Making Your Goals A Reality
February 14, 2011 § 5 Comments
A few weeks ago, my friend, Elizabeth, was abuzz with excitement about how 2011 would be a year of significant change including her return to school next fall and starting a marketing-related business.
But where to start?
I’d read recently that while you go through a book from front to back to find out the ending, authoring a success story occurs with the goal in mind and working back.
So, I told Elizabeth that she needs to determine what her ultimate achievement is to be and then visualize the steps required to make it happen.
Organizational consultant and author Stephen Covey, in his book, The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People, describes this as beginning with the end in mind (Habit 2).
- Habit 2 is based on the principle that all things are created twice – a mental or first creation and a physical or second creation.
- Most endeavours that fail, fail with the first creation.
The highway to success is littered with the wreckage of countless abandoned dreams. How many of us have had ideas we didn’t pursue because we didn’t dare to go to that next step?
Perhaps we were fearful of failure or simply just comfortable. Maybe other priorities got in the way.
I know Elizabeth will succeed. She’s a driven individual, passionate about her company idea and has a good business sense. Returning to school part-time will be a key to her success.
When you’re starting a company, there are all kinds of considerations, beginning with a business plan. Then there are factors such whether to be home-based or located in an office space. Should you hire staff or just bring on associates as needed? Even choosing a corporate name can be a challenge. Should your own name be attached to it or do you select something unique?
Having operated a successful business, I share Elizabeth’s excitement. There’s nothing quite like taking an idea and nurturing it into reality. In a sense, it’s like producing a child and watching it grow.
Earlier, I described reading to the end of a book to see how the story turns out. My personal goal involves writing books – the first based on a story I penned for the Grande Prairie Public Library writing competition last year – and others to be developed from the content Wendy and I produce for this blog.
So, in a sense, I’m already on my way with Book Number One. I’ve set next Christmas as a target for being on bookshelves.
But, considering Covey’s end in mind guidance, there are many steps to go. The story needs to be fleshed out further. I need to determine whether it’s a kids’ book or something for older audiences. Should it be done in a series? Will I find a publisher or self publish? Perhaps it will be an e-book. If I print, how many copies do I want to publish? What about an illustrator?
Decisions.Decisions.
I enjoy these kinds of questions. They mean I see opportunities that I’m passionate about, that I have a purpose and before long, I will have steps in place to reach my goal. When I started my business, I remember colleagues at my former workplace telling me how lucky I was.
It was good fortune to be making a quarter of my former salary with a fledgling company? Hmmm. Yeah, right! Joking aside, I do know what they meant. They wished they’d had the motivation to try something new, to follow a dream.
I never want to be left saying, woulda, coulda, shoulda, to have regrets. Admittedly, it does take strong resolve to follow through on a goal, especially something that is significantly life-altering.
American comedian/author/educator Bill Cosby offers this advice: “In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.”
So, as we reach month 2 of 2011, what are your goals for the year? How will you get there?
The Muse and Views 
Great post, just dont focus so hard on your end result you forget to enjoy the journey. I’m looking forward to reading your book.
Awesome and insightful post. My focus as a recent grad is getting a full-time entry level job as an editorial assistant but it rather hard in this economy. They prefer to rely on interns who will work for academic credit. But I have been volunteering and interning much as I can since it will only add to my education and experience. My desire for success is certainly stronger than my fear of failure.
Thank-you for this post, David! It’s an excellent reminder for us to examine more carefully the things that we focus on – and a reminder that a clear picture of our end goal can inspire us to exercise the self-discipline needed to move closer to achievement.
What especially resonated for me was when you said “I enjoy these kinds of questions. They mean I see opportunities that I’m passionate about, that I have a purpose and before long, I will have steps in place to reach my goal.” Questions like that help me as well to more fully articulate my goals and bring them closer to realization.
I’m looking forward to your book!
David, what an ‘Awesome’ article. I like Bill Cosby’s quote,: “In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” But I also prefer and appreciate Richard Evans realism,
“ Don’t let life discourage you; everyone who got where he is,had to begin where he was.”
Perseverance and resilience prevail when you’re writing your book. Like anything else, you have your entourage and your critics.
