Goal setting quotes are garbage?
I remember reading that once, but for some reason quotes are some of the most viewed content on the internet & social media.
I remember reading quotes and several times feeling like “That’s absolutely right. I’m gonna change this right now!”.
The fact is, quotes are not garbage at all.
They’re not going to change your life for you, but they can help us understand how successful people see things differently.
Since our minds dictate a huge portion of our reality and experience of reality, let’s take a look at a few goal achieving experts thoughts and adopt some new ideas better suited for the goals we’ve got.
What are goals?
Goals are the desires we have for better in our lives taken shape and ready to be achieved. When you think, “man it’d be nice if I could (do, be, have) this thing”…that’s a desire. When you write that down and create a plan of action…that’s a goal.
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Goal Setting Quotes: 1-9
1. “When it’s obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” – Confucius
The Message: the only thing that separates you from reaching your goals is combining the right variables to get the results you want. Think of reaching your goals like baking a cake. Bad cake means adjust the ingredients, not that you are doomed as a cake baker.
2. “Successful people maintain a positive focus in life no matter what is going on around them. They stay focused on their past successes rather than their past failures, and on the next action steps they need to take to get them closer to the fulfillment of their goals rather than all the other distractions that life presents to them.” – Jack Canfield
3. “I will keep smiling, be positive and never give up! I will give 100 percent each time I play. These are always my goals and my attitude.” – Yani Tseng
4. “Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.” – Bo Jackson
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5. “Positive thinking is a valuable tool that can help you overcome obstacles, deal with pain, and reach new goals.” – Amy Morin
6. “Sticking to good habits can be hard work, and mistakes are part of the process. Don’t declare failure simply because you messed up or because you’re having trouble reaching your goals. Instead, use your mistakes as opportunities to grow stronger and become better.”– Amy Morin
7. “Sometimes we may ask God for success, and He gives us physical and mental stamina. We might plead for prosperity, and we receive enlarged perspective and increased patience, or we petition for growth and are blessed with the gift of grace. He may bestow upon us conviction and confidence as we strive to achieve worthy goals.” – David A. Bednar
8. “Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” – Tony Robbins
9. “My personal goals are to be happy, healthy and to be surrounded by loved ones.” – Kiana Tom
Goal Setting Quotes: 10-19
10. “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” – Zig Ziglar
The Message: achieving your goals happens gradually. At point zero, accomplishment looks like a huge change, but the reality is you achieve your goal of 100 right after 99. 99 to 100 is not a big change. The goal will feel natural right before you achieve it.
The process of growth and challenge are much longer lasting rewards than the accomplishment itself. (Generally speaking)
11. “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” – Jim Rohn
12. “One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals. And so when I hear about negative and false attacks, I really don’t invest any energy in them, because I know who I am.” – Michelle Obama
13. “I’m not in the best shape, but I want to prove to myself I can do something that seems insurmountable and inspire others by showing them no matter where they are in their fitness goals, they can do it, too.” – Ruben Studdard
14. “You control your future, your destiny. What you think about comes about. By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands – your own.” – Mark Victor Hansen
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15. “Everyone has a purpose in life and a unique talent to give to others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of own spirit, which is the ultimate goal of all goals.” – Kallam Anji Reddy
16. “Finance is not merely about making money. It’s about achieving our deep goals and protecting the fruits of our labor. It’s about stewardship and, therefore, about achieving the good society.” – Robert J. Shiller
17. “Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time over which you have any control: now.” – Denis Waitley
18. “You must accept that you might fail; then, if you do your best and still don’t win, at least you can be satisfied that you’ve tried. If you don’t accept failure as a possibility, you don’t set high goals, you don’t branch out, you don’t try – you don’t take the risk.” – Rosalynn Carter
19. “I think goals should never be easy, they should force you to work, even if they are uncomfortable at the time.” – Michael Phelps
