Reaching for the Stars: The Art of Setting Lofty Goals

Defining Lofty Goals and Ambitions

You cannot define lofty goals without mentioning ambition. There is a link between these two words. Sometimes, you may hear of the words “ambitious goals”.  Well, this is because lofty goals involves ambition, force and stamina to achieve your target. People set lofty goals to bring out the best in themselves and reach greater heights. At first, these goals may be difficult to reach. But with the right motivation, your goals can be a success. 

This article explains in detail the importance of setting lofty goals, some challenge you may encounter, how to overcome them and how you can also get the right motivation to continue working towards reaching your goals. If you have set lofty goals or you are planning to set lofty goals, we are happy that you are reading this post But first, let’s take a look at what lofty goals really are.

What are Lofty Goals?

Lofty means high or elevated. Goal means something that you want to achieve. Therefore, lofty goals is something big or high that you have set for yourself to achieve. In fact, according to the English dictionary, lofty goals are high targets and standards that may seem beyond your reach. They are way higher than a normal dream. Lofty goals require discipline, consistency, effort and hard work. Their level of difficulty and nature can vary from person to person based on talents, gifts, interests or values.

Lofty goals knows no bounds. They can be set in every aspect of life such as career, education, relationships, health and even personal life. 

Synonyms for Lofty Goals

Lofty goals can also be called ambitious goals, high targets, elevated standards, grand objectives, grand ambition, monumental goals, high minded aspirations, big dreams, or aspirational goals. 

Examples of Lofty Goals

Below are some good examples of lofty goals that can be accomplished:

 

• • Break a record (Guinness World Record or Olympic Record)

• • Achieve family peace

• • Tour the world before you reach a certain age

• • Acquire a debt-free home ownership

• • Overcome personal challenges or bad habits

• • Exercise regularly

• • Eat healthy (avoid sugar and fats)

• • Become the CEO or manager of an establishment

• • Run a marathon

The Motivation and Excitement of Big Goals

Setting goals and sticking to them till the end can be terrifying but with the right motivation, you can reach your goals. Motivation can propel you to continue on the journey even when the road gets tough. A good example is breaking a record (Guinness World Record or Olympic Record). You may feel that it is something unreachable, but the excitement you get from anticipating how wonderful it would feel to be recognized can give you a strong incentive to continue when things become challenging. 

Increased Motivation and Drive

Motivation is the push the drive behind your actions. Simply put, it is the reason why you want to achieve something. It is the yearning you have for setting goals and reaching it. Motivation does to you what wind does to a boat on a sea. Just as the wind pushes the boat across the waters, motivation pushes you to achieve your goals. Accomplishing targets that are imprecise can be challenging. However, with the motivation and drive, you can achieve them. This is because you give these goals your undivided attention and focus. 

Growth and Learning

Growth and learning is more likely to take place when you branch out, that is, when you set goals that are outside your comfortability zone. When you are not devoting your efforts to pointless activities, you feel satisfied. When you start learning something new and exploring new routes that may have never occurred to you before, it will thrill you and motivate you to keep going.  

Sense of Meaning and Purpose

Achieving your high objectives will heighten your sense of meaning and purpose. Some people wonder what they are living for. They just go through the motions. This is because they have set nothing to achieve, no target to aim, no goals to reach. But setting and reaching your goals makes you appreciate the meaning of life. This will help you succeed.

Strategies for Setting and Achieving Lofty Goals

There are different strategies for setting and achieving lofty goals. These strategies are considered to make your goal setting worthwhile.

Break Down the Lofty Goal

Many times, it is said that if you want to eat an elephant, you start with just one bite and then bit by bit, you eat all of it. It is the same with big goals. Whether you are playing a ball in order to score in the football field or you’re trying to become an entrepreneur, try and break them down into smaller tasks and you’ll see how they affect the overall outcome. You can plan these small tasks using a note or any portable device available to you.

Enlist Supporters and Accountability Partners

Find someone who would support you and would want to know how far you’re doing with reaching your goals. Someone who will ask for daily reports of your progress. Share your plans with them. This will help them to follow along with your progress.

Develop a Growth Mindset

A growth mentality is the belief that growth is a gradual process and with time, you will get there. Developing a growth mentality can help you reach for the stars no matter what challenges you have to accomplish. It will help you not get discouraged even when you feel things are not moving in the pace you had expected.

Goal Setting Best Practices

There are best practices to help set and attain lofty goals. Some of them are mentioned below.

