At one point or another we've all had to set goals. For some people sticking to them is easy, while others struggle to stay on track, and find it more difficult to stay on target. Have you ever taken the time to ask yourself why it is that some people are able to see their goals through to completion, while others experience difficulty doing so? In this article we will examine the psychology behind setting goals, and why some people have challenges with achieving them, while others seem to be able to breeze through to the point of completion when it comes to the goals they set for themselves. I'm no psychologist, but there is research which points to the idea that the rate at which we achieve goals can in some cases depend on how we frame our life experiences. This same research claims that many of our day-to-day life choices that we make are based on who we are, or believe ourselves to be (which often depends on the way in which we see ourselves. That is, do we believe we're capable of achieving the goals we set, etc.). Our characteristics, so they say, are developed at a very young age. I think at this point it's strongly worth noting that (in my humble opinion anyway) even if a person lacks the early life experiences -- which might lead them to more easily set and achieving goals that this is not a deterrent to developing the skill set of doing so. Of course they can! My friend, life is slap full of examples of people who come from varying backgrounds which weren't naturally conducive to creating goal setters (at least in the way that conventional wisdom might lead us to believe they're developed). The research states that our very early experiences shape us into who we become, and as a result if we observe others (our parents, peer groups, other students, etc.) who regularly set and work towards the worthy achievement of goals then it is quite possible that we too will adopt this same approach. In other words, at least to some extent we develop our own inner beliefs and skills by what we observe. While it is true that for some good goal setting skills may be a learned behavior, from having been learned and observed early on in ones life. It doesn't mean that the person who wasn't raised with the same early exposure to setting and working on goals can't also hope to develop the important life skill of doing so equally as effectively as the person who did. It simply means that they are going to have to work a little harder at doing so, at least initially until the point that doing so becomes second nature (and it will in time!). Often the key to overcoming a challenge is to simply be aware that one exists in the first place. At this point you may be wondering if the research is true, how on earth do those who don't have the luxury of having been "raised on the benefits of goal setting" ever go about learning, much less mastering the skill at, or in some cases above the level of those who did. The answer I believe is because goal setting is inherent in all of us. Whether or not we lack the early exposure of learning how to set goals and achieve them. In fact, you can see it in the first steps a child takes. You can see it in the eyes of the child who continues to get back on their bike after having just fallen off. You can see it in the baseball player who swings at the ball with all he's got, even though seconds before he may have experienced the disappointment of having had the same ball whiff by him! Yes, there are countless examples in each and every one of our lives where we've experienced proof positive of the idea that goal setting is inborn and a natural process. The simple truth is you have within you the ability to accomplish virtually anything you can set your mind to -- and are willing to stick to until it is complete. Make no mistake though, ultimately the choice is yours as to whether you will remain in the game long enough to see things through to completion. Friend, you can quit just shy of the place you want to see things end up, or you can persevere, accepting that you may very well need to acquire new skills, or improve in some way, knowing that if you will do so you'll eventually find yourself looking down upon your own pinnacle of success -- beaming with the inner pride which can only come from having accomplished a worthwhile goal. It's your life, LIVE BIG! Josh Hinds PS. For details on having Josh teach your group his powerful goal setting system for achieving greater results and how to break through the barriers that are holding them back from their greatness, visit JoshHinds.com