What Is A Goal: Digging The Definition

We've been hearing about goals since childhood and have a fairly good understanding of what they are. Here is a simple goal definition: it’s a well-formulated intention to achieve some specific result in the future. In other words, it’s your vision of your desired outcome.

Here's an example of a poster you can create for your goal in just a few minutes using our service:

So far, everything seems simple and straightforward. But if you delve deeper, you might discover many important aspects you've never considered that can completely change your approach to goal setting.

Three Main Components Of The Goal

In psychology, goals are tied to motivation theory. They are seen as drivers of behavior. We are more likely to take consistent action when there is a specific goal in mind.

They also give us a sense of control over our lives, which boosts confidence and emotional well-being. It might be a great tool for personal and professional growth. But how does this tool work?

In addition to the above-mentioned goal meaning, I would like to add that a good goal usually consists of three components: intention, plan and vision of the result.

To make it clearer, I’ll use an analogy with a car.

Intention - is the fuel that keeps your car running. It's the foundation that gives you strength. A goal must be important to you. You must want to achieve it. Otherwise, everything else is meaningless.

Plan - is the route your car takes. Defining specific steps will make your goal clearer and easier to track your progress.

Finally, a vision is the final destination. A clear guideline that will help you stay on track and know when you've achieved your goal. A good goal must be clearly defined and measurable.

Digging A Goal Definition Dipper

In my opinion, it's quite difficult to fully understand what a goal is without practical experience. Therefore, I would recommend going through the entire process from setting to achieving one or more goals yourself. Especially since Goalposters is a great place to try it out.

If you want to prepare first, as a next step I would recommend looking at the following articles:

• Goal Setting Strategies

Everything you need to know about goals is available on our website in the Articles section. But since the topic is so broad and interesting, there are, of course, many good books. I found these three to be the most helpful:

In short, the first book is about clarifying goals and creating actionable plan. The second one is good for beginners. It's about the importance of writing down goals and breaking them into actionable work items. And the third one will help to stick to worthy goals without quitting them.