Goal Setting Quotes: 20-29
20. “The game has its ups and downs, but you can never lose focus of your individual goals and you can’t let yourself be beat because of lack of effort.” – Michael Jordan
21. “A lot of people, when a guy scores a lot of goals, think, ‘He’s a great player’, because a goal is very important, but a great player is a player who can do everything on the field. He can do assists, encourage his colleagues, give them confidence to go forward. It is someone who, when a team does not do well, becomes one of the leaders.” – Pele Read
22. “I learned a few years ago that balance is the key to a happy and successful life, and a huge part of achieving that balance is to instill rituals into your everyday life – a nutritious balanced diet, daily exercise, time for yourself through meditation, reading, journaling, yoga, daily reflection, and setting goals.” – Gretchen Bleiler
23. “Leaders must exemplify integrity and earn the trust of their teams through their everyday actions. When you do this, you set high standards for everyone at your company. And when you do so with positive energy and enthusiasm for shared goals and purpose, you can deeply connect with your team and customers.” – Marillyn Hewson
24. “If you set goals and go after them with all the determination you can muster, your gifts will take you places that will amaze you.” – Les Brown
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25. “By taking the time to stop and appreciate who you are and what you’ve achieved – and perhaps learned through a few mistakes, stumbles and losses – you actually can enhance everything about you. Self-acknowledgment and appreciation are what give you the insights and awareness to move forward toward higher goals and accomplishments.” – Jack Canfield
26. “We all have goals: We want to matter. We want to be important. We want to have freedom and power to pursue our creative work. We want respect from our peers and recognition for our accomplishments. Not out of vanity or selfishness, but of an earnest desire to fulfill our personal potential.” – Ryan Holiday
27. “Do more than is required. What is the distance between someone who achieves their goals consistently and those who spend their lives and careers merely following? The extra mile.” – Gary Ryan Blair
28. “A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals.” – Larry Bird
29. “You must take action now that will move you towards your goals. Develop a sense of urgency in your life.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
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Goal Setting Quotes: 30-39
30. “No matter how many goals you have achieved, you must set your sights on a higher one.” – Jessica Savitch
The Message: Progress is integral to happiness and wellbeing. Progress in whatever sense that resonates with you as an individual. As soon as we stop growing, we start dying.
31. “I prefer to win titles with the team ahead of individual awards or scoring more goals than anyone else. I’m more worried about being a good person than being the best football player in the world. When all this is over, what are you left with? When I retire, I hope I am remembered for being a decent guy.” – Lionel Messi
32. “I think that I was raised by two of the best people ever. My mother and father are just the definition of hard work, like what hard work brings to you. They’ve taught me and my brothers and sisters to set your goals high and to give everything to reach them.” – Josie Loren
33. “Each of you, as an individual, must pick your own goals. Listen to others, but do not become a blind follower.” – Thurgood Marshall
34. “If you go to work on your goals, your goals will go to work on you. If you go to work on your plan, your plan will go to work on you. Whatever good things we build end up building us.” – Jim Rohn
[thrive_text_block color=”light” headline=””] [/thrive_text_block]35. “Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition he or she has overcome to reach his goals.” – Dorothy Height
36. “History teaches us that unity is strength, and cautions us to submerge and overcome our differences in the quest for common goals, to strive, with all our combined strength, for the path to true African brotherhood and unity.” – Haile Selassie
37. “I’m competitive with myself, but not with other people. I set goals for myself. I don’t really care about winning or losing as long as I do my best.” – Lucas Grabeel
38. “I live off a motto that says, ‘yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery’. I have goals and agendas. Where ever I’ll be tomorrow, that’s where I’ll be.” – Vanilla Ice
39. “Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance.” – Brian Tracy
40. “Your goals are the road maps that guide you and show you what is possible for your life.” – Les Brown
The Message: Until you give yourself permission to go after something great, you have no idea how great you could become, and what that greatness would do for yourself and others.
