Everywhere you look today you can find business leaders, seminar leaders and speakers touting the value, benefits and importance of goals in life.

After over 50 years of striving towards hundreds maybe even thousands of goals, achieving some and not even getting close to others I have developed a different outlook about this mystical concept called goal-setting.

I am confident that if you are a believer in goals I have your attention. If you don't you may be thinking I've heard this stuff about goals until I am blue in the face.

I believe that goals can be a mixed blessing.

On the positive side they can contribute to your motivation, inspiration, success, satisfaction, feelings of being worthwhile and happiness. However they can also contribute to your frustration, anxiety, fear, discouragement, discontent, doubts and failure. Yes goals can contribute to your failure.

You may have never considered this negative side of what would appear to be a positive concept or idea. How can an apparent positive approach to life be contradictory. If you haven't learned by now that life is full of paradox then you will have the opportunity to learn it before the end of this article.

Most people when they get involved in goal-setting only see the positive side and never confront or investigate the potential hazards. They see this as having a negative attitude or outlook.

Most managers, trainers and speakers that preach, teach or endorse goal-setting (I must admit I used to be one of them) teach the process as:

1. An outside in concept.
2. A ritualistic practice.
3. A you can do it baby philosophy.
4. A logical progression of plans and actions.
5. A "required for success" philosophy.

Goal-setting can be all or none of these.

At age 30 (over 20 years ago) If you had told me I would be the author of eight books by age 50 I would have laughed hysterically. If you had told me that within 20 years I would have given over 2500 presentations to over a quarter of a million people in 9 countries, I would have had you committed.

I never had a goal to do any of these things. I never had a goal to write poetry, fiction or publish this newsletter. I have accomplished dozens of things without ever setting the first goal. By the same token I can think of no fewer than 50 goals that I have been striving toward that I have yet to reach.

During the past few years I have spent a great deal of time and energy in introspection and evaluation on this entire issue as it relates to my life. The why's and why nots. The what if's and the how's. The should's and the if only's.

I believe that goals in and of themselves have no inherent value. I do believe however that goals contribute to a vital process, without which, we are doomed to live our lives in never-never land.

Goals force us to think about the direction of our lives.

Direction in life is all that is really important. Goals help us chart that direction.

I am a sailor. I have been sailing for over 20 years. Sailing provides a great analogy to goals and the process of goal-setting and direction in life.

When you have a destination in mind (the long term goal) you chart a course (short term goals) whether its 10 miles or 2000 miles. There are any number of things that must be done (planning) to prepare for a safe and enjoyable voyage. Wind direction and speed, currents, weather, other boats, the tides, shoals, your crew and a million little details.

I have noticed through the years two types of sailors. The ones that focus on the destination and schedule and the ones that focus on the process or journey itself. The first group often misses the joy and thrill of just "sailing". The second group has a goal but they do not let the achievement of it become all consuming. It is a matter of focus.

Most people spend most of their waking hours either focused on the past; regrets, missed opportunities, resentments and mistakes or the future; hopes, dreams, desires and fantasies. Very few people live in the present. The present is where life is lived. Positive memories are wonderful things to have. Dreams are essential to pull us into our future but the present is where life is lived. Your goals can pull you into your future or they can keep you locked in the past.

Many times I started out with a particular destination in mind and changed it due to any number of reasons.

When I board a plane for Boston I want to end up in Boston not Dallas. We are not talking here about airplane rides but life. The only one you have right now.

What good does it do to set a goal at 19 to be a lawyer or doctor, spend years studying and striving to discover that once you arrived you were disillusioned by the destination. Does this happen. Yes, all too often I am afraid. Many people spend their entire life climbing the ladder of success to discover that at age 40 or 50 their ladder is leaning against the wrong building.

Your goals impact on your smaller daily decisions and actions as you move through your life. Many people live with the illusion that they can move daily in the wrong direction and miraculously end up at their chosen destination. Let me explain.

If your goal is good health or a long healthy life but you daily break the laws of good nutrition, exercise and bad habits, don't be surprised when you fail to reach your goal. If your goal is a positive relationship with your spouse or children and you daily fail to do those things that will help you reach your goal do not be surprised when your relationships suffer. If you want to get to Boston and you live in Los Angeles It would make sense to begin driving east. Yes you can get there by going west but it will take more time, more energy and you will encounter greater obstacles.

For those of you who skipped the body of this article and went right to the end for the summary here it is.

The value of goals is not in and of themselves. The essence of goals is that they give your life direction. Your relationships are either getting better or getting worse. You are either getting more financially secure or you are getting worse. You are either getting healthier or sicker. Goals force you to look at your direction. Goal-setting can be a formal process or a result of meditation and/or dreaming.

I know people who have accomplished great things and feel they wouldn't have without goals. I know many people who have become all consuming goalsetters who are unhappy and frustrated. I know many people who have never set their first goal and who have accomplished more than most people ever dream about.

So what is the point to all of this dribble.

Goals are an empty palate. An empty page. An empty bank account. The painter or writer creates the finished product one stroke or word at a time. Each day you begin with a pen, a brush, a dream or a desire to add another experience to the tapestry of your life. Your life is a masterpiece as it is. You don't have to do anything more, you don't have to be anything more.

Your reasons for doing things are more important than your goals. This is a perfect universe. Live your life and let the universe take care of the details.

Their is an old Quaker saying, "Pray but when you pray, move your feet."

Life is a wonderful adventure. Don't miss the adventure of your life by living in the future chasing your goals. Enjoy all your precious present moments. Move toward that which is important in life and remember, you can have anything in your life you want but you can't have everything. It's not that kind of world.

And while you are creating your personal masterpiece don't let other people tell you what the finished outcome should look like. Don let other people discourage you by their criticisms, opinions or judgment.

If you reach your goal great. If you don't, it is not most likely not a life or death issue. Just make sure that you are daily moving in the direction that will land you where you believe you want to be.

And remember, it's ok to change direction. There are no rules. Only the rules that work for you.

How do you know if they are working? You know. You are either at peace with yourself or you are not. It is that simple.