Goal Focus

Lesson Fourteen

I did a program once with former heavyweight champion George Foreman.  Even though he is the former champion, I still called him Champ.  As we had lunch together that day, I studied his nose from across the table.  A heavyweight boxer’s nose is a work of art.  George Foreman’s nose is a monument to goal orientation.  It has been sculpted by some of the strongest, meanest punchers ever to step into a ring.  I wondered how any man could endure the incredible pain that George Foreman must have endured with so many heavyweight boxers hammering on his nose over the years, so I asked him. 

"If I see what I want real good," he answered.  "I don't notice any pain in gettin' it."

A new reality is an achieved goal.  We are headed into the future at the same rate the second hand sweeps around the clock, whether we like it or not.  We can’t hold back time.  So, given that the future is coming, how are we endeavoring to shape it?  What are we doing now that will leave our mark on our future?  Here are my steps to shaping a new reality:

Visualize Your Goal Vividly  

You must clearly see what you are intending toward.  Generalizations about your intended goals do you no good.  The greater the clarity of your vision, the more focused and efficient your efforts toward it will be.  The more diffused your vision, the less efficient your efforts will be.  I don’t know of anyone who gains value through wasted effort.

Break Your Goal Down into Doable Daily Tasks

When goals loom enormous on the horizon, it’s natural to feel intimidated and to become reluctant to even approach them.  Be realistic about what a human being can accomplish in a day and don’t expect any more of yourself or others.  Realizing goals is far less dramatic that way, but you will eventually get there.

Act on Your Goals Every Day

I'm not suggesting that you work seven days per week.  But, don’t let a workday go by without taking even a small step toward a specific goal.  Progress is progress, no matter how small, and the feeling of accomplishment is just as sweet in many small doses as it is in one large one.  However, breaking the task down into smaller disappointments will not minimize the feeling of disappointment at never achieving the big goal.

Here are some of my guidelines for goal achievement:

·      Make sure your goals are measurable, realistic, and challenging.

·      Write down your goals and divide them into short-, mid-, or long-term categories.

·      Set a timetable for achievement, begin and don't stop, concentrate on results, and celebrate when a goal is achieved.   Then immediately replace it with a new goal.

"If you don't know what to do on a daily basis to

achieve your goal, then it is not a goal--it's a fantasy.”