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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Goals
Summary of 6 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 6
Clear goals create a pathway to your full potential.
French naturalist Jean Henri Fabre once conducted an experiment with caterpillars. The species he chose was called Pine Processionary. They get their name from the way in which they, unerringly, follow one another.
Fabre made a ring of these caterpillars around a flowerpot, then put their meal of choice – pine needles – in the center. For seven days, the caterpillars followed each other in a circle, hoping to reach those pine needles. Eventually, they died of hunger, even though food was just inches away.
Many of us are like those caterpillars. We confuse busyness with meaningful action. But if our actions aren’t carrying us toward a specific destination, we’re just going around in circles. That’s why, if you want to succeed, you need to set goals.
The key message here is: Clear goals create a pathway to your full potential.
You may think that you’re smarter than a caterpillar. But have you reflected deeply on what you want to achieve? Have you written down your goals? If you haven’t, you’re not alone. Only 3 percent of Americans have written down clearly defined goals. These are the people who make their dreams a reality.
Having clearly defined goals will help you stay focused on what you truly want to achieve. It’ll also prevent you from becoming resentful in challenging moments, or distracted when you need to be knuckling down. When you have a clear goal with specific outcomes, you gain direction. Why? Because you understand what exactly you must do to achieve that goal. Working toward something you want generates energy, and that’ll motivate you to put in the effort.
It takes time to formulate goals properly. You might think you don’t have days, or even hours, to sit down and think about what you want to achieve in life. But this investment of time is worthwhile.
Clear goals will give you focus, which’ll make you more efficient. They can save you up to ten hours each week – time you can dedicate to other activities.
If you have clear goals, you’ll use your time more strategically because you’ll prioritize the steps you need to take to achieve them. This will make you happier because you’ll be spending your time building a life you truly want to live, instead of getting sidetracked by activities that don’t lead to your goal.
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What is Goals about?
Goals (2019) provides a comprehensive guide to setting goals and achieving them. By learning how to plan, hold yourself accountable, and foster the personal qualities you need to pursue your dreams, you’re more likely to succeed.
Who should read Goals?
- Ambitious dreamers
- Unconventional individuals trying to reach a breakthrough
- The chronically busy who still can’t seem to achieve their goals
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