Three things to help reach your goals

What is the best time of year for a NFL franchise? Preseason Camp.  What is the best time of year for a struggling baseball franchise? Spring Training.

For most people, the start of the journey is the most exciting part.  The goal is set and there is optimism.  When the trials and tribulations occur (which they always do) the real work kicks in.   When these challenges arise goals are frequently aborted.

Goals are great; however, setting goals are the bare minimum.  I used to believe simply writing your goals down every day was enough.  It is not.  In college baseball, this is the best time of year for a lot of programs.  Check twitter: you will see “Omaha challenges,” and “Cary challenges” from a lot of college baseball programs (Omaha, NE and Cary, NC are the host of their respective World Series).  EVERY sports franchise/team has goals.  EVERY school and business has goals.  Goals are not enough! In order to make a goal a reality you must have three things: Reasons (why), sacrifice, and the habits to be successful.

What’s your Reason? What’s Your Why?
Have you ever noticed many of our elite performers: actors, athletes, musicians, oftentimes have overcome a major obstacle in life such as: an abusive childhood, an absent mother or father, or some kind of major trauma?  Most people are broken by traumatic events; however, certain people resolve to use negative events to propel their goals and dreams.

The more powerful your reason or your why, the higher the probability that your dream will become a reality.  In sports, you’ll frequently hear: “I love to win.” Or, “I want to do it for my parents.” Or, “I want to be all-conference, all state, or an All-American.”  The problem is 95% of those involved in sports will have a similar “why” and if you find yourself on the side of the heavy majority you’re not in a position to achieve greatness.  When we fail to achieve our objectives, it typically isn’t a “goal” issue; instead we haven’t identified a strong enough why.

Please watch this interview of Steve Smith of the Baltimore Ravens.  The entire video is full of gems but he gets to his “why” around the 4:25 mark.  It takes more than talent to last 16 years in the NFL.
Steve Smith

In addition, my favorite “why” for 2016 is from James Connor of the Pitt Panthers.  James endured chemotherapy after being diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.  He has battled his way back on the field and in Pitt’s win yesterday versus Duke he became the all-time touchdown leader in ACC history.   One of his why’s is “to play for someone who can’t.”  Take the time and read his article, “Nothing is Guaranteed from the Player’s Tribune here: James Connor Players Tribune

What are you willing to sacrifice?
You say you want to win championships, be a CEO, own your own business, or run an elite school.  The goal has been established.  You’ve challenged yourself to identify your reason why.  The next question you must ask is: What am I willing to sacrifice?  I’ll be honest, this is where the dream ends for most people.  Sacrifice is scary.  We don’t want to abandoned the seemingly “fun” things in our life: partying, socializing, eating poorly, or drinking to excess? Even if we can get past these negative habits, sacrificing time with family and friends (which are unfortunately necessary) will stop most people. Before you set a goal it is imperative you own the importance of sacrifice.

Please think for a moment about sports. Most amateur baseball players say they want to play in the Big Leagues.  Very few people think about the sacrifice making that goal a reality.  For example, the lifestyle of a minor league player is far from glamorous.  To start, you are going to be away from family and friends for eight months of the year.  Maybe you are newly married, in February you report to spring training then you head off to small towns throughout the country.  You make very little money so more than likely your wife has to work and cannot accompany you during the summer.  The minor league player, while trying to overcome the daunting odds of making the Big Leagues, is dealing with issues back home while traveling on a bus in between games.  How many birthday parties, family gatherings, and friend’s weddings will you miss while pursuing your goals?  Even if you make it to “the show” you play 162 games a year and 81 of those are on the road.  Most people say, “Well, if I was making a million dollars, I wouldn’t care.” True, the money is very good if you are an elite player; however, they are still human.  Time away from your children and family is still extremely difficult.  Money may help but it doesn’t solve the problem.

Here is a good article on Matt Buschmann who made his big league debut in April at the age of 32.
Matt Buschmann

Do your Habits align with your goals?
Once you have identified your why and decided that you are willing to sacrifice gravely for your dreams, the final piece is aligning your habits with your mission.  Success leaves clues.  We are in an age where there is an abundance of information and a severe deficit of follow through.  If I want to be a difference maker as a high school principal, there are multiple places where I can find information on how the top schools are executing.  However, if my actions and habits do not match those of leaders of the district I cannot expect to have high level results.

Health and fitness goals are often sabotaged by our habits.  Let’s say our goal is to maintain a healthy weight and a high fitness level.  However, our current habit is to eat a lunch high in sodium and fat from a fast food restaurant.  In addition, instead of going for a walk after work our habit is two drink a couple of beers.  We can have solid goals, but if we fail to establish the habits we will never reach our destination.

Western Michigan’s head football coach, PJ Flack, has guided the Broncos to an 11-0 start and top 25 ranking.  Coach Flack is different and his style is not for everyone.  For aspiring coaches, this piece is a great example of the habits of a highly successful coach. Coach Flack

Conclusion:
Having goals is very common.  Goals alone won’t be enough to navigate through life’s pitfalls.  More important than goals are developing powerful reasons.  A strong “why” will allow you to triumph over almost anything.  Along with the reasons we must decide what we are willing to give up in order to realize our goals.  Finally, it is imperative we align our habits with our dreams.
This could be a powerful week.  When is the last time you evaluated your goals?  More importantly, have you analyzed your why, what your willing to sacrifice and how your habits are determining your outcomes?  Invest the time this week to reflect.