Dare To Live Without Limits

Achieving your goal is a journey, not an event

When a ship leaves its home port for a transoceanic voyage, the captain cannot see the arrival port for more than 99 percent of the journey. Yet, the captain has no doubt that he will be able to successfully arrive at his desired destination.
When an airline pilot takes off, he or she understands the arrival airport won't be visible until the end of the trip. Yet, the pilot knows how to navigate to the selected destination.
Both of these examples illustrate the fact that a goal is achievable, even though you might not be able to see it immediately. The key to goal achievement is knowing where you want to go and having a precise plan to get there.
A goal can be achieved by following a simple, proven strategy. Start by clearly defining your goal. Your goal should really appeal to you and be yours, not imposed on you. Describe your goal in specific terms. For example, instead of saying you want to be happy, identify exactly what makes you happy.
Once you have identified your goal, formulate a manageable step by step plan to reach your goal. Before taking off, the pilot creates a detailed flight plan and the captain has the route plotted on navigational charts.
Your plan is the map which guides you toward a goal far off in the distance. Make each step small enough to be readily manageable. Small challenges are far less intimidating while large steps feel overwhelming. Your plan is useless if you won’t use it.
Now you are ready to take action by taking the first step. Without action, nothing happens. If the captain doesn’t leave the dock or the pilot won’t take off, it’s guaranteed they won’t reach their destination. After your first step, take the next one, and keep going until your goal is achieved.
As you move forward, keep your goal in mind along with the benefits you'll achieve.
Seek help or advice from those who have successfully gone before you. Maintaining a burning desire to reach your goals keeps you motivated to solve problems and overcome obstacles.
As the airline pilot and the ship captain are in charge, so are you. Take responsibility for your life. Make any changes as needed to keep you on course. The pilot and captain don’t waste time complaining or making excuses and neither should you. If your progress doesn’t go as planned, do what is necessary to get back on track.
Expect challenges. They are part of your journey. Both the pilot and captain understand that encountering bad weather is part of their job. They don’t fear adverse conditions. You can also get through whatever difficulty you encounter.
Not everything you do will work out as expected. When this happens, identify what went wrong, make the necessary changes, and keep moving forward. Failure only occurs when you give up. So, whenever you stumble and fall, get right back up.
Make your goal your priority. Don’t get distracted. Don’t waste time. Eliminate activities which don’t move you towards your objective. You are productive when making progress to your goal. Everything else is just activity.
Never, ever give up. Even though your ultimate destination may not yet be in view, recognize that each step gets you closer. Every journey is a series of steps which ultimately get you where you want to be.
Your journey of goal attainment only begins when you start taking action. Putting off your goals until some future date greatly diminishes the chances of you ever starting. The schedules for the ship and airline have precise departure and arrival dates and times. Stop procrastinating. Begin your journey today.

NOW AVAILABLE: "Dare to Live Without Limits," the book. Visit www.BryanGolden.com or your bookstore. Bryan is a management consultant, motivational speaker, author, and adjunct professor. E-mail Bryan at bryan@columnist.com or write him c/o this paper.  2022 Bryan Golden