William Marston, a prominent psychologist, authored a two-year study where he asked 3,000 individuals the following: “What have you to live for?”

What Dr. Marston found was absolutely shocking. He discovered that 94 percent of those interviewed had no definite purpose. These were men and women who were simply enduring the present while they waited for the future.

That story was shared by Dennis Kimbro and Napoleon Hill in the classic “Think and Grow Rich: A Black Choice.” Anyone who needs a refresher in setting goals would be wise to review that masterpiece.

I strongly believe that we need to set goals. A goal is a dream with a deadline. It should be measurable, identifiable, attainable, specific, in writing. I always advise not to forget to write your long-term and short-term goals down.

Self-help gurus and life coaches all stress the importance of having goals if you want to succeed in life. The first step is identifying what is a worthwhile goal.

A goal should reflect your values, of course -- what you really want, not what you should want, and certainly not what other people think you should achieve.

Career and financial goals are perhaps the most obvious targets. What kind of job or role do you aspire to? How much money do you want to make? Or what would you like to buy that’s currently beyond your means?

But you don’t have to zero in on work.

Perhaps you have an artistic dream -- to write a novel or learn to play the piano. Or maybe you want to work on some aspect of your personality: become more assertive or empathetic, or less cynical. Education is another potential objective, whether it’s about getting an advanced degree or just taking a class in design.

Big goals require big passion to meet. Success usually requires a road map, a strategy, but it also calls for an overwhelming drive. Ask yourself these questions: Do you feel strongly about the importance of your goal and why it is necessary to achieve? Does your goal match your values and beliefs? Is your goal vital to the future of people you care about? Does your goal get you excited when you think about it? Are you willing to devote your personal time to achieve your goal? Will you be able to reject criticism and negativity? Are you committed to the long term as you work toward your goal?

Here’s my formula for setting goals that helps me focus on the result I want to achieve.

-- Make it positive. Think about your objective in affirmative terms: What you will do ("Eat balanced meals every day"), instead of what you won’t do (“Stop eating chocolate”). Remind yourself of what you want, not what you’re denying yourself.

-- Be fully committed. Choosing the right goals will make a huge difference in your motivation to succeed.

-- Take a step-by-step approach. You have to start with the big picture. Then you should determine what you need to do to get there. Break your plan down to the smallest level of detail; think of what you can do every day to get a little closer to your target. Focus on things you can control.

-- Appreciate the learning opportunities. You may not succeed the first time, or the second time or after many times. Instead of obsessing over the results, figure out what works and what doesn’t, and why.

-- Take your goals seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously. If you aren’t having some fun along the way, your chances for success diminish. You should be able to derive some real pleasure out of achieving your goals.

-- Trust your judgment, but don’t be afraid to ask for advice. There is no rule against asking for help.

-- Set your sights high. Be realistic, but ambitious. There’s no glory in accomplishing a goal that doesn’t require any effort. That’s just an item on your to-do list. Your goal should make you stretch and grow. Remember that even if you don’t reach your objective, what you learn along the way will make you a better person.

As my friend the late Zig Ziglar said, “Set a goal so big that you can’t achieve it until you grow into the person who can.”

Mackay’s Moral: Don’t be afraid to dream big -- be afraid not to.

The neighborhood kids had congregated in the front yard when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting on the front seat was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog’s duties.

“They use him to keep the crowds back when they go to a fire,” said a 5-year-old girl.

“No,” said another, “they carry him for good luck.”

The third, a boy about 6, brought the argument to an abrupt end when he said, “They use the dog to find the fire hydrant.”

Everyone has a purpose in life.

Finding that purpose is among life’s biggest challenges. Discovering what is important to you, what you are passionate about, where you can make a difference -- those are the factors that drive your purpose.

No matter how much money you make or how famous you become, living without a purpose takes the joy out of life. When the most important part of your existence is missing, the quest for material success becomes hollow.

My friend Brandon Steiner, who runs Steiner Sports, one of the country’s largest sports memorabilia companies, has written a book, “Living on Purpose,” that should be required reading for every young person starting out in a career. Brandon shares remarkable insights into how to win at the game of life when business success isn’t enough.

Brandon had worked hard his entire life and sold his company in 2000 for more money than he had ever dreamed of. But he wasn’t happy. He was emotionally bankrupt. His health deteriorated, as did his friendships. He had lost his purpose in life.

It took a few years, and with the help of some trusting friends, Brandon became a better husband and father, bought his company back and started getting more involved in charity work. He sought to leave a legacy.

In his book, Brandon details some of his journeys, such as learning about faith from New York Yankees great Mariano Rivera, getting tips on how to deal with fear from WNBA star Brittney Sykes, getting his “Jerry Maguire moment” with football star Otis Anderson and helping baseball great Alex Rodriguez, who sought redemption.

