On August 4th, 2013 I had the honor of giving the keynote speech at the Western Golf Association Evans Scholar Foundation Career and Expo Day. The topic centered on setting and accomplishing your goals.

The evening before the speech, I pre-recorded the audio so those Scholars that couldn’t attend the event could listen. (Link is at the bottom of the posting.) I thought I’d take this opportunity to share some of my key messages with the milewalk community. If you enjoy them, please feel free to access the audio (sans audience participation or questioning) at your convenience…

Regarding what a goal is…

“Because what you do every day matters far more than what you do every once in a while. It’s like that for everything in your life—relationships, school, work, and anything else that matters to you.”

“Goals to me are nothing more than vehicles that allow you to enhance the enjoyment of the things you love. If they don’t do that, they’re not worth setting.”

“Attaining any goal is far less important than the positive impact working toward that goal has on your life.”

Regarding where goal setting should come from…

“Before we get to that answer—I can tell you there are many reasons why people don’t achieve their goals. There’s bad setting, bad planning, bad execution, unrealistic expectations. There’s bad this and bad that. But the single greatest reason they fail is because the goal was set around something they didn’t love.”

Regarding the question I ask myself before  I ever set a goal or set out to do anything…

“If my life is the only life that’s changed as a result of me attempting or accomplishing this goal, is that good enough for me? If the answer to that question is “Yes,” then I do it. If it’s “No,” then I don’t.”

Regarding how to look at a goal…

“Throughout your life other people, perhaps you, will want you to set all kinds of goals—Athletic, Professional, Financial, Health, Relationship and so on…I look at goals in one of two ways…Outcome Goals and Process Goals. Outcome goals are very specific (a number, a timeframe, a dollar amount, etc.) and your ability to achieve them is usually dependent on factors outside of your control…a market, the weather, someone else, and so forth. A Process goal is more about your enjoyment of working your plan. Virtually all of the time, your ability to achieve the goal is 100% within your control.”

“One of the major differences between these goals is that because the “outcomes” are often based on factors outside your control, your happiness becomes tied to that outcome and you run a great risk of being disappointed. That doesn’t happen to the process person, because he or she is enjoying the journey and the outcome becomes incidental.”

Regarding an affirmation or saying I developed that I use on a continual basis to ensure my happiness…

“My mind is open to any possibility, but my heart is attached to no outcome.”

Regarding how to set goals…

“There are only two word I think of when setting a goal. Go. Big.”

“Your achievements, accomplishments in life will be in direct proportion to the height of the goal you set…Notice I used the words achievements and accomplishments and not the words successes and failures…there are only outcomes/results from something you do…the only difference between what one person considers an outcome a success and another considers a failure is perception. And, the only person’s perception that matters is yours.”

“Remember—the goal is there to enrich your life, not serve as a judgment.”

“Keep in mind other people’s and society’s opinions of what you can and can’t accomplish or what can and can’t be done is based on their limited thinking—and they’re projecting that limited thinking onto you.

Regarding affirmations or observations I use when setting a goal…

“Comfort has a way of turning you into a coward, especially when you’re staring at your own true potential.”

“Most people don’t aim to high and miss. They aim too low and hit.”

Regarding how to achieve them by developing a map or plan…

“…the further away your goal is from today, the greater the likelihood you will fall out of love with that goal…”

“…the map helps you avoid that. The map tells you where to go. It tells you how to adjust and get back on track…It also shows you you’re making progress, which is very important to your psyche. A nurtured psyche helps you weather the emotion and mental storms…”

“…any way you look at it, a goal can technically never be an endpoint because your life is ongoing. Every goal you set, no matter how big, is a mere stepping stone to something else…”

“All the hard work you put into achieving goals is never lost because you are a better, more evolved person as a result of the attempt.”

In summary…

“Go out into the world. Set goals. Take steps in the right direction, but don’t ever disregard those steps as you take them. Those steps are actually your life’s story. Most importantly, at the end of your journey as you write your life’s story, make absolutely sure that nowhere along the way you hand the pen to someone else. These are your goals. Set them for you.”

To listen to the full pre-recorded audio, press the link below…

https://milewalk.com/LaCivita%20WGA%20ESF%208-4-13%20Career%20Day%20Pre-Recording.mp3