Get Awareness to Achieve Goals Faster
• Unknowingly we play silly goal setting games with ourselves
•
Result? We're scatterbrained, procrastinating & not attaining goals
•
Knowing what is going on will help you achieve goals faster
• So, strap
in for a bit of goal setting motivation theory ...
• Combined with a fun,
easy to understand goal setting example
Goal Setting Games We Play with Our Subconscious
Even all the world's goal setting experts can't help us. People set golas, but they fail to keep them. Have you noticed? Not always, of course, and not everybody, but lots and lots of people.You, too?
I know it's true for me. I set lots of goals, and even if I do succeed in achieving some of them, most of the time I sure don't achieve all my goals.
So, what's wrong with us?
Are We Stupid or What?
Nope, we're not stupid, just confused. Our subconscious is playing games with us, goal setting games.Now, I'm an entrepreneur so my livelihood depends on my ability to achieve my goals, and I also depend on other people being able to set and achieve the goals they say they will.
But ... sometimes they just don't do that. In spite of all promises. (And to be fair, neither do I).
That's why I have given this some thought. And what I've come up with is the idea that we are playing goal setting games with ourselves.
How? And why?
Time for some goal setting motivation theory, a powerful, fun example. In the process we can perhaps learn something about setting and achieving goals.
We Play Goal Setting Games With
Ourselves
Because We Are Unconscious
As far as I can tell, we plain don't
know what we want.We THINK we know what we want, but in fact we just don't. We are controlled by something other than our daily, thinking consciousness.
Oftentimes we actually THINK that we know what is going on inside ourselves, and why we are doing what we are doing, but in fact we don't.
Instead, our subconscious is in the driver's seat. And we are not even aware of that.
Introducing: An Example
So, for instance, you might set the goal of losing 10 pounds in the next five months. That's two pounds per month. Theoretically this should be achievable.
Consequently, you eat less and exercise more. And for a while things seem to be going great.
But then something happens, maybe you switch jobs, maybe your pet dies, maybe you just plain lose interest. In any case, you lose focus on the goal.
When the five months are up, you may even find that you have gained weight. What happened?
How to Understand Our Own Goal Setting Games?
In my opinion your subconscious started playing goal setting games with you. Yes, sure, you consciously decided you wanted to lose weight, so you set the goal of losing 10 pounds in five months, but 'underneath the hood' (so to speak) other things were going on.To find out what is up with those goal setting games, we should really ask your subconscious. Well, I can't do that right now, so I'll just have go by what I think. This is not science, it is just my inspirational thoughts about 'goal setting games' based on what I know about what makes us tick - and how we 'tick'.
As far as I can tell our subconscious works in a way that is both complicated and simple ...
How Our Subconscious Plays These Games
For the most part the decisions we make seem to be primarily based on four things:a) our free will
b) our beliefs
c) our perceived needs
d) a cost-benefit analysis
I'll just go through each of these very quickly. It may sound a bit lofty, but it helps expose how we humans function, so please bear with me.
Free Will
Our free will is our supreme decision maker. What we decide is what we decide.Example: Once a very stubborn person (I bet you know one) makes up his mind, it very nearly becomes easier to move mountains than move his opinion or choice. He is using his free will to stick to his decision no matter what.
Some people will literally rather die than change their mind. And if that is their decision there is nothing anybody else can do about it.
That is free will in play.
Beliefs
Our beliefs are what we believe to be true (about ourselves, other people, the world and life in general).Additionally, beliefs are mostly subconscious, and they are most notably NOT reality, but merely what we BELIEVE is reality.
(Seen in a certain light, beliefs are simply a sort of programming of the human mind).
Thus beliefs function as filters (limitations) on what we experience (and choose), and therefore they are extremely powerful shapers of our experience.
Example: I want to become an airline pilot, but I don't believe I can, so I don't even try.
Perceived Needs
Our perceived needs can be anything from a cup of coffee, to becoming an airline pilot, to one of the basic human needs (like survival).Perceived needs are very powerful motivators, motivating us to both action and inaction. They are, to some (large) degree controlled by our beliefs.
