Goal setting and the lessons from history.
Do not ignore the lessons of best practise from history, yet at the same time you must always be forward thinking and not chained to the past. History in its traditional form as well as all kinds of biographies, recent and old, can offer a wealth of advice about tried and tested ideas and practises. It is nearly always quicker to learn from the experiences of others than to do everything yourself by trial and error. Life is just too short to do everything the hard way. There is no shortage of good information out there about best practise, what works and what will not work. It is a wise and effective use of time to study the results of the past in order to make your own goal setting more effective.
Look to the past, but do not become stuck in the past. The only way to success is forwards and onwards; to break new ground and be a trail blazer. Your goal can benefit from the best practise of the past, but after a time of study and research you must take action to reach your goal.
