That’s probably the most important question you can ask yourself when it comes to making plans, setting goals and designing the life you desire.

Why is that?

Because your goals are designed to get you from where you are to where you want to be. Logically then, there is a difference between those two points. The difference is what is missing. If you desire to earn $100,000 per year for instance, but only make $30,000 now, what are the missing factors that would allow you to make that money?

Is it a college degree? Do you need to upgrade your skills and learn something new? Do you need to change careers? Do you need to work harder or smarter?

All these things and more are going to influence whether or not you can make that $100,000 per year. These are the things that are or may be missing from your life. Figure out what is missing, what you don’t have but do need, in order to achieve your goals. Discovering what’s missing gives you the parameters of how you should go about achieving your goals.

What’s missing is what will make up the intermediary steps on the way to your goals. The answer to this question tells you the how you will achieve your goals. The how is nearly as important as the goal itself, because far too many people set goals without knowing the means to achieve their goals. Those aren’t really goals. Those are merely very specific wishes.

Asking “What’s missing?” is how you turn wishes into real goals that you can actually achieve.

What’s missing for you?