[page_section image=’https://thelifesynthesis.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/large-images.png’ textstyle=’dark’ position=’default’]TAKE THE QUIZ: What should your goals be? [/page_section]41. “Make it a joint effort. Doing a workout with a partner or trainer can motivate you to reach your goals.” – Gunnar Peterson
42. “I’ve worked too hard and too long to let anything stand in the way of my goals. I will not let my teammates down and I will not let myself down.” – Mia Hamm
43. “Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance.” – Brian Tracy
44. “Getting organized in the normal routines of life and finishing little projects you’ve started is an important first step toward realizing larger goals. If you can’t get a handle on the small things, how will you ever get it together to focus on the big things?” – Joyce Meyer
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45. “Think little goals and expect little achievements. Think big goals and win big success.” – David Joseph Schwartz
46. “There is no limit to the potential of brethren working together in complete brotherhood and selflessness toward spiritual goals. The power of God working through such channels will bring unimaginable blessings to all concerned.” – Joseph B. Wirthlin
47. “I have short goals – to get better every day, to help my teammates every day – but my only ultimate goal is to win an NBA championship. It’s all that matters. I dream about it. I dream about it all the time, how it would look, how it would feel. It would be so amazing.” – LeBron James
48. “You need to overcome the tug of people against you as you reach for high goals.” George S. Patton
49. “Make sure of your commitment to Jesus Christ, and seek to follow Him every day. Don’t be swayed by the false values and goals of this world, but put Christ and His will first in everything you do.” – Billy Graham
Goal Setting Quotes: 40-49
50. “Goals transform a random walk into a chase.” – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
The Message: For some, life is a stroll in the park, but they’re strolling through a park that someone else built. There comes a time when you need to add something to the park yourself, so others might stroll through it.
51. “Writing in a journal reminds you of your goals and of your learning in life. It offers a place where you can hold a deliberate, thoughtful conversation with yourself.” – Robin S. Sharma
52. “Leadership is working with goals and vision; management is working with objectives.” – Russel Honore
53. “As a professional athlete a lot is going to be said about you – but I just try to move forward and try to achieve my goals.” – LeBron James
54. “Stop setting goals. Goals are pure fantasy unless you have a specific plan to achieve them.” – Stephen Covey
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55. “Set realistic goals, keep re-evaluating, and be consistent.” – Venus Williams
56. “Having the strength to tune out negativity and remain focused on what I want gives me the will and confidence to achieve my goals.” – Gisele Bundchen
57. “I would encourage you to set really high goals. Set goals that, when you set them, you think they’re impossible. But then every day you can work towards them, and anything is possible, so keep working hard and follow your dreams.” – Katie Ledecky
58. “Leadership is simply the ability of an individual to coalesce the efforts of other individuals toward achieving common goals. It boils down to looking after your people and ensuring that, from top to bottom, everyone feels part of the team.” – Frederick W. Smith
59. “One way to keep momentum going is to have constantly greater goals.” – Michael Korda
Goal Setting Quotes: 60-69
60. “You must take action now that will move you towards your goals. Develop a sense of urgency in your life.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
The Message: We’re all going to dye. Everyone get’s to a point where their mortality weighs on their consciousness and they want to make something meaningful of their life. Too often, that point comes with the wisdom of old age, and there’s less opportunity for us to move and shake the world like we can when we’re young.
This is why they say “youth is wasted on the young…” Save yourself the regret and start now.
