Do you know the difference between wishes, dreams and goals? Although they may have similar definitions, there is a difference between all three of them but they can also work together to lead you towards success.

Wishes

Have you ever thrown money in a water fountain and made a wish? Or maybe you have a coworker or friend who often wishes for things. We defined a wish as a desire for something, (such as something unattainable). It is something that one desires to have, but does not have it yet. There can be an endless list of wishes in a person’s life, such as:

• I wish I made more money.
• I wish my partner would buy me flowers.
• I wish I could write a best seller.

Dreams

In this case, we are not talking about the dreams that you have when you are sleeping. A dream is something that a person visualizes happening someday. A strongly desired goal or purpose that you visualize.

Dreams give motivation to move beyond the ordinary towards something more. There can be many dreams in a person’s life, such as:

• I dream of publishing my work in progress.
• I dream of starting a family.
• I dream of starting a new job.

Goals

A goal is a target that a person sets in life. The end toward which we direct our effort. Examples of goals include:

• My goal is to make $1000 a month.
• My goal is to finish the first draft of my novel.
• My goal is to spend more time with my family.

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Dreams, Wishes and Goals

Dreams, wishes and goals can work in tandem. If a person wishes something, then dreams about it, they can get the inspiration or motivation to set it as a goal. All three complement each other.

Wishes give your life colour.
Dreams give your life motivation.
Goals give your life a purpose.

For example, many independent writers wish they had a published book, but unfortunately, they do not have the time, money or experience to write as a job. The next step for them is to dream and visualize that they have a published book. This will help them get the motivation they need to set a goal and make a plan to achieve it. Although it may not be possible to succeed in an instant, creating a plan to achieve your goals is the first step towards success. Thus, everything relates to one another.

Related Reading: Set and Achieve Your Goals with These 15 Easy Tricks

Setting Goals

Goal setting is an important activity for a successful life. Most people who have goals discover real value and a sense of accomplishment when they achieve them.

Sometimes when you set goals, unexpected things happen. Family, work and friends can impede our goals. For example, you may have a goal to write 10000 words in one week, but then you have a sick child or your basement floods and all of your time is gone. You’ll feel bad for not achieving your goal, but we have to remember that life gets in the way sometimes.

Here are some points that you should consider when you are setting goals. Though goal setting depends on so many points, these are the ones that you cannot afford to miss out on.

1. Realistic Time frames

When you set goals, give them a realistic time frame. If you have never written 2,000 words a day before, then it’s unrealistic to expect to start at that level. Likewise, if you have a goal to learn French, you need to set a realistic goal of at least a few months to achieve it. Otherwise you will be disillusioned and give up too easily.

2. Respect Your Limitations

It is important not to exceed the limits of your capacity. You might like to challenge yourself all the time, but that does not mean that you should become impractical or too rigid. If you decide to get up early to write every day or learn French, then maybe one or two days a week you let yourself sleep in. What matters is your determination, time, and the effort you put into achieving your goals when you are working towards them.

3. Lower Expectations at the Start

Don’t aim too high too soon. If you are new to goal setting, then start with smaller goals first. For example, you could set a word target of 100 words a day for a week, then move up to 200 and so on. You could practice French 10 minutes a day for a week, then move up to 15 or 20 until you find the sweet spot. This is not too difficult, and the best part is that when you achieve this smaller goal, you get motivated to chase bigger goals.

4. Remember the End Goal

An important thing to consider when setting goals is the result that you will get from it. That’s your incentive. If the result is something that you badly want, then you find that following the goal becomes much easier. If you are determined to write a book or learn French, the end goal can help motivate you to keep going.

5. Don’t Be Afraid of Making Changes

Let’s face the facts. Is it possible that you are climbing the ladder which is leaning on the wrong wall? If you find your plan isn’t working for you, don’t be afraid to pivot until you find a plan that will work for you. Adjust your writing or French schedule until you find a winning method.

Related Reading: Building Focus: What Is Focus And Why Should You Care?

Goal Setting Ebooks

Here are five eBooks that will change your life permanently and positively:

1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Steven R. Covey and Jim Collins

2. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

3. Goals!: How to Get Everything You Want Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible by Brian Tracy

4. First Things First by Steven R. Covey, A. Roger Merrill, Rebecca R. Merrill

5. Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy

Last Words on Goal Setting

Frankly speaking, there is no limitation to the goals you set but in order to reach them, you’ll have to do more than just wish and dream.

Take Care

Linda

Feature image by mohamed_hassan at Pixabay.