Goals-To Write or Not To Write-them down, that is the question

For 30+ years I've heard from all corners, write your goals down, some say share your goal with others. In perhaps the past 5 or 8 years I have been hearing a contrary opinion. They say don't write your goals down, don't tell others what your goals are to avoid embarrassment should you not succeed.

To "write" or not to "write", that seems to be the questions; what's a person to do??? From my perspective I don't think it matters. If you don't write your goals down, just be sure to have it or them committed to memory so well that you can rattle them off in a moments notice. Just be sure to have a goal(s), don't loose sight of it, and remind yourself of it regularly.

Clearly, not writing down your goals can make it difficult to segment them for your business, career, personal life and so on. Achievements (or failures) in one area can have an impact on another since goals are results driven, and the result, positive or negative will impact the result of another goal.

As an example, let's say that you want to earn more money as a business goal, and on the personal side you want to buy a new car. The new car however, is predicated on you earning more money. Don't succeed at making more money, then guess what, no car for you. The lack of success in one goal negatively impacts another goal.

It seems to me that the question that needs to be asked of anyone who has a goal or goals, is, what are you willing to sacrifice, and willing to do to achieve your goals, and if you are not successful at first do you have what it takes to persevere. Focus on this question and answer it truthfully to yourself.

Are you a doer or a don't doer, are you a player or an observer, are you proactive or reactive. Know the answer to these questions and you are on your way to accomplishing one or more of your goals.

Where are you on the field of life. It is the 4th quarter, 4th down, 5 yard line and 9 seconds left on the clock and the score is tied. Do you pass or punt?