“It’s not the wind that matters, but the set of the sail.”

This famous quote means that outside factors aren’t what determine the level of success and fulfillment that we achieve in life. Although it does feel like that quite often. Before we dive into how to set the sail, let’s talk about the wind.

The wind will knock you off your boat if you let it. The fact is we aren’t the ones in control of the wind. Yes, we have advanced enough as a society to make fans, turbines, etc, however those use the existing air currents, they don’t create them. Nothing is created from scratch quite literally. The resources of the world are at our disposal to be used and shifted to innovate and create “seemingly new” things. However all we can ever really do is USE what we have at our disposal.

What happens when we don’t like the things that are at our disposal? When the wind is cold and uncomfortable. When we wish for warm air yet blizzard is expected to arrive at 7pm tonight. This is a very interesting topic. Have you ever felt that the grass was greener so you trotted over to the other side, enjoyed it for a while, then eventually missed your nice yellow fall colored grass. You begin to realize how nice it was over there.

This is key.

It’s not what happens out there (pointing outward), it’s what happens in here (pointing to your brain).

I once heard an explanation that says, if you are upset with all of your resources, you won’t have anything to use. Think about it. If we are constantly mad at our spouses, the government, society, our employees, then we instantly focus on the wrong things. 

Whatever we focus on we get more of. By focusing on what we don’t like about the wind we take up space in our mind stopping us from coming up with creative ways to use to wind to our advantage.

Focus on what you can control, not what you can’t. They say if you don’t like the way things are then change them. I would go a step further to say for most people the problem isn’t not wanting to change, it’s the inability to know WHAT and HOW to change in order to get the desired result.

This is where goal setting comes in.

I believe in the importance of thinking on paper. What better way to get to know yourself then by seeing and holding your very own thought processes. The paper on which you write is an outlet that won’t judge you or confuse your words.

Journaling and Goal Setting go hand and hand

As mentioned earlier the wind is our resource and its up to us to determine is we want to use or it or be at its mercy. When we encounter perceived problems, it may actually be wind waiting to be utilized. That is why when we write out our problems we find opportunity for growth and new solutions.

Some say writing out your problems will only keep the problem alive. I limit my problem writings to times when I am confused on the source. Other times I place effort on elaborating on the positive of my current situation.

To get from here to there, we must know where we are and where we want to go. 

Goal setting is important because it is trackable. It has numbers, deadlines, and a clear place of arrival. Without a goal we may feel like we are progressing, yet never know how much, and we might actually be regressing.

When we set a goal and a plan of action, write it in detail on paper, and review it daily it becomes apart of our physical makeup. Our bodies begin to act and our minds begin to create.

When a goal becomes deeply embedded in who you are, aligned with your mission, it will begin to show up everywhere. Opportunities begin to arise upon every corner, ideas will come to you in the shower, and an understanding of the next steps become apparent.

Goal Setting is not just important, but crucial, to Entrepreneurship because with it we can go wherever we would like, be whoever we would like, and do whatever we would like! 

It may sound a bit dramatic, however, I’m okay if you call me dramatic when I say, It seems like goal setting was a gift from God. Life is truly a beautiful experience and the freedom we have is immense.

We truly are in control of our destiny. The actions we take are our responsibility. The main discipline that will hold us accountable for our lives is consistently checking if we are on track.

If you know where you are going can imagine and can feel what it will be like once you are there, then you are already living a remarkable life. 

As an entrepreneur nobody is going to hold you accountable better than yourself. Nobody is going to want more growth, scalability, impact, than yourself. That’s why goal setting is so important for entrepreneurs.

Goal setting helps you understand what skills you need, who you will need to work with, what obstacles you are having, and whats the plan to overcoming them.

As an entrepreneur builds a business, what he once considered long / mid / and short term goals, now become your systems that are replicable and valuable.

Goals are the vitals of every entrepreneurs business. 

Why is goal setting a big part of your entrepreneur journey?