Cost-benefit Analysis
A cost-benefit analysis is simply a weighing of pros and cons.For any given decision or action we (mostly subconsciously) analyze 'What are the costs?' versus 'What are the benefits?' and so we decide if it is worth it or not.
Obviously a cost-benefit analysis will often focus on our perceived needs - we want our needs met ... but not at any price.
A cost-benefit analysis will be doubly influenced; first, by our beliefs, then by our perceived needs (which are themselves influenced by our beliefs).
Goal Setting Games: Our Beliefs Play the Biggest Part
The interesting things to note are these:- our beliefs play a very big role in the goal setting games we play with ourselves
- our beliefs are mostly subconscious
- the cost-benefit analysis we do when choosing goals (or anything else) is very heavily biased by both our beliefs and by our perceived needs
- therefore the decisions we make regarding our goals will easily become goal setting games - as our subconscious decides that we have needs which are more important than the ones we consciously thought were important.
Yeah, yeah, all that sounds awfully theoretical, I know. But have patience, we're getting to the point now!
Let's look at the weight loss example again. It's an excellent example of goal setting games.
The Example of Goal Setting Games - Continued
As long as you keep your attention focused on your goal your conscious use of your free will overrules any subconscious beliefs you hold.The moment your attention slips, however, your subconscious programming (your beliefs) takes over, and initiates a subconscious cost-benefit analysis of your situation. One that results in ... who knows what!
Here is what might have happened in the weight loss example ... in the form of a dialogue between your daily consciousness, ever complying your body and your subconscious:
- - - * - - -
DAILY CONSCIOUSNESS: I need to lose weight, so now I decide to set the goal of losing 10 pounds in the next five months. At least. I now use my free will to accomplish that.
BODY: Okay. You're the boss. Let's lose some weight. Two pounds per month it is. Maybe even a bit more.
SUBCONSCIOUS: But ... But, you got this old programming, a belief actually, that says that your layer of fat ... Hey, listen! Bugger, nobody is listening to me.
[One month later the BODY is almost 3 pounds lighter, then this happens:]
DAILY CONSCIOUSNESS: It's terrible! My favorite canary just died! I've had that canary for years!
BODY: Something terrible has happened. I feel so sad. I am crying.
DAILY CONSCIOUSNESS: All I can think about is that canary. It was such a beautiful yellow color.
SUBCONSCIOUS: Hey, listen, you've got this old belief which says that when you feel sad, candy is a great relief. This goes SO well with what I was trying to say a month ago: Your layer of fat protects you from the evil outside world. The more fat you have, the less harm less anybody can do to you! Okay?
DAILY CONSCIOUSNESS: [Busy mourning]
BODY: [Busy crying, because the daily consciousness is busy mourning]
SUBCONSCIOUS: All right, then. I'm just going to make this decision on my own. [Does a cost-benefit analysis]. Right. You need to be consoled, so you go and eat a lot of candy, now. This will also help you put back that fat you lost, so you will be protected.
BODY: Okay. Let's eat!
DAILY CONSCIOUSNESS: [Busy mourning]
Final result: No weight loss after five months. Perhaps even a weight gain.
- - - * - - -
Interplay Between Conscious and
Subconscious =
Goal Setting Games
You see how goals you set for yourself
can easily become the subject of goal setting games you play with yourself?
The Conclusion and Solution
So, then, as we are nearing the end of this goal setting article, what is the 'cure', the solution?Well, simple though it may sound, the solution is consciousness. Awareness.
And, of course, the use of your all-powerful free will.
In this case awareness first and foremost means becoming aware of your old programming (your beliefs) and understanding how they relate to your goals and those annoying goal setting games you end up playing with yourself.
A second thing you might like to become aware of is this: Your perceived needs. What are they? And why are they like that?
Then, you apply liberal amounts of truth and reality (absolute reality) to the mix.
To use the weight loss example, the truth is, a) you don't actually get consoled by sugar, and b) you don't need those extra pounds to protect you from the world.
When you see the truth, you can then let go [LINK] of those old beliefs. And when you do that, you have a much better chance of NOT ending up in goal setting games with yourself the next time you make the decision to lose weight.
Instead you probably just lose the weight you want to ... and think nothing of it. :-)
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