I went jogging with my daughter this weekend. I use the term “jogging” lightly as it’s mostly walking with a few jogs in between.
Keep in mind, she is a very fit 21-year old, and I am a semi-fit fifty-something (we don’t need to get more specific on either front). In my mind, I had already determined I would lag behind and she would win.
Close to a mile in, she challenges me and says, “Let’s run to the stop sign.” Instinctively, I say, “I don’t like to make goals… it just sets me up to fail.” Did that really just come out of my mouth? It was exactly what I was thinking. If I don’t actually set the goal, then I won’t fail.
How often do we do that in business – avoid making forecasts or setting milestone goals – out of fear of not being able to achieve it? We won’t feel as bad in our failure if we didn’t set out to do it in the first place. Yet, will we ever achieve greatness without goals?
She then asks me, “Why do you stop yourself?” It’s not that I’m so tired I can’t keep going. It’s probably because I normally only go this far in one jog, or maybe because I’m bored and just stop? Is that parallel to my comfort zone? Maybe I can go a little longer. Just because she’s 30 years younger doesn’t mean I can’t keep up.
I decided to change my mindset. “Let’s run to the big yellow sign ahead.” Keep running… you don’t have to stop… just a few feet more… you can do it! And, guess what, I did.
It’s the same in our business and professional lives. What are our limiting beliefs that hold us back? What more can we accomplish when we set lofty goals, and confidently push through our comfort zone?
Other than 10,000 steps on my fitbit, this weekend’s jog taught me to:
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Set milestone goals
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Change to a winning mindset
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Push yourself
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Surround yourself with people better than you – smarter, faster, fitter
And, as we neared the end of our jog, she admits her legs heart. Yay! I win!
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~Janet