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!
Showing posts with label begin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label begin. Show all posts
Monday, May 9, 2016
Monday, January 25, 2016
How to begin?
How do you begin?
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!
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!
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!
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!
Monday, January 18, 2016
Where do you begin?
You begin in the only place that you can begin -- RIGHT HERE!
I read a quote a while ago that I found truly inspirational and enlightening:
"Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go;
they merely determine where you start.” – Nido Qubein
Your only choice is to start where you are. You can wish, hope and pray for all of the things that would make your journey easier, better and quicker. But you don't need them. The things you need on your journey you will discover during your journey. The education, the contacts, the continued inspiration ... it's all out there! But you can't do a time warp.
Your only choice is to create a "map" to get you from where you are right now to where you want to be. If you want to get anywhere with intention, you have to have a plan. Otherwise, as Yogi Berra said: "If you don't know where you are going, you might end up somewhere else."
Have a great day!
I read a quote a while ago that I found truly inspirational and enlightening:
"Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go;
they merely determine where you start.” – Nido Qubein
Your only choice is to start where you are. You can wish, hope and pray for all of the things that would make your journey easier, better and quicker. But you don't need them. The things you need on your journey you will discover during your journey. The education, the contacts, the continued inspiration ... it's all out there! But you can't do a time warp.
- You can't go to bed tonight and wake up in the morning with a college degree or specialized training
- You can't go to bed tonight and wake up with ripped abs
- You can't go to bed tonight and wake up with extra zeroes at the end of your checking account balance
Your only choice is to create a "map" to get you from where you are right now to where you want to be. If you want to get anywhere with intention, you have to have a plan. Otherwise, as Yogi Berra said: "If you don't know where you are going, you might end up somewhere else."
Have a great day!
Monday, January 11, 2016
When do you begin?
When should you start?
Today!
If you don't start today, then you won't start until tomorrow ... and tomorrow never comes!
Start small:
That spark (a.k.a. idea) needs to be turned into a fire and it will need fuel. The spark can't last too long without out fuel. Even worse, what if someone else gets that same spark, but does something with it? Your idea for a new product or service is now someone else's idea!
You might be thinking "but Tubby, I don't know how to ... I'm not ready ... conditions aren't right ..." Excuses, excuses, excuses.
Your motto needs to be "Aim, Fire, Ready!" If you wait until you have everything you need to guarantee success, if you wait until your are ready, if you wait until the conditions are right -- you will be waiting a long time!
Have a great day!
Today!
If you don't start today, then you won't start until tomorrow ... and tomorrow never comes!
Start small:
- The acorn becomes the mighty oak
- The baby step becomes the journey of life
- A tiny apple seed grows into a tree that produces thousands of pounds of fruit over it's life
- Opening a book becomes a decade of learning
- Opening your eyes to the world around you becomes a lifetime of living
That spark (a.k.a. idea) needs to be turned into a fire and it will need fuel. The spark can't last too long without out fuel. Even worse, what if someone else gets that same spark, but does something with it? Your idea for a new product or service is now someone else's idea!
You might be thinking "but Tubby, I don't know how to ... I'm not ready ... conditions aren't right ..." Excuses, excuses, excuses.
Your motto needs to be "Aim, Fire, Ready!" If you wait until you have everything you need to guarantee success, if you wait until your are ready, if you wait until the conditions are right -- you will be waiting a long time!
Have a great day!
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