Make Goals Specific and Measurable

One best practice of setting goals is to set the ones that are specific and measurable. It makes no sense to set goals that are unclear and broad in scope. You won’t be able to review your progress so you can determine if you’re still on track or not. 

Set Realistic Milestones

Setting realistic milestones can help you in achieving your objectives no matter how high they are. You can breakdown your long-term goals into short term goals and then keep records of whenever you reach them. This will keep you going in the right direction.

Regularly Track and Review Progress

Regularly tracking and reviewing your progress keeps you focused and attentive. It also makes you alert for roadblocks. It makes you aware of how far you’ve come and how much is remaining for you to attain your goal.

Proceeding with Caution: Potential Pitfalls of Lofty Goals

Dealing with Frustration and Disappointment

Of course, setting high targets for yourself comes with rewards. However, it can also bring fear, frustration and disappointment. You may feel high pressure and stress especially if your targets are extremely difficult. Here is some useful information to help avoid these pitfalls.

Keep Perspective

Keep a reasonable and balanced perspective of your goals. Take a step back and reflect on your journey as you set these targets. You can ask yourself, ‘how will this goal affect my life?’

Balance Lofty Goals with Self-Care

Aiming high can be physically and emotionally tiring. Do not forget to take proper care of yourself. Don’t turn yourself into a workaholic. Manage your stress levels, find some time to rest and sleep, and do things that makes you feel happy. You can even take a break. Self-care is the key to dealing with frustration and disappointment.

Avoiding Tunnel Vision and Perfectionism

By tunnel vision, we mean having a restricted and extremely fixated viewpoint without making room for expansion or extension. Someone with a tunnel vision ignores alternative options that may be helpful in setting and attaining high targets. 

It will also be helpful to avoid perfectionism. Traits of perfectionism includes setting unreasonably high targets for oneself, becoming hypercritical of oneself, strong desire to avoid failing, becoming irritated when things do not work out, and aiming for perfection in everything. 

Let’s consider how these can be avoided.

Make time for other Areas

Keep your mind open and your eyes alert to alternatives options that may help you in achieving your high standards. This will make you become aware of updates regarding your objective. When your eye is engrossed on a single strategy, you will be limited to a few options. 

Adjust Goals as Needed

As you progress toward your big goal, continue to be flexible and open to changes. Be prepared to adjust your course of action, if necessary, while maintaining the bigger picture in mind. Consider mistakes, not as a failure on your part, but as opportunities for learning and development.

Maintaining Motivation over the Long Term

Along the line, you may lose the drive to continue pushing towards your goals. You may have started out with all the excitement but now, you feel like giving up. Bear in mind that once motivated does not mean always motivated. You have to keep trying. Note that for you to reach your desired destination, you have to maintain a positive motivation. 

Reconnect to your Purpose

Reflect on why you set these lofty goals in the first place. What purpose did you hope to achieve? Think about how reaching this goal fits in with your values and principles. When you recognize your purpose behind your objective and make the connection, you’ll revitalize your motivation. 

Celebrate Small Wins

Just like a good foundation contributes to the structure of a building, small wins act as foundation stones and contribute to the overall success. It serves as a reminder that each step counts. Celebrating little wins enables us pursue our goals with positivity and vigor. Cherishing and celebrating even the tiniest steps creates a reaction that drives us towards bigger wins. By celebrating your small wins, you may rekindle your motivation to keep going.

Get Accountability Check-ins

Find someone who has knowledge in the area you’re working on or who has a similar ambition with you. It may be a workmate, schoolmate, mentor, acquaintance or relative. Ensure that the person is encouraging, reliable and is interested in seeing you succeed. Share your goals with them and make it easier for them to work with you by being consistent.

5 Examples of Lofty Goals include:

 

• • Increasing the revenue in your company

• • Able to speak many languages

• • Obtain an educational degree

• • Learn a new skill

• • Strike a deal with as many companies as possible.

Conclusion

This article has highlighted potential dangers that we may encounter in the journey which includes fear of failing, frustration, disappointment and even stress. The article has also highlighted the best way to approach these pitfalls. 

Truly, the art of setting lofty goals enables us reach for the stars. When we set big dreams for ourselves, we are often inspired. We are amazed by our potential for greatness. Setting lofty goals for ourselves can be a turning point for our lives and this will bring out the best in us.

Make it your aim to dream big and set lofty goals today.