“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

As a life coach, helping people reach their goals is my bread and butter. One of the most common obstacles I run into with coaching clients is when they have a lot of wishes, but haven’t yet translated them into goals.

Let’s take a look at wishes and goals and why the difference matters.

All In the Planning

A goal must have a clear, specific, and measurable plan. Otherwise, it’s just a wish.

For example, when you sit down and say “someday I’d like to run a marathon.” That statement is a wish. Notice how vague the timeline is, and how it only talks about the end result of running the marathon.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with wishes like this. They can be the start of an incredible journey. However, you have put in a great amount of effort into turning that wish into a goal with an actionable plan.

A goal sounds more like this: “I want to run the American Fork Marathon for Cancer. That takes place at the end of September, so I need to start running 1 mile 3x per week for the next two weeks, and then I need to slowly increase my distance until the day of the race.” Then, this goal would go on to include a clear and distinctive plan for increasing distance, changing diet, drinking water, and so on.

Follow Through

The second major difference between a goal and a wish is follow through. A wish has no plan, so following through with it is next to impossible. If you attempt it, you’ll likely find yourself floundering around. You may make some progress, but you’re likely to get lost in the process and let it fade out.

A goal has a clear action plan, so all you have to do is stick to it. However, you do have to be dedicated, take action, and keep re-assessing the plan to make sure it’s still working. That way, you can adjust your plans depending on what life throws your way while you’re working toward success.

Why the Plan Makes a Difference

A lot of people dislike planning. It takes a bit of a time commitment and some people feel like it limits spontaneity. However, it’s a vital part of success.

A plan takes the guesswork out of your path to success. You know what you need to do and when you need to do it. The decision has already been made which means you don’t have to constantly try to figure out what to do next. Creating a plan, and constantly revisiting it to make sure it’s still working is a lot easier than re-inventing the wheel every day.

Now, for the idea that planning removes spontaneity. It really doesn’t. Your life won’t dry up into a mechanical system of input a get b and that’s that. There’s still room for adventure and spontaneity. For example, a plan to run a marathon doesn’t interrupt sudden plans to go to a concert. It may shift that day’s running schedule, it might mean planning to pack food rather than buying at the venue, or it may mean getting a little creative with staying hydrated. But, you can still go to the concert and have a great time. A plan just helps you keep your goal in mind when running out for impromptu adventure.

Motivational Maintenance

A good plan includes a lot of little goals that you can achieve on your way to accomplishing the big goal. For example, your plan for the marathon might include “run 5 miles by day x”. Achieving that five miles feels amazing and can help spur you forward.

A wish looks at the one big goal. Staring that marathon in the face without the steps that build up to it is overwhelming and not just a little intimidating. That sense of overwhelm can kill your motivation to move forward. Pretty soon you might find yourself completely discouraged, and you might just push your hopes off to the side.

Wishes aren’t bad things. They let us know what we’d like to do. However, if we don’t change that wish into a goal with a plan, achieving it is going to be extraordinarily difficult. However, with the right planning and follow through we can do just about anything we set our minds to.

If you’ve got a goal your trying to achieve, life coaching might be right for you. Schedule a free 30-minute consultation to find out more.