Not all of his stories are about sports stars, though. He talks about motivational guru Brendon Burchard teaching him about the qualities of extraordinary people: not being afraid to ask for help, collaborating with other talented, committed people and always measuring results.

John Gray, author of “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus,” told him: “Don’t buy your wife a dozen roses. Buy her one rose a dozen times.” Daily touch points are better than occasional ones.

Brandon’s mother was his role model. She used to ask him, “How do you eat a big elephant?” And then she would answer, “One bite at a time.” That’s why Brandon set up “snackable goals” on the way to the finish line.

Brandon also delves into a topic I care greatly about -- relationships. He asks himself four key questions that help him take inventory of his relationships:

1. Do I trust you?

2. Do I really know you?

3. Do you understand me?

4. Are you what’s best for me?

“You want people in your life who are smart, kind, loyal and reliable,” Brandon writes. Above all, he looks for loyalty in people.

Brandon starts each day with an MVP list -- Most Valuable Priorities. This helps him keep his agenda in check. Just as important, he recommends that you make a “Not-To-Do List," filled with time-wasting or bad habits. This will save you a tremendous amount of time.

Discovering your own purpose starts with two basic questions:

-- What do you do best? Focus on what you do well in your professional life, but don’t ignore what you like to do. This is not an exercise in setting goals or plotting a career path.

-- What do you enjoy doing that helps other people? Getting outside of your own interests can lead to a more fulfilling life.

Combining these two elements is a good start to determining how to start living a life guided by purpose.

Without a purpose, we are like the man arrested for theft appearing before the judge.

Judge: “When do you work?”

Man: “Now and then.”

Judge: “What do you do for a living?”

Man: “This and that.”

Judge: “Where do you live?”

Man: “Here and there.”

Judge: “Young man, you are going to jail.”

Man: “When do I get out?”

Judge: “Sooner or later.”

Mackay’s Moral: The best life is one lived with purpose -- on purpose.

A new era began at the University of Minnesota when P.J. Fleck was hired as the head football coach. Since he landed in Minnesota less than two short years ago, he has already begun to energize the entire state. He is always up for a challenge and setting records, which he did on his high school and college football teams as a wide receiver. He was an undrafted free agent with the San Francisco 49ers until his playing days ended with injuries.

That’s when he hit the coaching profession with full force, leading one of the greatest turnarounds in college football history -- a 12-0 undefeated regular season at Western Michigan in 2016. He is one of the youngest and brightest minds in college football. His commitment to character development with his players is unparalleled!

I love his message on leadership and culture change. For example, he doesn’t believe that leaders should separate their personal and professional lives. He says, “As the leader, you are the walking, talking vision of whatever you say.”

He practices the three Ls of Leadership:

Look -- “Leaders have to look around every corner,” Fleck said. “Leaders should never be surprised. It’s not IF something will happen, it’s WHEN it will happen. Leaders must look for everyone else.”

Listen -- Listening is crucial for Fleck. He believes there is a big difference between communicating and connecting: “Leaders pull people along with them. They surround themselves with smart people and listen to them.”

Lift -- This is No. 1 for Fleck. Leaders must lift people up. “You can’t just tell people to do things and put your fist down,” he says. “There are times to be demanding, but if you do it too much, all you do is wear people out. Getting to know how your people are motivated and inspired is a true characteristic of an elite leader.”

Fleck lives by the never-give-up slogan “Row the boat.” There are three parts to it: the oar, the boat and the compass.

The oar is the energy you bring to your life. It’s what moves the boat. The oar is what you can control now.

The boat is the sacrifice. We all want something that we don’t have. What are you willing to give up to get what you want? The more you give and the more you serve, the bigger that boat gets, and the more people you can take on that trip.

The compass is the direction, which Fleck considers the most important part. Who you surround yourself with is who you become. If you surround yourself with bad people, you will do bad things. If you surround yourself with elite people, you will do elite things.

“When you row a boat, your back is to the future,” he says. “You can’t see what’s ahead of you. You row in the present. You can’t control the past, but you can learn from it.”

Fleck said he and his staff and players operate in a HYPRR culture, which stands for HOW, YOURS, PROCESS, RESULTS and RESPONSE.

The HOW is your people. If your company is struggling, either your people or your processes are screwed up, or both. Take a long time to hire, but fire quickly. The how is also your heart, spirit and will. How you do something matters more than what you do.

YOURS stands for your vision. Everyone should have a vision for their company and what their life should look like. Every person you hire should know that vision very clearly.

If your PROCESS is on target, you get the RESULTS you want. Leaders should never be surprised by the results. They should know what’s coming and how to fix it by looking, listening and lifting.

The RESPONSE is crucial. Watch your body language, because that’s the first way people respond. Your body language as a leader sets the tone in your organization.

“Love equals sacrifice,” Fleck says. "My players know that I am not here to be liked, but I am here to be loved. There is a big difference.”

Mackay’s Moral: Leaders find a way to get it done.