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When it comes to setting goals, you may wonder why it’s necessary. But here are just a few of the dire consequences that can come about from not picking a destination and reaching to get there.

1. You’ll get lost. If you were a pirate looking for treasure, you won’t just start digging around willy-nilly for treasure. You’d probably get an ancient map with an x that marks the spot. The same is true for setting goals—if you don’t set goals, you’ll wander around aimlessly in every area of life, blowing around where the wind takes you—and sometimes that place is not so good.

2. You’ll miss opportunities. When it comes to work and even life in general, people only seek out assistance from those who are motivated and moving somewhere. If you don’t set goals and complacently just “roll with it” all the time—whether professionally or personally—you’ll miss promotions, pay raises, and invitations you’d otherwise get if you had some goals you were working towards, such as finding a better job or dating that special someone.

3. You’ll lose the power of attraction. It’s a hotly debated topic, but many people out there swear there’s something intangibly true about how the way we think and feel affects the world around us. Think good, and it will be good, an old adage goes. With goals, success will come your way. Without goals, you’re not really able to be sure what’s headed your direction.

4. You’ll feel empty inside. Steven Hawking, one of the greatest scientific minds in modern times, left behind many thoughts about the universe, but one that was applicable even to those who aren’t physicists was to find meaningful work. Goals give you a reason to get up in the morning and embrace the awesome gift that is life. Without goals, you might as well just roll over and go back to sleep—all day.

5. You won’t feel as good as you can about yourself. Sometimes people get plagued by doubts about themselves. It’s natural and human to wonder if we really are worth our place in the world. Of course, the answer is that each and every person has a unique piece in the puzzle, otherwise they wouldn’t be here. But in order to tap into that sense of self-worth, you need to set some goals and get working. You’ll feel great when you achieve them, and purposeful as you work towards them.