I came across this quote a few days ago and it made me think.
Sometimes I think we set goals that are a bit too safe … too achievable.
Of course, it’s wrong to set goals that are unachievable, that we have no control over, that will floor us as soon as we begin to work on them… perceived wisdom on great goal setting says that our goals should be realistic as well as motivational so that we have enough confidence to start.
But maybe we can get too ‘realistic’ at times and limit our aspirations before we’ve given them the freedom they deserve?
And why do we do this? I think the quote above gets to the heart of the matter. In reaching our ‘big’ goals, a lot of change will usually have to happen within us. Changes in our attitudes, confidence, levels of resilience and persistence…. and much more. This means we’ll be on an exciting as well as scary journey, so it’s natural that our fear of the scary part creates resistance and this in turn can make us rationalise (rational lies?) that the goal is impossible and therefore not worth ‘dreaming’ about.
The trick is to dream big and set the seemingly impossible goal anyway – write it down, think about it, visualise it, share it with those you trust and who you know will support you.
Then break it down into smaller goals and steps with specifics, dates and actions and start on the first step without worrying too much about the other ones which come later. When we break things down like this, giving ourselves the right timeframes, things can suddenly seem far more achievable.
Once we start working on the first small part of the big goal, we start working on becoming “the person who can”.
Great post Frank!
Thanks Sally – really glad you liked it !
Frank, that is so true!
I know Julia… the quote hit me between the eyes when I first read it – spot on isnt it!
Very timely advice Frank. Just this week, I realised that I want to aim BIG! At first it felt selfish, big-headed, but then as it sunk in I realised that it made sense… it is good, it is what I want to share with the world and it will help others who want to set their creative spirits free. I am not sure exactly what the BIG thing is yet, but like you say, small steps are the way forward and if I wake each morning, think “what one thing can I do today to get closer to where I want to be?” and, most importantly, take action, then I am making progress. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and advice. x
Absolutely Julia… What a great example you provide. Thanks for sharing !
Sometimes I like to think of my big goals as my overall ‘Aims’ and then the steps towards them as my ‘Goals’ – these you can easily make “realistic”. The other thing I try to remember when I start worrying and doubting myself is something I heard Nick Williams say once – ‘You’re worrying about a problem you don’t have yet’. We can sometimes get so caught up in worrying about the steps further down the line that we unwittingly undermine our efforts.
Thats a great way of thinking about it Gina… Love the point about worrying too!! Thanks for your comments… excellent !
Great post and very true! Being ‘realistic’ can mean we set iddly piddly non-inspiring goals. The 30 Day Challenge has opened my eyes to dreaming big and doing what I previously thought was impossible. So I love the quote.
It’s a great quote isnt it Katherine… Im so glad the 30DC has been such a positive experience for you.