Once in a while there’s a goal I set and for one reason or another I don’t reach it. I either change my mind or I don’t actively move toward it at all. When I don’t reach a goal, I take a few moments to review that goal once again. Usually I’ll find that the goal was just a middle of the road goal or mediocre goal that was similar to a lot of other goals out there.
A friend once told me that realistic goals are often mediocre goals and it’s actually easier to reach goals that at first seem unrealistic. He mentioned that’s how he made his first $500,000. You see, since most people set realistic goals, they find a lot of people making similar goals and it then appears to be a competitive goal. If many people are attempting to make ends meet and the average income is, let’s say, $60,000, why not shoot for more? There are far fewer millionaires than there are people making $60,000. It can be lonely at the top.
Another reason for setting unrealistic goals is that having a powerful goal and vision is far more motivating than having a mediocre goal. When you have a mediocre goal, the effort toward that goal is often also mediocre. This was my problem, I would set mediocre goals and give mediocre effort, but now I’m much more motivated by making the big ones.
Can you review your goals and make them bigger and easier to achieve?
Once in a while there’s a goal I set and for one reason or another I don’t reach it. I either change my mind or I don’t actively move toward it at all. When I don’t reach a goal, I take a few moments to review that goal once again. Usually I’ll find that the goal was just a middle of the road goal or mediocre goal that was similar to a lot of other goals out there.
A friend of mind once told me that realistic goals are often mediocre goals and it’s actually easier to reach goals that at first seem unrealistic. He mentioned that’s how he made his first $500,000. You see, since most people set realistic goals, they find a lot of people making similar goals and it then appears to be a competitive goal. If many people are attempting to make ends meet and the average income is, let’s say, $60,000, why not shoot for more? There are far fewer millionaires than there are people making $60,000. It can be lonely at the top.
Another reason for setting unrealistic goals is that having a powerful goal and vision is far more motivating than having a mediocre goal. When you have a mediocre goal, the effort toward that goal is often also mediocre. This was my problem, I would set mediocre goals and give mediocre effort, but now I’m much more motivated by making the big ones.
Can you review your goals and make them bigger and easier to achieve?
{ 5 comments }
Great article, Amy. My experience with dreaming big is related to my business. At the time, we were about to shut the doors but we decided to give it one last shot. We talked about goal setting and decided if we only increased revenue by 20% for the next year, we would pretty much be in the same position. We decided to come up with the huge, totally unreachable number of increasing revenue by 100%. We were a little intimidated by the goal and it was a slow go at first. By the end of the first 3 months, we were only 30% above year-over-year sales. But by the fourth month, the hard work we put into the first 3 months started to pay off. We were awarded a couple contracts that we didn’t think we had a chance at and the ball began to roll. Word of mouth grew and by the time the year was out, we had exceed our hefty goal and increased our revenue by 104% over the previous year.
Thanks for sharing your story. Your right, it can be intimidating at first when you make a goal that at first seems so unreachable. It's hard to set little goals once you get acquainted with thinking bigger. Congratulations on your business growth and success.
I usually set up very realistic goals and achieve them. Recently I've change my mind and my goal is quite unrealistic. According to mindset theory, that you should set up unrealistic goal and behave as you already have it, I'm going to accomplish it.
Thank you, Barbara, for commenting. I would love to know more about how you progress. I absolutely agree with the way you're moving. It's much easier to achieve when you're moving from a state of abundance than a state of lack. Choices from a state of lack will tend to keep a person stuck or moving in circles. It's so much easier the way we're doing it. All my best to you.
Thank you, Barbara, for commenting. I would love to know more about how you progress. I absolutely agree with the way you're moving. It's much easier to achieve when you're moving from a state of abundance than a state of lack. Choices from a state of lack will tend to keep a person stuck or moving in circles. It's so much easier the way we're doing it. All my best to you.