Humans are goal seeking creatures. Ever since we got up on our hind legs and started walking upright, we’ve been on the move. For a large part of human history, our goals were set for us. Chase food, kill food, eat food.
Because the large game we were always seeking was always on the move, so were we. Our neurology is hard wired to live in an environment that is much different than the one we live in today. Understanding our natural inclinations will be helpful in setting effective goals in the modern world.
Back in our caveman days, our goals were simple. On a daily basis we’d have to get up, get together and go hunting. If you were male, this meant forming small groups and going out after the big game.
If you were female, this meant digging around and looking for those all important roots and nuts. The combination of the protein brought back by the males, and the fiber and vitamins found by the females made humans the most dominant species on the planet.
In those days, meat and roots represented wealth. The more wealth you could find, the higher you were revered in society.
This is crucial to understand. Since we lived with the same 200 to 300 people our entire lives, our social status was crucial. Having a low social status meant that you were significantly hampered as to how much wealth you could get on a daily basis.
How we stack up against others, our ability to lead others and where we stand in the social order are all important to us on a deep unconscious level.
The daily search for wealth is also programmed into us on a deep level.
It’s clear then that when you set goals in the modern world, they should be congruent with our pre-programmed desires. Otherwise you are going to have a lot of difficulties.
One more thing is important. Having a good partner was crucial. Sure, it was nice to have an attractive partner, but attraction is really a lagging indicator when it comes to being successful in the ancient world.
The most crucial thing, on a day to day basis, when choosing a partner, was the ability to create wealth.
While males were out hunting for protein, women were hunting for fiber, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
A good relationship was based on both parties bringing home the bacon, so to speak, on a daily basis.
So it stands to reason that all goals should be centered around a few basic elements. Relationships, Wealth, and Health.
Relationship Goal Setting
In the modern world, you need to know what you want. At least on a basic level. Finding a true partner who will be with you through thick and thin requires that you both have the same goals. That way, you’re both on the same path.
When setting goals for your ideal relationship, choose your ideal partner not based only on their looks, and their personality, but by their basic goals in life. Specifically, how they want to create wealth.
Now, this doesn’t mean they should have the same job as you, but it should be compatible. Meaning if you’re job is going to require a lot of travel, so should theirs.
If you’re job is going to require working certain hours, then so should theirs. Many people choose their relationships first, and then their career goals second. This is a potential mistake. The more you are similar to your ideal partner with respect to what you want out of life, the more likely you’ll be able to last through the tough times.
Wealth Goal Setting
Everybody needs money. The more money you’ve got, the easier life will be. Most of us spent a large portion of our waking hours earning an income that will both pay the bills and hopefully save something for the future.
When choosing your wealth goals, build into them something about how you’ll earn some money. For example, choosing a goal of “earning $60,000 a year as a graphic designer,” is going to be much easier to achieve than a goal of a “six figure income.”
Think of our ancestors. They didn’t just go out looking for “something to eat,” they went out with specific game in mind. And this meant that they brought certain tools, and used specific strategies to give themselves the highest possibility of success.
If you haven’t chosen a career yet, make sure that you build in some flexibility to your goal setting. Revise them every six months. When you learn new skills and try out new things, you may change your career outlook.
Health Goal Setting
Obviously, without this, you aren’t going to be able to get anything else. Luckily, describing your picture of ideal health is easy. Now, getting there may be the most difficult thing you’ve ever done.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t choose a solid goal of perfect health, and then get busy getting there.
One common mistake when setting goals for health related issues is biting off more than you can chew, or setting goals that are too big.
Remember, it can take years to get into bad shape, (e.g. overweight, stiff joints, etc) so expect it to take at least a couple years to get down into fighting shape.
For most of us, choosing health related goals really means slightly changing your lifestyle. Come up with an ideal of health, something you’d like to achieve in one or two years.
Then break it down into three month intervals, and focus on these medium term goals. Once you start achieving these, your success will be inevitable.
Goal Setting Review
You should have three solid goals. A relationship based goal, a wealth based goal, and a health based goal. Make sure they adhere to the following requirements:
1) Specific – Make sure your success will obvious to others
2) Measurable – So you can know exactly when you arrive at your destination
3) Self Generated – Make sure it’s important to you, not somebody else
4) Time Limited – Know WHEN you are going to succeed
5) Excited – This is the most crucial. When thinking about your goals, they should naturally motivated you. If you’re forcing yourself to do things, you may want to reconsider your goals. You should be automatically driven to succeed.
Take your time to set goals properly, and your natural human programming will take over.
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