mitzi Wood 71st Medical Group Vance Air Force Base, Okla. -- When people come into life skills and family advocacy we ask them to set goals. How will you know you have achieved your goal? What are you hoping will be different? What do you want to remain the same? What will your life look like after having achieved this goal? Goals help us focus and streamline what we are doing in our lives and give us a sense of accomplishment and purpose. We are told all the time how important it is to set goals. However, we may set them without any conscious idea of what we want to achieve. What do you want to achieve? To find out, first of all, dream. Dream big and allow the path to your dream to unfold in front of you. Those who have achieved their dreams did not always know which road to take, but they opened themselves to the possibilities. People negate their dreams all the time. They say, "Oh, I couldn't possibly do that, I'm not smart enough strong enough," etc. I have had the awesome experience of working with people who didn't look like they had any chance of achieving their dreams because of various obstacles, but did anyway. What set them apart from anyone else? Their determination and drive to succeed. Their passion for what it was they wanted to do in life. They wouldn't entertain "no" for an answer. "Can't" wasn't in their vocabulary. Focus and determination appeared to be the keys to their achievement. How do you get determination and focus? You have to really want something in order to create the drive and motivation to achieve it in your life. Think about a child for a moment. When they want something they will not let it go until they either get what they want or understand that their parent is not going to give in to them no matter what they do. They are highly creative in their goal and try everything, including trying to wear their parent down in order to achieve their goal. They are definitely determined and focused only on their goal and nothing else. Your focus must remain on the end result and you must be flexible in how you achieve your goal. How do you know it's what you want? Some would say because you would do it even if no one paid you. Others would say it is just something they find themselves coming back to again and again. And still others would say it is a natural ability they just couldn't ignore. Gather any information about what it is you want to achieve. How did others do it? What does it take to achieve it? An advance degree? More experience? Speak with people who do what you want to do. Find a mentor who can guide you in the right direction. Read and gather information about your subject. Experience what you want to achieve if you can. Having the courage to take a leap of faith and do something out of your comfort zone oftentimes achieves great things. That old cliché, you never know until you try, rings true here. For example, you are given a task you have never done before. The task needs to be completed, but you are not sure whether you can do it or not. You must stop, think and brainstorm about how the job can be completed. Think outside the box. Be creative! Write your ideas down if you need to and narrow them down to something workable. Your brain craves the opportunity to expand and grow, and you will find you can do things you never dreamed you could before.