Monday, September 18, 2006
Goal Setting – Why do it?
18th September 2006
Ok so today’s topic of conversation is goal setting and its purpose. I am often amazed at how setting goals, planning and executing the steps required to achieve that goal are often done really poorly. I don’t know who said it, but failing to plan is planning to fail. So I have come up with a list of my own ideas (as always – isn’t the point of a blog to be an expert commentator on most things?)
Anyways my first point is to have an achievable goal. For instance, unless you’re an astronaut your highly unlikely to end up in space (unless you’re a stoner I guess)
My next point is to make your goal as clear as possible, allow no room for misinterpretation. So for instance, if your goal is ‘I want to complete Le Tour De France’, you have already achieved that goal because you currently ‘want’ to complete the race. The best way to word the goal is ‘I will complete Le Tour De France’. However you will also need to have a time frame for your goals. So a complete main goal would be ‘I will complete Le Tour De France by the 2012 race’.
Thirdly you need to have intermediate steps, these steps need to be attainable, not easy but not without some effort. So in continuation of the cycling idea we would end up with the following set of goals:
1. I will need to be able to cycle non stop for a period of 5 hours by Nov 2006’
2. I will need to be able to cycle non stop for a period of 5 hours at 30kph by Feb 2007’
3. I will need to be able to cycle non stop for a period of 5 hours at 33kph by July 2007’
4. And so on…..
Fourthly you need to have your goal on the forefront of your mind at all times. Write it down and put it in your wallet. Never let that goal out of site, for when you do the plan is gone.
Fifth, have your plan on a wall, where you can check off your intermediate goals and see how you are progressing. By having a visible representation of your goals, you will find yourself gaining in confidence and stature. You will be able to see how you are progressing and when the going gets tough (and it will) you will get solace from the fact that::
a. You have started something you really don’t want to stop.
b. You can see how much you have improved, so why stop now.
Finally and possibly most importantly, never think you can’t do something, for if you do, you have not only failed yourself, but your supporters (family and friends) as well.
Its funny, I am currently attempting to try and break a cycling time trial record. The ride involves a 3k ride up a 7% gradient of a hill. The time to beat is around 8 minutes and 30 seconds. I have about 4-5 months of trying to get fit enough to attempt this race. So my goal is:
To beat 8 minutes 30 seconds on the time trial hill climb before the 5th of February 2007.
My training involves doing laps of a 300meter hill near my home. My mini goals for each training session are:
1. At least achieve +/- 1 lap as my previous trip.
2. Remain seated for roughly 75% of the ride.
3. Never give up until my body can not go on any further
4. Think positively throughout and therefore negating any pain I may feel.
And of course I have individual ways of achieving these mini goals. Yesterday I was going to stop after 10 laps (10 is my baseline). I went to 12 and said ‘Why not, let’s continue and get 15.’ When I got to 15, I said ‘Lets get to 17’ at 17 I said ‘cant finish on an odd number’ so I got to 18 and said ‘fuck it, lets do 20’. In my mind I had beaten the hill, I had stopped on my own terms. And that’s what drives me, in another blog I will hopefully hit on what drives people.
My main goal indicator will be weekly time trial of this hill, I will need to do 10 laps and measure my time, my average speed, and the associated heart rates. There is not 1 ounce of doubt in my mind.
"You have to set goals that are almost out of reach. If you set a goal that is attainable without much work or thought, you are stuck with something below your true talent and potential." - Steve Garvey
"For me, goals are my road map to the life I want. They have helped me accomplish things I once thought were impossible." - Catherine Pulsifer
"Goals give you more than a reason to get up in the morning; they are an incentive to keep you going all day. Goals tend to tap the deeper resources and draw the best out of life." - Harvey Mackay
"One of the amazing things we have been given as humans is the unquenchable desire to have dreams of a better life, and the ability to establish goals to live out those dreams." - Jim Rohn
"Focus on your potential instead of your limitations." - Alan Loy McGinnis
"To achieve happiness, we should make certain that we are never without an important goal." - Ralph Waldo Emereson
And finally
"Choosing a goal and sticking to it changes everything." - Scott Reed
I love this one, always have. At the end of the day I truly believe that life is about opening doors. By goal setting doors will be opened.
