As with anything
we do, we need to set some realistic and obtainable goals. Not a comfortable goal. On the contrary, our
goals and plans should always be a little more, a little harder, and a little
higher than our present comfort level.
We should always strive to do ‘more’ than our current level or else we
are just treading water and getting nowhere. That’s not a way to find success.
That’s simply surviving.
One of the keys
to success is to always be rising, gaining, and moving toward the end of our
agenda. We have to set our eyes on the finish line, the pinnacle of what we
want to achieve, and then be able to see, understand, and recognize the path to
get to that line. This is where we often
mess up and stumble, leading to our failure in reaching the goals we set for
ourselves.
In no way am I
saying NOT to dream big. On the contrary… dream big; dream really big. Write those dreams down, even the ones that
everyone says are impossible. Even the
ones we think are impossible or not for us. We can’t run a race without knowing
what kind of race we’re in, or where the finish line is, otherwise we’re just
running wild with no direction. We have to know where we are going in order to
know if we’re traveling in the right direction.
Once we’ve
written our list of dreams, we now need to take a step back, remove the emotion
from those dreams, and start setting realistic, obtainable goals. We have to take the big dream and identify
step A and step Z. Those are the two hardest steps to identify – A. What is it
and where does it begin? Z. What does it
become and where does it end? We can’t set all the goals between A and Z
without FIRST identifying those two components.
Those are the base to our equation for success. Equally, this same
equation can be used for every area of our lives.
Who am I? - Who do I want to be?
What do I weigh? - What do I want to weigh?
What can I do? - What do I want to be able to do?
Where am I? - Where do I want to be?
How much do I have? – How much do I want
to have?
How do I feel? – How do I want to feel?
Where have I been? – Where do I want to
go?
What position do I hold? – What position
do I want to hold?
You see what I’m
trying to convey? We have to first
identify the truth of our present state and then set the goal of the state we
want to achieve. But, we can’t lie to ourselves or else the goals we set will
unravel. They won’t hold when the
pressure comes, when temptation comes, when the truth reveals itself. The number one failure to any goal we set for
ourselves is self-deception and dishonesty. We lie to ourselves more than
anyone else lies to us, or even the lies we tell to others.
One of the keys of
success for making a change to any of our bad habits and behaviors, failures
and weaknesses, including taking responsibility for who we are, is being able
to recognize the truth about ourselves.
We have to accept that truth in order to make a decision to change it.
In order to enter the race to achieve any particular goal in our life, we have
to first understand where we are, who we are, and what state we are in – and then
recognize the goal of where we want to go, what we want to do, and what we want
to achieve. It has to be done in
honesty.
Goals are all
about change; changing our present state, our present atmosphere, our present
company, to a different state in order to achieve a different result. Change
can’t happen without honesty. Change can’t happen without recognizing the
truth. But once we face the truth, once we accept it, and we’ve recognized our
A and Z components, NOW we are capable of setting our budget of goals. As with any budget we can over budget or
under budget. If we over-budget, we set
impossible and unrealistic goals, and are not going to be able to meet those
goals and setting ourselves up to fail.
If we under-budget and set too easy of goals, then it won’t be a
challenge and we’re not really changing anything; only running in a circle of
what we already have. This is the cycle that many of us often fall into – and if
you take an honest look at your past behaviors these are the type of goals that leads
to those spherical habits – what’s often known as yo-yo diets or insanity –
doing the same things over and over and over and yet expecting different results,
so we keep making the same mistakes and we keep failing. It’s why we can’t beat our addictions or
overcome our weaknesses. It’s why we can’t change our lives or circumstances
because we can’t change our environment, change who or what we hang out with, whom
or what we allow in our lives, who or what we allow to influence us and speak
into our lives.
I.e. – if we
want to be successful and responsible, we have to stop hanging out with
unsuccessful and irresponsible people, or making unsuccessful decisions. If we
want to be healthy and fit, we can’t surround ourselves with lazy, unfit people
or regularly visit the fast food restaurants, stock our fridges and pantry with
junk food, or eat out all the time. If we want to be kind and generous, we can’t
hang out with selfish and hateful people.
If we want to be happy and faithful, we have to stop hanging out with
unhappy cheaters. If we don’t want drama
in our lives, we have to stop inviting it into our homes. We are what we do,
what we eat, who we hang out with, and what we spend our time and money on.
Once we face our
truth, and recognize our A and Z, we need to set our budget – break down all
the steps between A and Z (B-Y) into progressive, obtainable mini-goals. First break them in half (B-M), then break
those sections in half (C-G), then those in half (D & E), doing the same
for the other side, and so on and so forth until you have a clear path filled
with plans and goals that will help you reach success. If we don’t like any part
of who we are, where we are, or what state we are in, then change it. Recognize
our A and Z, make our goals, and then set a realistic budget to meet all the
internal steps until we find success.
Here’s an
example:
Face the Truth:
Always dreamed of writing a novel, but after starting a dozen stories, never
seem to finish them. Life always gets in the way, and nothing ever gets
completed.
Dream: Finish a 50,000
word novel.
A – Start Writing
Novel - “Once Upon a Time”. Z – Complete
Writing Novel - “The End”
B-M – Break the
novel down into increments and chapters so that M= 25,000 words (half our
novel) (averaging 2000 words per chapter for 12 chapters) and then set our
budget to achieve a chapter a day, or a chapter a week. Outline those chapters of what we want to
achieve by that part of the story, and set our goals for each chapter. Then, do the same for the other half of the
novel, so that we have a complete outline of mini-goals we want to achieve from
A to Z.
Then COMMIT to
those obtainable, reachable goals we have set, create an atmosphere to fulfill
those goals, budget the equipment and material we need to achieve them, and
make the time and room to get them done. Without commitment, we WILL fail.
Kismet, Murphy, life, God, the supernatural, and everything and everyone will
present obstacles and temptations to get us off our goals, detour us from our
path, lead us astray, or get us to give up.
Nothing good comes easy or without effort. We MUST have commitment or we
have already failed. Budget our goals.
They’re important. We are important. Our dreams are important.
Till next time,
~T.L. Gray
