I have disliked going with the herd for as long as I can remember. Although, that didn’t stop me from taking up smoking as a teenager. I wanted to be cool, just like everyone else. But in my later life, doing my own thing, like working for myself, became more important than blending in. Worldly achievement and success in business became a priority. And in that pursuit, goal setting was my means. But something felt off about it all. It felt like far too much effort with little reward. Faced with this situation, the response was to double down—double the effort for even less reward. What is going on, I thought. This isn’t how it is supposed to be. Looking at my business, I didn’t feel very S.M.A.R.T. I later discovered that my initial feeling about goal setting was nudging me in the right direction, only I didn’t follow the prompt.

Goal Setting can be an effective tool in getting things done, but if the fundamentals are not in place, all our efforts are usually in vain. In fact, results may run counter to what we expected. In this Bonus episode of the Sunday Letters Podcast, I’m talking about the pros and cons of goal setting and how you may be able to tell when your desire for fame and fortune may be taking you down the garden path.

Read this essay on Goal Setting