Was this post 3-year old, why 2009? I guess I was the last one who got the memo. haha!

I couldn’t agree more about the importance of setting goals not ONLY during New Year but just like learning, it must be a constant process.

I don’t believe in people setting resolutions ONLY DURING New Years. I think that is a complete waste of time, putting off success and improvement for the NEXT year or New Year.

However, setting goals gives us a sense of direction and fulfillment once they are achieve.

Now, sometimes I would accidentally make a goal happen without my DMP, but the ratio for getting them done without a DMP .vs when I had a DMP where dismal.

They are definitely a complete waste of time if they aren’t followed up by action!

And you’re not going to act unless they align with what you believe in.

But for those of us that works better with a written plan, daily tasks and a determination to not stop until the daily task is done, the art of setting specific goals in advance can be a tremendous help.

This is not to say that DMP isn’t important. I’m just saying that I don’t agree with the statement that goals are a waste of time.

/Mikael

Too often I see people set goals for the sake of setting them, as if simply conjuring up something cool to achieve will make it so.

Having that drive, or DMP, is the essential first step.

–Alex

Thanks man, we try!

Hopefully I’ll join IBM soon.

You and Jay are delivering great value.

All the best for you both in 2010!

Charl

Check it out!

http://www.internet-based-business-mastery.com/making-goals-worth-something

@Chris,

Yeah, if I was just to directly tell someone what my DMP was I wouldn’t give the entire list I added above. I would say something like, I have dedicated my life to Freedom, Fulfillment, Inspiration and Recognition.

The specific bullet points are what I use to define what I mean by each term and I think they need to be very specifically defined so you know exactly what you are going towards. This is important especially if you use just a big and general term like ‘freedom’. It could mean so many things, I like to be exact in what I mean.

Definite major purpose.

I like that. I know mine.

It will happen.

David King

I totally agree that you must have a Definite Major Purpose because in order to achieve anything that is of major value, you must have a why. Your DMP is your why. However, a wonderful DMP without a goal set to go with it is just as big a loser as a set of goals without a DMP.

Let me give you an example. On Sunday afternoon you favorite football team is in the process of carrying out their DMP. Winning the SuperBowl. However, just having that DMP is not enough. They must develop a blueprint for action steps, also known as goals in order to fulfill that DMP. Those action steps would be to win games. (a goal). In order to win a game their are other smaller goals involved. The players and coaches each has to get out of bed.
They have to make it to the stadium. They have to get themselves emotionally and psychologically prepared for the game. Then they have to play through every down and gain every yard. They have to score touchdowns.

These are the action steps that they need to take to get to that superbowl win. When they make a decision to carry out each of the steps I have listed above, they have set a goal. Goal are of monumental importance.

If you believe you have ever achieved anything without setting a goal first, you need to take another look at things.

Continue to set your goals around your DMP and you will win.

Thank you for sharing this!

Goal setting is not the key to succeeding, in fact it can get in the way. Many books tell us to set goals and focus on them, yet that’s not what’s most important for success.

We have to have a mission that is bigger than us, something that inspires us and others.

I made my initial first post in the group yesterday and have already discovered what I wanted from doing so. It is clear that this group is very serious about doing more than just making money which brings long term sustained growth both personally and financially.

I am excited to be a part of this!
Kirk

I do distinctly remember having the goal of making $100 a day from my websites at one point, but I’m not sure having a little post-it note next to the computer that said merely “$100″ is what helped me get there. (Real goal-setting gurus would have laughed at the vagueness of that sticky note anyway) And honestly the writing I’ve done to get to that point and beyond hasn’t really been in line with what I’m realizing my “definite major purpose” is.

I stumbled across Chris Martenson’s “Crash Course” movie a few months ago and it was (I don’t say this lightly because I’ve never used the term before) a life-changing experience. Some things move you because you’re at a time and in a place where you’re ready to be moved, and that’s how it was for me.

So my DMP now?

Over the next couple years I want to transition from making money from running advertising and affiliate programs on my sites (in other words, enriching corporations and fueling a consumer-drenched society) and devote my time to teaching and doing work that *matters*.

Of course, I don’t intend for my earnings to go down in the process, so that’ll be a challenge for me to work on. :)

Happy New Year, everyone.

~Lindsay

Goals should be created to move you forward towards your overall vision. You must have that vision, that direction of your life or business.

So many people come up with an idea and just get to work but they really don’t know where they are going. There’s no direction.

This is the same thing with a lot of the “year end goals”. They make them becasue it’s what everyone does. Well if everyone jumped off a bridge…. You get the picture.

Creating a goal should be a stepping stone in the direction of your vision. Achieve it, then set the next one. The more you achieve, the longer the path and the closer you are to where you want to go.

The difference with a vision though, is that it’s not really an attainabble destination. It’s a direction.

So set your goals and move in that direction.

Get ready.

Are you “Gonna Shine in 09″?

Great post.

For me, this simply boils down to understanding why you are setting the goals in the first place. If you don’t know where you are going, you will never get there (no matter how many miles you travel).

Mark