Recently I went to the eWomenNetwork International Conference and Business Expo.  What a great experience!  I highly recommend it for anyone that wants to be inspired and motivated.  I had a pretty big “aha” moment while I was there.  Here is how it played out.

Before we left, a group of us that were going met for dinner and “set intentions”, (pretty much another way of setting goals).  Don’t get me wrong, I think this is a wonderful idea.  It gets people focused and helps them stay on the course they want to go.  However, for some overachievers like me, I set so many “intentions” and I set them so high, I became completely overwhelmed when I got there.  I spent a good day of the conference in a funk.  I did, eventually, snap out of it, but I wanted to pass on what I had learned.

• Set “appropriate” goals! – You know yourself better than anyone else, so make sure you set goals.  However, set goals that are not going to overwhelm you and make you want to give up.  If that means daily goals, then so be it.  If that means larger goals, with baby steps to get there, then make it happen.
• Schedule time to reassess your goals – Think about how you work.  If you want to make sure you are on the right path…and are staying on the right path, you need to make time to reassess.  How frequently is completely up to you.  Are you someone that needs daily or weekly goals?  Or will setting aside time on a monthly basis suffice? 
• Evaluate how you are feeling – If you are completely overwhelmed by the goals you have set, chances are you are going to give up without accomplishing them.  The point of goals is not to give you heart palpitations.  It is very important to have those big goals, but sometimes you need to focus on the little steps it takes to get there. 
• Don’t put your blinders on – Part of my experience while I was in Dallas was that I was so focused on the goals I had set, I was not taking in all the amazing opportunities that were right in front of me.  Keep in mind, what may be your intention, may not be the Universe’s intention.  Stay open to other amazing opportunities while you are focused on your goal. 
• Recognize failure as an opportunity – Trust me, no one likes failing.  However, sometimes failure is a hidden opportunity to rise even higher than before.  It’s the people that recognize that and seize it that will rise to the highest levels.

In conclusion, yes, set goals.  But, do not let them get in your way.  Be open to the fact that life may have a different plan and be willing to be flexible.  The Universe may have bigger plans for you than you do!