Goal Setting 201

Setting goals 101 is easy, tell yourself what you want to happen, then go get ’em!  However, it doesn’t quite work that way and here’s why.
Setting goals are important but it also can be a distraction if you are not setting the right goals and for the right reasons.  There have been many great athletes that will tell you they really didn’t set a goal to become the best track star, basketball player or football player but rather they went out and did their best at whatever sport or activity they were engaged in and it slowly blossomed into an opportunity.  With this being said, it is rare that someone accomplishes great feats without some intrinsic goal or motivation.  So, why then are goals important?   Well this is where “Goal Setting 201” comes in!  Goals for goals sake suck! Level two goal setting is to make sure you are setting goals for the right purpose to accomplish the right goal/s.  As you progress in an activity hopefully your intrinsic motivated passion or purpose goals become your tool to keep you on track.
“The greatest sports champions and business leaders are also the best goal setters. For ambitious people determined to make steady progress against their most significant aspirations, goal setting is an essential cornerstone in the process.” –  James Citrin, Leadership Expert
As an aspiring golfer it is extremely difficult to not judge yourself based on each shot during practice or a round of golf, but it is essential that you take into consideration where you are today is not where you will be tomorrow. You can learn from every experience.  A great quote from one of the greatest coach of all time, John Wooden, describes this perfectly in terms of development.  “I am not what I ought to be, not what I want to be, not what I am going to be, but I’m thankful that I am better than I used to be.”
Here are the Principles of “Goal Setting 201.”

• Make the purpose of your goal/s clear.
• Make them realistic but be ambitious.
• Goals are the construct to a dream, create a plan to achieve.
• Have the necessary tools to have checks and balances.
• Make every day count, give it your best always.
• Have a good mirror, be true to yourself.
• Be humble, kind and thankful.
• Understand that your ability to work hard may help you get to the top but character will keep you there.
• Your goals are not anyone else’s, so refrain from comparison, be your best, your journey will probably look different than someone else’s.
• Make adjustments if and when needed, there are usually bumps in the road so be prepared with patience!

As you move closer to golf season or competition season, now may be a good time to sit down and take inventory of your goals for the upcoming year, but also reflect on your work over the winter. Did you follow “Goal Setting 201” principles?  Again, goals only work when you are honest with the effort you put into the plan you have created.  If your plan is not solid it will be difficult to achieve the results you are looking for.
No one improves by accident, take ownership of your journey!  I’ll leave you with a line from a Bruce Springsteen song: “A time comes when you need to stop waiting for the person you want to become and start being the person you want to be.”
Enjoy Your Journey!