Ok so today’s topic of conversation is goal setting and its purpose. I am often amazed at how setting goals, planning and executing the steps required to achieve that goal are often done really poorly. I don’t know who said it, but failing to plan is planning to fail. So I have come up with a list of my own ideas (as always – isn’t the point of a blog to be an expert commentator on most things?)
Anyways my first point is to have an achievable goal. For instance, unless you’re an astronaut your highly unlikely to end up in space (unless you’re a stoner I guess)
My next point is to make your goal as clear as possible, allow no room for misinterpretation. So for instance, if your goal is ‘I want to complete Le Tour De France’, you have already achieved that goal because you currently ‘want’ to complete the race. The best way to word the goal is ‘I will complete Le Tour De France’. However you will also need to have a time frame for your goals. So a complete main goal would be ‘I will complete Le Tour De France by the 2012 race’.
Thirdly you need to have intermediate steps, these steps need to be attainable, not easy but not without some effort. So in continuation of the cycling idea we would end up with the following set of goals:
1. I will need to be able to cycle non stop for a period of 5 hours by Nov 2006’
2. I will need to be able to cycle non stop for a period of 5 hours at 30kph by Feb 2007’
3. I will need to be able to cycle non stop for a period of 5 hours at 33kph by July 2007’
4. And so on…..
Fourthly you need to have your goal on the forefront of your mind at all times. Write it down and put it in your wallet. Never let that goal out of site, for when you do the plan is gone.
Fifth, have your plan on a wall, where you can check off your intermediate goals and see how you are progressing. By having a visible representation of your goals, you will find yourself gaining in confidence and stature. You will be able to see how you are progressing and when the going gets tough (and it will) you will get solace from the fact that::
a. You have started something you really don’t want to stop.
b. You can see how much you have improved, so why stop now.
Finally and possibly most importantly, never think you can’t do something, for if you do, you have not only failed yourself, but your supporters (family and friends) as well.
Its funny, I am currently attempting to try and break a cycling time trial record. The ride involves a 3k ride up a 7% gradient of a hill. The time to beat is around 8 minutes and 30 seconds. I have about 4-5 months of trying to get fit enough to attempt this race. So my goal is:
To beat 8 minutes 30 seconds on the time trial hill climb before the 5th of February 2007.
My training involves doing laps of a 300meter hill near my home. My mini goals for each training session are:
1. At least achieve +/- 1 lap as my previous trip.
2. Remain seated for roughly 75% of the ride.
3. Never give up until my body can not go on any further
4. Think positively throughout and therefore negating any pain I may feel.
And of course I have individual ways of achieving these mini goals. Yesterday I was going to stop after 10 laps (10 is my baseline). I went to 12 and said ‘Why not, let’s continue and get 15.’ When I got to 15, I said ‘Lets get to 17’ at 17 I said ‘cant finish on an odd number’ so I got to 18 and said ‘fuck it, lets do 20’. In my mind I had beaten the hill, I had stopped on my own terms. And that’s what drives me, in another blog I will hopefully hit on what drives people.
My main goal indicator will be weekly time trial of this hill, I will need to do 10 laps and measure my time, my average speed, and the associated heart rates. There is not 1 ounce of doubt in my mind.
"You have to set goals that are almost out of reach. If you set a goal that is attainable without much work or thought, you are stuck with something below your true talent and potential." - Steve Garvey
"For me, goals are my road map to the life I want. They have helped me accomplish things I once thought were impossible." - Catherine Pulsifer
"Goals give you more than a reason to get up in the morning; they are an incentive to keep you going all day. Goals tend to tap the deeper resources and draw the best out of life." - Harvey Mackay
"One of the amazing things we have been given as humans is the unquenchable desire to have dreams of a better life, and the ability to establish goals to live out those dreams." - Jim Rohn
"Focus on your potential instead of your limitations." - Alan Loy McGinnis
"To achieve happiness, we should make certain that we are never without an important goal." - Ralph Waldo Emereson
And finally
"Choosing a goal and sticking to it changes everything." - Scott Reed
I love this one, always have. At the end of the day I truly believe that life is about opening doors. By goal setting doors will be opened.
