How I Create Goals (and fail a lot at them)

Every entrepreneur needs goals. But don’t make setting goals harder than it has to be. Sure, there are thousands of tips and tricks out there, but the underlying factor is you.

Ghaadamn...too many people miss that so let me emphasize this, IT’S YOU! YOU’RE THE MAIN FACTOR!

Now, that we have that established, I’ll let you in on my favorite way to set goals: visualization and asking questions. This isn’t me saying “this is the way” or the like guru, “follow these three easy steps.” This is me saying “I’m a normal Midwest dude and this shit happens to work for me, maybe it will for you too!”

PSA though, I fail at my goals all the time. So no, this isn’t a bulletproof solution to hitting your goals, but this might be  a new way for you to start creating them. I think my style is more like trouble-shooting until you’re successful versus figuring out the best path...so this is all probably terrible advice ;)

Alright, on that inspirational note... Let’s get this started!

Visualize the best version of you.

Goal setting without really knowing yourself is wishing. Think about that for a minute... why would you visualize who you want to be versus visualize the best version of yourself?

Because honestly, the person I want to be is some sort of mix between Brad Pitt, Chris Pratt, A Jonas Brother, Michael Jordan and like Abraham Lincoln.

That’s not reality...you know what is? A giant, sweaty white dude with a big nose and shitty hairline who loves his wife, kid, work team and laughs a lot. He will absolutely walk through fire for his team, stands up for what he believes in and is trying to make a lot of people he likes a lot of money. What does that life look like 10, 20, 30, 60, 120 years from now? Go there...forget Pitt and Pratt.

How are you supposed to create a goal if you don’t have some sort of idea of what the best version of yourself is?

Whether you’re a fan of visualization or not, it’s one of the best ways to give yourself an idea of what you want to achieve. It’s not just some foofy exercise for yoga enthusiasts. Major league athletes, performers, and high achieving entrepreneurs have all discovered the power of this simple exercise.

It’s serious shit. Don’t believe me? Try it.

To get started, first find some time to be alone. Once you’re in that place, close your eyes and think about these things relative to what the best version of you is:

• Where are you?

• What do you see? Smell? Taste?

• How do you feel?

• Who is with you?

• Is it sunny?

• Cold? Hot?

• What clothes are you wearing?

• What are your surroundings like?

Now, go start over because I’m talking about thinking what it smells like, I’m talking SMELL IT. Smell the popcorn at the award show you attend with your team. Feel the sunburn you got while in the Bahamas with your team celebrating a huge victory. Start over because it’s hard and takes a ton of practice.

Try to think of what you want and NOT what society wants for you. This is hard because a lot of us don’t really know the answer to that. We know the “white picket fence” story but not our story.

Getting there?

*SNAP* -- Freeze frame that picture.

Got it? Cool.

Dreams and goals are related but they’re not the same thing (dreams are visualizations of the future, goals pull together the details to get there). Or another way to think about it is “wishing” and “doing” aren’t the same...this is why I always remind myself “Do don’t just say.”

Once you’ve closed your eyes and visualized that information, you now want to take that best version of you and ask them a few questions to get a step closer to writing your goals:

• How do you get to that location? Break it down, step by step.

• How do you bring those people with you? Get in their “orbit” just be around them.

• How long away was it? Double it….actually triple it.

• What are the specific things that make the best version of you and what did it take to do them?

>>  I’ll share one with you, I don’t want a house. Why? It’s a lot of work and responsibility for me, I have plenty of that right now. As much as the mental image of mowing my yard and waving to my neighbor “feels good” that just isn’t me. I’m fine with my apartment, I got more than what I need and I don’t have to worry about upkeep. Now, someday I might want a house but I’m going to spend my extra time building a business and pay for someone to mow my yard someday (hopefully). Okay, back to the list.

What obstacles did you encounter? They probably aren’t as bad as you thought they would be.

Why are you still reading? Just. Go.

I think it’s good to constantly be asking yourself these questions as long as you can turn it off. In a day and age when we live in so much comfort, I think it’s a good to overwhelm yourself (but don’t hurt yourself). I know that’s not acceptable thinking in our “helmetized” society, but it’s the truth.

Write down your answers.

Now that you’ve seen your best self and you know how to get there - put your answers on paper. You might not answer all your questions at once, but you’ll start going in the right direction.

Do it again and again and again and again...frankly do it every few months and you’ll be shocked at what changes. I went from basically rich, famous, fit, happy, healthy to holding a few hands when I kick the bucket and knowing I did a few things to help a lot of people.

Before you know it, you’ve got a list of goals to get you to be the best version of yourself.

Does this post excite you or does it feel like bullshit? ;)

Leave me a comment either way.