Inspiration for your goals
Could you use a little inspiration to help you achieve your goals?
At the beginning of each year, millions of us make a list of resolutions. In the past, most of my resolutions dissolved into meaningless nothingness within a week… because I didn’t have a strategy for achieving them. Here is a story that inspires me every year and provides some great tips that have helped me achieve many of my goals. Perhaps it will help your resolutions list become reality too.
Charlie and Dan are brothers. They both (independently) decide they would like to take part in the IronMan Triathlon endurance fitness event. IronMan is horrific… it involves a grueling 42km marathon, a 180km cycle race and a 4km swim. Each component could be a race on its own, but the combination of all three has earned IronMan a reputation for being one of the toughest competitive sporting events in the world.
The day registration opens for the race, Charlie signs up, and pays full-price for his entry. He has more than 9 months until race day, but this is what he decided to do! He calls up his best friend and tells him the news. His friend gets so excited that he signs up too… and the two of them find a group of people in their neighbourhood who are also taking part in the race, and who will meet regularly to train together, encourage one-another and support each other on the day. Through the training group, Charlie meets some people from a local charity who inspire Charlie and his friend to seek sponsorship… the proceeds of which will go to this good cause. During his training, Charlie realises that he needs some professional guidance to improve his swimming technique, so he pays a swimming coach for lessons once a week.
Dan, on the other hand is prepared to wait until the week before the race to register – he has heard that there are sometimes discounts for late-joiners! He keeps his ambition to himself – after all, it is his business what he does with his spare time. He spends some time researching triathlon training on the net and prints out a do-it-yourself guide with a training schedule that says he can start training 6 weeks before the event… Great!
Dan carries on with life as usual. He doesn’t feel it’s necessary to seek advice or help or coaching, and he isn’t really keen on finding anyone to train with.
Well, the weather gets crappy… cold and rainy. But, Charlie gets up early for every training session. He can’t let his friend or his training group down! After all… he is doing this for a worthy cause. And, his friends and family all know that he’s committed to completing IronMan so they not only understand that he can’t follow his normal lie-in routine, but they encourage him in his ambition.
And Dan? He’s enjoying his cosy electric blanket!
So… who do you think would likely drop out? Dan! Of course. He has not really made any commitment at all. He hasn’t signed up yet. No-one else knows that he would like to take part in the race. He’s not accountable to anyone except himself.
Charlie, who signed up immediately, broadcast his intentions to his family and friends, found a group of like-minded people to train with, and who committed to taking part in the race for the benefit of others pretty soon had no choice but to complete the race!
And Dan?… well, for him the race would remain a theoretical exercise.
So, what’s the moral of the story?
Commit! Decide on your course of action and seal the deal… even if you are far from being ready for it!
Tell people! Let your family and friends know what your plans are. You will likely be surprised how supportive they will be of you and your plans. Also, this makes future negotiations clear… if your friends know that you are not eating carbs.. they won’t invite you to a pasta festival!
Find other people who have the same ambition as you do. Join a group. Meet with like-minded people to share experiences and ideas and inspiration. Anything is easier when you are surrounded by people who are moving in the same direction as you are.
Ask for help… Find someone who is experienced, or knowledgeable and who is keen to mentor or support you. If you have someone watching over you, you will not want to disappoint them!
Find a way in which achieving your goal can benefit someone else. There is immense power in doing something for a cause that is beyond yourself.
Wishing you progress and success in achieving your goals this year!
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