Four Easy Ways To Ignore Your Goals and Win!

Shoot for 4th place doesn’t have such a great ring to it, but to get to 1st place you have to work hard through the plateaus of 10th, 6th and 3rd.

A nice reminder of this lesson was two weeks ago when I shot an 88 (43, 45) and broke 90 for the first time in my four year golf career (I’m not the only one). What was different that day than others? Well, I noticed four things that can help us all reach our goals without focusing on them.

1. Practice makes good preparation - My Dad bought a bucket of balls and we spent 15 minutes “warming up” before our round. I rarely hit balls before playing, but it helped me prepare my mind and my swing. In my interview with Guy Kawasaki, he said repetition was his secret to being a good public speaker. Practice the skills and tasks that will allow you to succeed in the future.
2. Mind over water - On the back nine, I found the water twice. Yes, you golfers realize I could have scored much better by avoiding “the drink”, but it helped me re-focus on the next shot. Hitting over the water is many times more mental than physical. The water (obstacle) usually seems bigger than it really is. I allowed the sight of water to rattle me into a bad shot. You must push through the tough times, but recognize it’s temporary. Most obstacles can be overcome or even avoided.
3. Compete with thyself - On the front nine, my brother shot a 41, beating me by two strokes. I could have shifted my focus from my score and its success to his two stroke lead. However, I chose to keep the competition between me, myself, and I. In business and in life, your true competition is the person you see in the mirror. Companies also spend too much time focusing on competitors instead of internal improvement. You (and your company) have to get the internal direction pointed correctly before you look around at others.
4. Small victories add up - I was seven over par after four holes before I made a birdie on the sixth. As my card shows, I then started gaining momentum with some pars and bogeys. On the back nine, I almost crashed with two triple bogeys (stupid water!). Each time I stumbled, I re-grouped and focused on the next hole. Each hole with a par or bogey was a small victory. You and your business will make mistakes, but each day should be focused on forward momentum. As Evan points out looking ahead can give you something to shoot for, but it’s the small victories that allow you to reach your destination.

I still set goals and don’t advocate not having a plan. But, my end goals aren’t the focus. My focus is on the activity that will help me reach my milestones. It’s those milestones (10th, 6th and 3rd places) that push me closer to first. Practice your skills, size up your obstacles, focus internally and claim your small victories to end up at your goal.

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