12 Beliefs About Goals: Part I

This weekend, I have a keynote presentation: a BIG, SCARY, HAIRY GOAL that I’ve held since 2015. My tendency when preparing for a talk is to dive deep into research-mode. It’s both anxiety-provoking and exhausting.

My conclusion: it’s a fear-based behavior.

The other day, as I was deep in the weeds and my anxiety level was topping out, I stopped myself and wrote at the top of my journal:

What do I truly believe about goals?

Research aside, here’s what I’ve learned—my beliefs—about finding success in the goal-chasing process…based on my experiences:

When Your Goal is Clear, Your Daily Direction is Clear

Committing to a goal creates clarity—simplicity—in your life.

With a goal, there’s no question what you are doing each day. You know 1) why you are getting out of bed and 2) exactly what you have to get done when you get out of bed in the morning.

The ambiguity of life disappears.

Certainty, purpose, and focus guide your daily behavior.

And, as an added and unexpected benefit: because you get done in a day what you know needs to get done to make progress toward your goal, rest truly becomes rest.

The worry of what you could be doing dissolves.

And, to me, a daily purpose coupled with peaceful rest are key ingredients to living a satisfyingly full life.

Most Goals Don’t Come Out of Left Field

Growing up, I watched my dad stand on a stage each week in church.

In graduate school, I took my first “stage” when I started teaching undergraduate courses.

When I took my first corporate job, I loved when I was asked to travel around the country and give product presentations.

So, it’s no surprise to me that when I went to the National Speakers Association Conference in 2015, and saw speaker after speaker stand on stage telling amazing stories with impactful messages, that I said to myself, “that’s what I want to do when I grow up.”

With each goal that I’ve pursued and found success in, there’s been a logical connection to my interests and values.

Setting a goal to become a NASCAR driver seems a bit in left field for me.

Who knows, though: I do like racing.

Time will tell so, for now, my current belief: goals that are both fulfilling and that you find success in simply make sense—they’re in your playing field.

A Beginner’s Mindset Is A Key to Freedom.

You’re gonna trip.

You’re gonna stumble.

You’re gonna miss.

A beginner’s mindset allows for flexibility as you move through the goal-chasing process.

A beginner’s mindset allows for the slips as it gives you the space to get back up.

There is no judgment.

Rather, there is assessment:

What can I do to improve?

An expert’s mindset creates rigidity.

Trips, stumbles, misses, are not permitted because an expert wouldn’t fail.

No matter how good you are, throw off the shackles of the expert mindset—be a beginner.

(As a moment of vulnerability and honesty, the expert mindset has made these blogs really hard to write lately. Today’s writing, though, is from a beginner’s mentality—ah, the freedom.)

Investment Is Crucial: You’ve Gotta Put a Stake in the Ground

All told, I likely put in over $5,000 to cross the finish line at the 2018 Florida Ironman.

The registration alone, which I invested in 12 months prior to the race, was around $800.

And, that—the registration—was the initial stake in the ground. It was a big commitment.

Over a 12 month period, I kept investing.

Gym memberships.

Gear.

Weekend training needs.

Preparation races.

Travel.

Lodging.

As I look back on other goals—things that have changed my life—they’ve all required a big investment.

I’ve come to believe that a key step—often the initial step—to telling the story you’ve always wanted to tell involves a hefty investment.

You’ve gotta put a stake in the ground.

Otherwise, there is no commitment and it’s easy to back out when the going gets tough.

Some thoughts—my beliefs—for you to noodle on as you pursue your own goals.

To make this blog more bite-size, like that tasty steak (not stake) above, my beliefs will be delivered—all 12—over a series of blogs.

In the meantime, I’d love to hear from you:

What do I truly believe about goals?

I sent out a text message earlier this week asking a similar question and got some amazing responses. So, I’d love to hear from you.

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