What does communication has to do with goal setting and achievement? Do you know the answer? Well, there are of course different points of view when we look at each of these three concepts.

On the first hand communication can be used as a mean to transfer information from A to B to be able to do something related to goal X. This means that communication is a tool you are using in the process of goal achievement.

In this context we have to have a very clear understanding of what is a goal. Goals are very often mixed with the means we use to achieve the real goals. In other words, there are End goals and Means goals. End goals are absolute goals that we are looking forward to achieve in a while. Means goals are the tools that are bringing us closer to End goals. That brings us to the fact that we can change the tools we are using on our way to reach the goal. Many human beings are usually ignoring this fact. Thus, it is causing huge discomfort in their lives.

If that is not clear yet, let us then look at the following example to distinguish a means goal from an End goal!

Let us say: I am setting up a goal of “running own business”. Thinking about this goal, we all agree that to be able to run own business one must have a given amount of knowledge. Now knowledge is not the goal and is a very abstract word. But at the same time it can be expressed as “number of books one reads in a month. This makes the abstract attribute quantifiable and lets us think in the following way:

To be able to build up knowledge that allows me to run my own business I have to borrow and read 2 books from the library.

Did you notice the logic? We have the end goal “run my own business”, one needed instrument to achieve this goal “knowledge” and the means “borrow and read 2 books”.

Now you know what is the End goal and what is the Means goal. Let us think again, is it possible to gain knowledge in a different way? The answer is: of course, it is possible. You see. Means goals can be changed without affecting the end goal. There might be many different ways of reaching the end goal. Therefore, we should focus our energy on the end goals and have a pragmatic relationship to the means we are using to reach the end goals. Easy? Nope, but possible.

What means should you use to achieve your goals depends on the impact each tool has on the goals you have. Maybe we can discuss that in a separate post.

Going back to the start of this post. The most important thing when it comes to achieving goals is that you communicate your end goals to yourself and to the others around you and be open minded when it comes to the means goals