In merry old England, the word goal originally referred to an object called the winning-post that was set up to mark the place where a race ends. Its equivalent in other European languages also referred to two posts with or without a cross-bar, through or over which the balls has to be driven to score a point and win the game. Do you see the connection? A goal is something to which any sustained effort is directed; attaining your goal means winning the game. In the game of life, if universal laws are the rules, then goals make up the courses of action leading to victory.
Goals are important because they will affect just about everything you do as you work out your life. Goals aren't just the destination you're driving toward, they're also the markers that keep you on the road. They play a prominent role in just about every decision you make as you journey along, from how you go about your day-to-day life to your plans 10-20 years from now.