Power Tool: Goal Setting vs. Dreaming

A Coaching Power Tool created by Darren Chong
(Intercultural Coach, POLAND)

What is your vision of success? The image is different for each of us. For one person it is having a big house and car, for another it is having a flexible schedule with plenty of time off to be with family. This is merely a dream, which will never come true if you do nothing about it. But you might fulfill this dream if you make it happen by setting a goal, which means creating a written plan that includes reasonable and measurable long-term and short-term objectives.

Goal setting	Dreaming
§ The aim or object towards which an endeavor is directed. § The terminal point of a journey A state of abstraction A wild fancy or hope. A series of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations occurring involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep.	A state of abstraction A wild fancy or hope. A series of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations occurring involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep.

Goal setting

Aiming to achieve something with action

Dreaming

Hoping and fantasizing something without action

Dreaming is easy, setting a goal is difficult. A goal must be something you want and something that is attainable. A goal needs a definite action and a time limit. In setting a goal you must know what you want. You must know the difference between dreams, fantasies and a goal.

Goals provide a sense of direction and purpose (Goldstein, 1994, p. 96)

Goal setting capitalize on the human brain’s amazing powers: Our brains are problem-solving, goal-achieving machines.

Benefits of goal setting

Instead of dreaming, there are many benefits of goal setting, for example:

1. Improves performance
2. Clarifies expectations
3. Becomes more effective and efficient
4. Alleviates boredom
5. Enhances intrinsic motivation
6. Experiences greater feelings of pride in achievement
7. Increases satisfaction with performance
8. Enhances self-confidence
9. Increases willingness to accept future challenges
10. Increases liking of the task

Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.

Joel Barker

Setting and reaching your goals should be empowering, it should make you feel good about yourself and your life. When goal-setting work seems like drudgery, then probably something is wrong with the way you are working or you may need to reevaluate your goals. If you find yourself faced with goal setting resistance, look carefully to make sure that you really want the goal. You also may need to work more on integrating your left and right brain hemispheres.

Goal setting should not mean hard work, it should mean enjoying yourself as you reach your vision. Getting what you really want should create enthusiasm and energy, not resistance and negativity.

Reflection