Why Chasing Big Goals is Wrong!

Do you find yourself setting big goals, things that could be life changing, just to fail at them a few weeks, or even days later?

Join the Club. There’s a reason why only 8% of people actually achieve their goals and there’s also a way to make sure you’re one of them.

 

What do I mean?

Well, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be setting big, important goals, you most definitely should. You should set some mildly outrageous ones as well!

Why not set a big goal of owning a helicopter, or being in a position to have 6 overseas holidays a year?

Anything that has been achieved by somebody else, is achievable by you. But, it’s the process of getting there that should be taking your time and effort.

It’s the small goals that map your journey to the big outcomes that’s important.

So, you should treat these important and big goals more like a life plan. And design yourself an obtainable and reasonable way of getting there.

 

Rather than chasing big goals, set Micro Goals

Micro goals are really just small, achievable components of a larger goal. But by breaking down a big ambitious goal into smaller, more achievable ones, micro goals help to make sure you get there.

For example, as well as having a brain tumor when I was younger, I also, a few years later need an operation to remove a part of my lung.

After my recovery, I knew I needed to focus more on my fitness.

I could have joined a Gym and committed to going three, or four times a week. That’s a route that many people take when they need to get fit.

But for me, to go from being someone who has never been inside a gym, to a person who would make time and have the motivation every day to do it, would be unlikely at best. My answer, was to start with a set of micro goals.

I decided to go out each evening after work and walk around the estate I lived in (it was about 1/2 mile), until I could go from start to finish in 10 minutes.

Once that micro goal was achieved, I moved up to doing two circuits in 20 minutes, then in 15 minutes.

Every time I achieved a micro goal, I expanded it a bit, then reached for that one. After about a year, I could quite easily walk 10 miles without a break.

To this day I enjoy walking and do it a lot. In fact, unless there’s a specific reason why I have to drive, I would rather walk.

 

Take care of the little things

Let’s say that you’ve set yourself a big goal of being the ‘number 1’ requested international speaker, on your subject. If you’re already a ‘top-10’ international speaker, then maybe that’s not such a huge goal after all.

But what if you’re just starting out? Those big goals should be treated more as a life plan. As something you aim to achieve within the next fifteen years, perhaps.

For you to get to that position, there’ll need to be a number of smaller goals you’ll need to achieve first.

For example, you could set some goals that’ll allow you to become familiar with the speaking circuit, or perhaps find 12 speaking engagements over the next twelve months, or maybe find a coach, or mentor?

These are the goals that you should be chasing, the things you have control over.

Spend your time chasing the things you can influence, rather than the things you can’t, or won’t.

So, now you’ve decided on your big, outrageous goal, you’ll need to have a plan to get there won’t you? Well, that’s where I can help.

Take a look at this post from a while ago, it’ll help you get all your ‘ducks in a row’ and give you a roadmap to achieving anything you desire.

Give it a try, then let me know how you get on, or any problems you’re having in the comments.