61. “Every twist and turn in life is an opportunity to learn something new about yourself, your interests, your talents, and how to set and then achieve goals.” – Jameela Jamil
62. “Exercise to stimulate, not to annihilate. The world wasn’t formed in a day, and neither were we. Set small goals and build upon them.” – Lee Haney
63. “If you’re climbing the ladder of life, you go rung by rung, one step at a time. Don’t look too far up, set your goals high but take one step at a time. Sometimes you don’t think you’re progressing until you step back and see how high you’ve really gone.” – Donny Osmond
64. “Time can be an ally or an enemy. What it becomes depends entirely upon you, your goals, and your determination to use every available minute.” – Zig Ziglar
[thrive_text_block color=”light” headline=””] [/thrive_text_block]65. “Goals give us purpose, which, in turn, motivates us to make ourselves the best version in all aspects of your life.” – Hannah Bronfman
66. “Your ability to communicate is an important tool in your pursuit of your goals, whether it is with your family, your co-workers or your clients and customers.” – Les Brown
67. “Truth is mysterious, elusive, always to be conquered. Liberty is dangerous, as hard to live with as it is elating. We must march toward these two goals, painfully but resolutely, certain in advance of our failings on so long a road.” – Albert Camus
68. “You must be passionate, you must dedicate yourself, and you must be relentless in the pursuit of your goals. If you do, you will be successful.” – Steve Garvey
69. “Truthfully, being pregnant is changing me as a person. Each day is part of this amazing journey that has completely shifted the focus of my life and made me reevaluate my personal and professional goals.” – Holly Madison
Goal Setting Quotes: 70-79
70. “Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition he or she has overcome to reach his goals.” – Dorothy Height
The Message: Determination and overcoming obstacles leave enduring transformations when the results of goals come and go.
71. “People with goals succeed because they know where they’re going.” – Earl Nightingale
72. “At the end of the day, the goals are simple: safety and security.” – Jodi Rell
73. “You know that feeling when you wake up in the morning and you’re excited for the day? That’s one of my main goals in life.” – Kirsten Dunst
74. “Keep yourself motivated. You’ve got to be motivated, you’ve got to wake up every day and understand what that day is about; you’ve got to have personal goals – short term goals, intermediate goals, and long term goals. Be flexible in getting to those goals, but if you do not have goals, you will not achieve them.” – Gary Cohn
75. “Life’s a balancing act. You have multiple roles and goals, and you can do it all – just not all at once.” – Denise Morrison
76. “It starts with myself. I have to believe in myself and set expectations for myself, set goals for myself, and continue to work for those goals every day.” – Saquon Barkley
77. “At the surface, many people’s goals are to lose weight, tone up, feel better, etc. But superficial goals get superficial results that usually fade. Dig a little deeper, and the ‘why’ is usually unveiled: to be more confident, to be more happy, to feel sexy again.” – Brett Hoebel
78. “Respect your parents. What they tell you is true. Hard work, dedication and faith will get you anything. Imagination will drive itself. You can get anything you want, but you have to have faith behind all your ideas. Stick to your goals and have an undying faith.” – Russell Simmons
79. “I don’t focus on what I’m up against. I focus on my goals and I try to ignore the rest.” -Venus Williams
Goal Setting Quotes: 80-89
80. “I’ve got so many mountains to climb and goals to conquer. I’ve got so many scars I want to leave on the planet. I just feel like I’m not there yet. I feel like I am just getting started.” – Nikki Sixx
81. “Sincere and generous collaboration is the best way to fulfil the legitimate aspirations of each person and achieve great collective goals for the common good and the general interest.” – Felipe VI of Spain
82. “It’s exciting setting goals and moving forward with them.” – Amber Frey
83. “In the end, it all comes to choices to turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones.” – Amber Frey
84. “If you want to accomplish the goals of your life, you have to begin with the spirit.” – Oprah Winfrey
85. “Small business people are people with goals and values that can’t be calculated on a profit and loss statement.” – Linda McMahon
86. “We live in a culture that relishes tearing others down. It’s ultimately more fulfilling, though, to help people reach their goals. Instead of feeling jealous, remember: If God did it for them, He can do it for you.” – Joel Osteen
87. “Remember, you and you alone are responsible for maintaining your energy. Give up blaming, complaining and excuse making, and keep taking action in the direction of your goals – however mundane or lofty they may be.” – Jack Canfield
88. “Goals help you channel your energy into action.” – Les Brown
89. “We will naturally pursue our goals on the strength of our own resources, skills and enterprise. But, we know that we will be more successful when we do this in partnership with the world.” – Narendra Modi
Goal Setting Quotes: 90-99
90. “Everybody has goals, aspirations or whatever, and everybody has been at a point in their life where nobody believed in them.” – Eminem
The Message: People who have difficulty believing in themeselves aren’t capable of seeing the potential in others either. When we decide to do something extraordinary, it’s easy to see what those around us are made of. When you decide to do something great, you’ll quickly find out who your friends and family are on the inside.
