Setting goals and objectives

In many situations people use words goals and objectives as interchangeable. Yet, in the context of goal setting, the difference between goals and objectives has an important practical meaning.

After you set your important goals you move to setting objectives. Objectives are also goals, but they are down the hierarchy. They are sub goals set with the only purpose to serve your goals.

To achieve your goals, which conditions should you provide, which resources should you collect, which skills should you develop, what knowledge should you acquire? Is there anything significant you should achieve before you can reach your goals? Formulate the answers to these questions as your objectives, in writing.

Note that objectives are also more than just activities. They still contain some challenge in them. Activities are things that you just do.

So, while a particular goal is important to you on its own, objectives and activities are important too, but not on their own. If an objective or activity does not work to help achieving your goals, change or replace that objective so that it does.

To achieve success, you need both persistence and flexibility. When you face difficulties and unexpected problems, use all your persistence and determination to stick to your goals. But always stay flexible with your objectives and activities. If the way you do things now does not work, try another way. Keep trying until you find the one that works.

Don't change the ends, change the means. And never forget the difference between ends and means, between goals and objectives.

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