The self help, business success and motivation books will tell you goal setting is important.

It is.

They'll tell you it's important for accountability, for business growth, for success.

It is.

But it's more important for those days when you are sitting at your desk (or in bed, or where ever you reflect) and thinking "will I ever make it?" 
Because 2 weeks, 3 months, 5 years ago you were probably thinking exactly the same thing, except you were wondering if you would ever make it to where you are now.
So write it down, record where you want to be and what you want to do because when you get there you will have different goals. 
When you are feeling like it's a struggle you will forget that you made it to where you wanted to be at that time, it's just that you want to be somewhere better now.

I’ve been doing some pondering on the system we use to validate ourselves,  measure our worth and all that (not financial worth, I know that just by looking at the number with the minus sign at the bottom of my bank statements.)
I have decided it’s no fun relying on what others think of you to make you feel good.
In fact it sucks.
Why?
Because people can often be caught up their stuff and they forget that maybe you have stuff too.
Because some people make themselves feel better by making you feel worse.
Because sometimes people forget to say nice things, not because they don’t think nice things, it’s just they are off doing stuff.
So if you are doing what you are doing in hope that someone will let you know they approve best not hold your breath.