Jumping Off The Goal Train
by John Hersey

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The date was November 25, 1980. Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran were meeting to fight for the world boxing association middleweight championship of the world. The fight was much anticipated. Although Duran had defeated Leonard by a knockout just four months earlier, the oddsmakers were giving the edge to the younger and much quicker Leonard. Nevertheless, everyone knew that the aging Duran could never be counted out. He was too experienced, crafty, too mean, and too unpredictable to count out.

The first 7 rounds were close. The edge went to Leonard but the fight was much closer than anyone had anticipated. As the bell sounded to begin the 8th round the world was stunned. The fighters entered the ring. Duran looked at Leonard and the referee and waving his arms said "No Mas, No Mas"! ”No more, no more"! Duran threw in the towel. He had enough.

Regarding goals and goal setting, we`ve all had enough. We all need to say "no mas, no mas". We all need to jump of the goal train.

Most of us have our lives dictated by an endless stream of goals. We have personal goals, fitness goals, financial goals, family goals, goals for the kids, goals for our softball team, church goals, corporate goals, division goals, department goals. They line-up, goal after goal after goal, like the cars in a train.

Sound familiar?

If we were all totally honest with ourselves we would probably agree that, more often than not, goal setting leads to frustration and disappointment. Think about it! What happens when we set a goal and fail? We become frustrated and disappointed, don`t we?

We either blame the process of goal setting, by saying "this goal setting stuff doesn`t work, the heck with this!" Or, worse yet, we make ourselves wrong. We blame ourselves for not doing whatever was necessary to achieve the goal. Either way we end up frustrated and disappointed.

Why do we keep setting goals only to get the wind knocked out of us? Why do we keep chasing these unrealistic, unattainable dreams about the "stuff" of life; the cars, houses, promotions and bigger salaries? Why do we keep doing this all on the false assumption that if we just focus, just do our daily affirmations, just put our attention on our dreams they will somehow miraculously come true and we`ll live happily ever after? Why do we do this?

We need to jump off the goal train!

Now, none of what i have just said has been intended to suggest that goal setting by itself is bad. It is not. In fact it is essential. We just begin the process in the wrong place and focus on the wrong things.

We start on step 2, goal setting, and we focus on things or events while we avoid step 1, the most important step of all.

What do you think that is?

You! Who are you? Why you are here? What do you stand for? What is your purpose?

This goes for businesses as well. Many keep coming-up short because the focus is on sales increases, profit margins, international expansion and capitol investments. These businesses rarely give the necessary consideration to positioning themselves in the marketplace. Determining who and what they are and what role they will play in peoples lives.

I am not suggesting we stop goal setting altogether. Just jump off the goal train long enough to answer the questions in step 1. Then and only then will our goals have a context. Then we can jump back on.

A business coach of mine once said, “It’s not what you do that counts, it’s who you are being”. I’ll confess to having some difficulty with the concept. I so clearly remember my response. "Ok, so if I am not "being" who I need to "be", tell me "what I need to do" to be that way".

Being vs. doing. Like so many individuals and businesses (especially guys), we grew up doers. Our life education and experiences were around doing. If we just did things right we would be fine. If we were good little boys and girls we would be loved. If we studied harder we would be good students. If we worked harder, put in more hours, we would make more money and be more successful. If we purchased that home in a certain town or on a certain street our peers would admire us more. Virtually our entire education was constructed around doing things right.

Certain activities produce certain results. Isn`t that right? Whether in our personal lives or in business, for most of us it has been a “do this and you will get that” life. So, if doing the right things worked then having the right things would probably work just as well. Right???

Am I the only guy who, in 1969, actually thought that if I could just get that metallic blue Plymouth Barracuda with the walnut interior, the bucket seats and the black vinyl top, I would get more dates? C`mon, be honest!

Jumping off the goal train doesn`t mean that we stop doing things right or we stop striving for the stuff of life. It just means that we change our focus. We have to start by clearly defining who we are and what we stand for. What our purpose is. Without a clearly defined purpose, the trophies we accumulate, our accomplishments, our activities do not have a context in our lives.

Now, don`t get nervous. I am not going to suggest that anyone has to quit their job and go off and live on a ranch. There is no need to do that. Taking the time to "find your passion" will make your current job and home life a good deal more exciting and fulfilling.

Let me give you an example.

Marc Williams is a well-educated, thoughtful and articulate man. He is also a bobcat driver in Arizona. He moves dirt around for a living. If he were like most of us he would move his dirt, take a coffee brake, move more dirt, have lunch, more dirt, brake, dirt, go home.

Not Marc Williams! His passion is creating things from dirt. My wife and i say he is a "dirt architect". He does amazing things with that bobcat and dirt. He creates landscapes. Mar Williams landscapes make a difference in peoples lives. He gets in that bobcat and all day long he studies the landscape, moves the dirt, studies and moves, shapes the ground, moves the dirt, forms the dirt and makes beautiful landscapes. He loves his work and it shows. Marc Williams has found his passion. Marc Williams drives a bobcat and moves dirt. Marc Williams is a man who brings joy to others through his landscapes.

Marc Williams discovered that only through purpose could he find passion and only through this passion would he find true joy and success.

Marc is not unique. Anyone can do it. There are plenty of resources available to teach you how. Steven Covey writes and lectures about it and Laurie Beth Jones wrote a brilliant book, "The Path, Creating a Mission Statement for Work and Life" on the subject. Find the resource which best suits you, work with it and apply the principles. Go through the process and begin to find the answers. As you do, your purpose in life or business will become clear. Apply your purpose, begin to live it, and miracles will happen. Believe me, the results will far exceed your effort and commitment. Purpose leads to passion and passion leads to joy.

Come with me. Jump off the goal train by setting just one more goal. Set a goal to do whatever you have to do to "find your passion and feel the joy".

(John Hersey is a motivational speaker, trainer and author. He lives in Arizona. To obtain information regarding his speaking schedule or his keynote addresses, workshops and seminars you may contact John Hersey via email at kaicorp@aol.com or fax at (602)816-8976.)