Tag: mindset

Setting stretch goals

“We aim above the mark to hit the mark.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Set lofty, stretch goals that are challenging and make you question how you’re going to actually achieve them.

If you ask big questions, you’re forced to come up with big answers.

You don’t have to know every step to get there. But figure out the big steps you think it will take and start with the first step. Figure it out as you go – following the rough outline you laid out and letting your experience and mentors guide you along the way.

Even if you don’t hit your lofty goal, you should have still succeeded in other areas along the way. Swing for the fences and you might still hit a double. But the key is to strive for improvement, don’t strive for perfection. Keep a positive attitude and enjoy the journey.

Changing the words you use

Change your mindset and change the words you use.

Instead of saying…

“I can’t.”

“I’m not sure.”

“I think I can.”

Use…

“I’ll make it happen.”

“I will.”

“I’ll get it done.”

Change your mindset. Change the words you use for yourself and for others. Set your intentions. Focus on the right actions. Then go out and make it happen.

There’s no better time to be alive

Take time to reflect how free you are and how good your life is. There is no better time to be alive than right now! And the great part is, the same can be said no matter the stage of your life you’re in…

If you’re a kid, playing with your friends, not having to work or pay bills, there is no better time to be alive; if you’re away at college, in a new place, proving that you could do this “adulting” in bits and pieces, staying up late with friends and being out on your own for the first time, there is no better time to be alive; if you just got your first well-paying job after living like a broke college kid for years and you have no idea what to do with this money, there is no better time to be alive; if you just had your first child (or second, third, or fourth children) and they run into your arms after work or make the most precious laugh, there is no better time to be alive; and so it goes on and on.

See the positive in every situation and focus on where you are RIGHT NOW. If you focus too much on the past, it can lead to depression. If you focus too much on the future, it can lead to anxiety. Just focus on the now – there is no better time to be alive.

Setting goals and dreaming big

Don’t sell yourself short. You can accomplish so much more if you just set your mind to it. Most people just coast through life. They take the path of least resistance. What makes you feel comfortable? What makes you feel uncomfortable? What goals do you have (if any)? Do your goals scare you (“stretch goals”) or are they more of a checklist? Do you review your goals regularly? Do you set your intentions every morning to make sure you move a little closer to those goals every day?

Dream big. Set BHAGs (big, hairy, audacious goals)…at the very least, you’ll miss on your goal of 10X-ing where you’re at and maybe you only get to 7X or 5X. But that’s still better than setting a goal of 2X and not being motivated to hit it.

Big dreams, goals, and questions require big effort, radical thinking, and massive action. You’ll need a BIG answer to achieve what you want and are capable of achieving.