If you are passionate about your writing and speak from the heart, the many questions you have (the actual doing part) will simply fall into place. The publisher will be shown to you. One day you will awaken and know what audience you are catering to. Whether the message is for children or an older crowd.
You asked what are my goals this year and how will I get there. My goal is to write another inspirational book, like the one I just published. “Always, yes Always EXPECT Miracles!” I set myself to complete this before the end of the year. I have learned to trust my inner vision and let the Law of Attraction guide me.
I don’t worry about the ‘how’s’…they always seem to fall into place. I just keep fueled by my passion for fulfilling the ‘why’s’ we seek to find. I call it “Passion and Purpose”. The Passion for writing and the purpose for living.
Things happen for a reason. There are no coincidences. Only Miracles. Big and Small. And I find great comfort in EXPECTING them.
You’re book will be a success, because you choose it to be. I look forward to reading it.
Wishing you smiles and miracles,
stay blessed and be well,
kassie wright
This was something to ponder, David, when you wrote that authoring a success story occurs with the goal in mind first, then working back.
I try to live in a ‘Be Here Now’ mode, which technically would mean not focusing on the future (and just enjoying the here and now). So, that mantra does little for progress with moving forward. I should think of it more so as a book that will be read from front to back, yet will also have, at some point, some goals set, so that I may strive to achieve them.
You told your friend Elizabeth to visualize the steps. I know from experience that painting scenarios in one’s mind works super well for negative factors. For example, I have a phobia of bees, wasps and hornets and in my mind, the outdoors even in my own backyard is equally filled with insects as is the middle of a dense Alberta Forest. Because I am so readily and able to visualize it, you can bet that stepping outside is a great source of difficulty for me, to say the least.
So then, since I know visualization is superb and feeds into my negative thoughts, imagine how powerful the motivation could be when thinking in a positive manner? It’s interesting that people seem tuned into visualizing the negativity when positivity would be more advantageous for them.
In the ‘7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ book, by author Stephen Covey, Habit 2 would be an encouraging habit, where you create a mental creation, then a physical manifestation of your endeavors. That is where you will witness success but as you mentioned, most endeavors fail at the first creation, or, the mental aspect.
You validate this habit by mentioning, how many of us have had ideas we didn’t pursue because we didn’t dare go to that next step? Me! Likely a whole bunch more of your readers.
Fear and uncertainty, and more particularly, doubt within ourselves, sometimes bring us to feel unable (or unmotivated) to take that next step. I would prefer to deal with a failed attempt than to know I didn’t have the courage to try. Lately I have been putting myself outside of my comfort zone, trying new things with aim to be my (real) self while in the process, which I think is a critical part of achieving goals. Pushing away fear, doubt and negativity can help. Remembering positive factors within the goals are also motivational.
You speak from the experience of having ran a successful business. You visualized it, then you created it – formed and molded it to your satisfaction. Then you kept a close eye on it and watched it grow. You did something few people would be brave enough to do – step out of a career with the security of a regular paycheck and start a business where initially you were earning ¼ of your wage. You had visualized it all though, so you were aware of all aspects.
Your desire to publish books is one that I know will occur, since you’ve visualized it and plan on taking steps to see this come to fruition.
You note that you enjoy the pondering part – the decision making it will entail. This is all part of the process.
You stated, “I never want to be left saying, woulda, coulda, shoulda, to have regrets.”
In your case with the book, you will not be able to say that. I have tried ventures that I had envisioned, put forth into a plan of action and had them fail. I never looked back saying, “I wish I had not tried that.” I do know had I not tried, I would have wondered how it would have gone and would have had regrets over not trying it.
You mentioned Bill Cosby has noted that desire for success should be greater than the fear of failure. I see where he is coming from. In many instances, great, tremendous fears of failure have often led people into the light. For example, Thomas Edison and his invention of the light bulb. Now, I can’t say for sure he had a fear of failure, but – he would not take ‘no’ for an answer. Simply put, he would not allow failure to exist. This is proof that his desire for success was greater than his fear of faiure. That kind of dedication and devotion can only lead to success. Imagine if he had worked on a cure for cancer!