One Goal [Post 5]

Who Should Read This

Anyone focused on efficiently tackling their goals.

Why You Should Care

Failing to focus on one goal at a time and not specifically defining how the goal will be achieved often leads to an endless loop of mediocrity.

Choose One Objective

Buridan's ass (donkey) is a paradox wherein a donkey is equally hungry and thirsty and placed midway between a stack of hay and a pail of water. Unable to choose between the two, it dies of both hunger and thirst since it cannot make a rational decision.

Wikimedia Foundation. (2022, November 2). Buridan's ass. Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buridan%27s_ass

Valdas Maksimavičius. (2018, January 1). Don't be a donkey!

https://www.valdas.blog/2018/01/01/be-a-donkey/

Attempting multiple things at once often leads to halfheartedly pursuing them all and not making major strides on any. You can avoid being the ass of your own story by determining your most important goal and how to achieve it first.

Refine the Goal and Set a Deadline

Specifically stating exactly what the goal is makes it harder to change your objective to fit your comfort zone once you begin. Most personal growth tends to take place outside the comfort zone and may be a necessary place to visit from time to time to achieve something great.

If you want to do “more pushups”, it is very easy to stray from that loosely stated goal. If you have a goal of doing 50 consecutive pushups by June 1st by following a workout regime... you force yourself to follow a guide that has a deadline. The goal is clean-cut and difficult to stray from without admitting failure.

Combine and Conquer

By specifically choosing one thing you want to accomplish, clearly defining how you will get there, and setting a hard deadline – you can be amazed at the progress made in the short run.

For myself, pursuing one goal has acted as a reward when one is finished because it means I am able to start the next one I have been looking forward to. These goals don’t have to all be things you hate doing; it is a healthy idea to sprinkle in things you are passionate about and strive to accomplish those goals as well.

Don’t take 10 years to accomplish what can be done in 6 months - Sten Morgan