First, decide what you want. Set a goal, right now and write it down. It has to be something that you are PASSIONATE about. The goal has to be something that you are willing to SACRIFICE OTHER THINGS FOR IT! If you aren't willing to give up the three hour a day X-Box habit for your goal then your goal is either: not big enough to make you grow; or you don't really want it bad enough. It's true that small goals can be the stepping stones towards bigger goals, but you will have to be willing to make sacrifices along the way to you ultimate goal. Is it worth those sacrifices? If a goal is so small and simple that pursuing it is as easy to you as breathing then it isn't a big enough goal! And, I promise you that once you achieve your big goal and you look back at what you thought was a sacrifice today you will realize that it was really an investment (guaranteed or your money back)!
Second, cast away your fears! Many people won't start their "thing" because they are afraid. Afraid of the unknown, afraid of failure, afraid of what others will think, afraid of success (hard to believe, but the last one is very common). Cast those fears away! Others are waiting for one brave soul (YOU!) to show them the way to overcome their fears; to show them it's okay to start; to show them that you don't have to have a highly detailed, completely thought out plan that took fifty years to develop before you start!
- In general, the world forgives and forgets your failures
- You will be remembered mainly for your success (Do you remember Thomas Edison's Electric Pen? Or his 1,000 unsuccessful light bulbs?)
- So if you fail, it's no big deal ... try again or try something else for the first time
Third, set your deadline! Deadlines add the pressure or urgency that you need to accomplish great things. Imagine you are trapped in a sinking ship and the cabin you are in is filling up with water. Your deadline is to get out of the room before you run out of air. A pretty extreme and unlikely example ... but what if you had that kind of urgency with your goals? Be ever aware of the deadline you set, don't let yourself down, this is likely the pressure that YOU need to keep YOURSELF focused on YOUR goal!
- Step 3B ... announce your goal to one or more accountability partners. They don't need all the details ... but they can make sure that you continue to work towards your goal! They also may be one of your resources in the fifth step
- You know you are starting at "A" (where you are standing today, with the skills and resources that you have accumulated)
- You want to get to "Z" (this is the goal you set above in step one)
- And, you know how much time you have (your deadline you set in step three minus today's date)
Fifth, this is really part of Step Four above but needed to be highlighted, so ... gather the knowledge that you need! Along your path you will bump into walls and step on landmines. Around marker "M" on the map or plan you laid out your plan requires that you set up a website. You don't have to learn html code by "M", you just need someone at that step that can get it done so you can move to "N". Gather the knowledge you need and/or recruit the expert assistance. There are NOT many things in life that you can do without help; as my dad always says "no man is an island"! The important thing is that you stay passionate.
Sixth, re-assess and if necessary update steps one through four. There is no shame in changing directions (goals). If you get part way down the road to your goal and realize you leaned your ladder against the wrong building, don't be afraid to climb down and move your ladder. But keep in mind what Zig Ziglar said (paraphrasing) 'it's hard to hit a goal you can't see, it's impossible to hit a goal you don't have!'
Have a great day!
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