91. “I don’t have a scale; I’m not big on measurements. Until a person looks in the mirror and is happy with themselves, you have not reached your fitness goals.” – Gunnar Peterson
92. “Goals allow you to control the direction of change in your favor.” – Brian Tracy
93. “Make each day count by setting specific goals to succeed, then putting forth every effort to exceed your own expectations.” – Les Brown
94. “The height of my goals will not hold me in awe, though I may stumble often before they are reached.” – Og Mandino
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95. “You have to be vigorous. That’s the only way you are going to get it because everybody has dreams and everybody has goals, but the only people who achieve them are the ones that go after it and don’t take no for an answer.” – Nick Cannon
96. “There is nothing wrong with dedication and goals, but if you focus on yourself, all the lights fade away and you become a fleeting moment in life.” – Pete Maravich
97. “Decide who you are and what your goals entail – then go for the roses. Life has little regard for those who waste time.” – Jon Huntsman, Sr.
98. “Find something that you’re really interested in doing in your life. Pursue it, set goals, and commit yourself to excellence. Do the best you can.” – Chris Evert
99. “I was on dialysis for 18 months before the transplant, so it was important I tried to look ahead to days like my comeback this Saturday. You need those big goals to drive you on.” – Jonah Lomu
Goal Setting Quotes: 100-108
100. “No goals means no plan. No plan means you’re leaving your life up to chance. That doesn’t sound like you have much enthusiasm for life in my opinion…”
The Message: This is a quote from me (Brian Wright). I truly feel this way. No goals means no plan. No plan makes me a bit suspicious about people. Do you actually know what potential can be harnessed with a solid life plan? I wonder sometimes about people.
[page_section image=’https://thelifesynthesis.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/large-images.png’ textstyle=’dark’ position=’default’]TAKE THE QUIZ: What should your goals be? [/page_section]101. “Life takes on meaning when you become motivated, set goals and charge after them in an unstoppable manner.” – Les Brown
102. “One of my biggest goals as a mom is to be a pillar of strength for my children – to envelop them in love and address every emotion, but also to have them be absolutely sure that I can protect them in any situation.” – Eva Amurri
103. “Make no mistake about it. Bad habits are called ‘bad’ for a reason. They kill our productivity and creativity. They slow us down. They hold us back from achieving our goals. And they’re detrimental to our health.” – John Rampton
104. “If you set your goals ridiculously high and it’s a failure, you will fail above everyone else’s success.” – James Cameron
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105. “People’s behavior makes sense if you think about it in terms of their goals, needs, and motives.” – Thomas Mann
106. “A dream collage is pictures of your goals. It is like your future photo album.” – Bo Bennett
107. “It must be borne in mind that the tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goals to reach.”– Benjamin E. Mays
108. “We know from research that growth is actually contagious, so if you want to reach your goals, you’ve got to get around people that are going in the same direction you want to be going, and you will catch the success.” – Henry Cloud
Goal Setting Quotes: The Overall Message
Guide the change. Brian tracy is famous for showing us that there is no avoiding the change of life. We can only guide the change. If we choose not to, life will change into whatever it pleases with/without or permission. Good or bad.
Goals mean control. Absolute control over life would make life boring, but the control that comes from having an overall plan limits our suffering and increases our joy. There’s no reason not to have the control you’re meant to have over your life.
Certainty means happiness. Whatever life may have in store, we feel at peace when know we’ve chosen to live for the sake of richness of experience and growth. It’s almost like an underlying feeling of “I know I’m doing all I can, so I have faith that everything’s gonna be alright.”
Human life is about potential. What else would it be like? Do we exist just to die? Think about all the luxuries you enjoy because some daring human before you decided to crush it at life. Life is about being badass and doing badass shit. (whatever that means to you)