Target shooting

Zig Ziglar said "How can you hit a target that you can't see?  Even worse, how can you hit a target that you don't even have?"

I use to hate to-do lists and completely despised long term objective setting.  I'm not sure if I thought it was a hassle ... or if I thought they were a waste of time ... or if I just didn't want to be held accountable (even if they were my own goals!).

Then one day while listening to Zig Ziglar  (for the umpteenth time) it finally clicked!  He was talking about a study from 1953 conducted on Yale graduates over a twenty year span.  He stated that about five percent (5%) of those grads had clear, specific goals and had a higher rate of achievement.  Furthermore, he said that about three percent (3%) of those grads had actually written down their clear, specific goals and made plans to achieve them.  It turned out that this three percent had accumulated more wealth and success than the ninety-seven percent (97%) who hadn't written their goals down!

Before writing this entry I was compelled to do a quick web search to confirm the above.  I couldn't find oft cited Yale study.  Rather, I found lots of authors and speakers quoting the same study and quoting Ziglar; and I also found an article doubting the study ever occurred at all.  No matter, I have seen the results in my own life and know (at least for me) writing down my clear, well defined goals has amazing results.  It seems to me that when your goals are written down and you outline the steps to achieve them you no longer have just goals or dreams ... you also have a plan!  And having a plan is a major part of achieving your goals.  If you don't have a plan for yourself then you will be a victim to others' plans for you.  If you have a plan you can be a victor.  You get to choose, you can be a victor or a victim!

Many claim not to know where and when to start.  I think that is just an excuse.  When to start is easy ... start now!  Where to start isn't much harder ... just work backwards from where you want to be in five years until you get to where you are today.  That is where you start!

I think that bigger problem is that you are lacking confidence.  You need to get you some!  Start small, don't start with giant targets or goals.  Sometimes our goals can be so lofty and impossible looking that we get discouraged by the goal itself! 

If your goal is to be a millionaire and your current situation (income, debts and career path) don't lend themselves to becoming a millionaire then you need to change your focus.  You know it's not an impossible goal, since the world has many millionaires and billionaires in it!  In your case, by working backwards you will see that the level before "Millionaire" is "Thousand-aire."  Maybe you are already a "Thousand-aire" and you don't have much farther to go?  If not, the level below "Thousand-aire" is "Hundred-aire"  The level below that is "Zero-aire" ... and nowadays you can even be negative, you might be a "Negative-aire!".  If you are starting here then your first goal should be to get to zero!  Your five or ten year goal may and should still be to become a millionaire, but perhaps your one year goal needs to be getting to zero?  Define and write down the steps that you need to take to get to zero and act on them!  Once you get here you will be amazed at how easy it will be for you to get to your next level!

Have a great day!