Well, I still prefer small yet realistic goals with a higher probability of success than aim and gamble for something big that might hinder other more important things in order for me to achieve. I do gamble on sorts but there are certain instances that i would still like to maintain my balance. Also, it depends on how you set your goals, well I guess we are just way too different, but i really like and get your point so to answer your question about my unrealistic goal, lets see, get my very first belt in Muay Thai.
Why You Need Unrealistic Goals
Happy New Year! We hope you enjoyed the festive period. Now is the perfect time for you to begin your journey to world domination. Use this year to set yourself some huge, unrealistic goals that will inspire and motivate you through the months ahead. Forget about realistic, middle of the road goals. Realistic sucks. 2013 should be about pushing the boundaries of what you believe is possible.
I enjoy the fresh start January brings as much as the next guy but I’m not a fan of resolutions. Despite best intentions and new white sports socks, 88% of new year resolutions fail. Saying you want to lose weight or learn a language doesn’t resonate strongly enough to ingrain long term habits and deliver success. Instead you need big, unrealistic goals which are powerful and vivid in your mind. Shedding 100 lbs, learning Muay Thai and travelling to Thailand for a training camp is something that will inspire and excite you. Learning Japanese so you can set up your own foreign coaching centre gives you a strong vision that will get you jumping out of bed feeling energised every day.
These unlikely targets are often more achievable than you think. Small goals or milestones lack personality and gravitas. They sit at the back of your mind, easily forgotten and dropped by mid February. This is why I don’t dig small time resolutions. I like big, colourful images that grip you. You need a goal which you can’t forget about and which pushes you day by day out of your comfort zone and to seek continual improvement. By making your goals spectacular and unrealistic you fuel your own energy and motivation to succeed.
Leave the mediocre goals for the masses. Most people are too afraid to aim high so they settle for mid-level goals. This is where the competition is fiercest. Instead, aim for that top tier the majority are afraid to tackle. Even if you feel like you’re starting from square 1, don’t be afraid to think big. History is littered with people who didn’t have enough time, resources or experience and yet they still set themselves lofty goals. Never let your age, weight or any current limitations get in the way of crafting your own inspiring story.
As long as you set yourself unrealistic goals, you can still be satisfied with the results even if you don’t quite reach your initial target. If you set the bar high enough, falling short means you’ve still accomplished a huge amount. Ellie and I both dream about having complete mastery of natural human movement. Being able to perform techniques with control, fluidity and discipline like Erwan Le Corre. Maybe we will never reach this level of skill but at worst we should dramatically improve our health and fitness along the way.
If you’re struggling to set big unrealistic goals then take some time out to think about what drives you, what things are you passionate about and what makes you happy? Steve Jobs valued simplicity and innovation. The Spartans were all about self-discipline and service to the state. Use your own values to create goals that support your beliefs. If you deeply believe that physical strength is a core component of your personality, then use that thought to challenge yourself – no matter what your starting point. Just remember to think big and think unrealistic.
We’re interested in hearing your unrealistic goals. What do you have planned for 2013 and beyond?
image courtesy of: mattkoltermann
6 thoughts on “Why You Need Unrealistic Goals”
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6 thoughts on “Why You Need Unrealistic Goals”
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Great post. Setting ‘unrealistic’ goals – DESIRED goals you never thought you could ever achieve, because of a lack of confidence. Crazy how fear can control our actions, even though our bodies are capable of achieving anything – both physically and creatively (as many athletes and artists have proven to us). This is definitely the way to start of the year- drop your fear! (of time and failure)
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Interesting post Mr Conway.
I like the idea of a new year a new you.
The concept I suspect implies that a particular person is not content with their current you.That is a concern.
The points I’m about to I raise are things I have seen many times both with myself as a young man and now with my clients.
When people are sick they pass the responsibility of getting better on to a Doctor.
If overweight the responsibility of getting slimmer is past on to a trainer (or a crap slim fast nonsense diet regime).
If unhappy they seek it happiness through a relationship with someone else.If you take this responsibility and place it on your own shoulders then there’s no where to hide.
Setting goals is fine but the issues I suspect run a bit deeper than that.
Are people really engaging with themselves if they come home from a job that in terms of stimulation doesn’t even touch the sides, are deep in a relationship that isn’t really going anywhere whilst spending their evenings sitting down in front of the TV with a bottle of wine watching a soap?….
I’m unsure how we can establish who we are with all that going on.
I’ve asked many of my clients over the years what makes you happy?
I don’t know
Would achieving the goals that you seek change that?
No idea Paul.It is indeed an important question and one I’ve asked myself.
I don’t know hoe you plot a goal target largely aimed at making you happy when you don’t know what makes you happy because you don’t engage your inner self because you don’t find the time to know who you are.
The idea of setting a goal to lose excess weight sounds good but that’s an outer perception of how we’re meant to look.
If someone doesn’t identify with and doesn’t allow their inner self to come through and be the power that it is there to be, there’s no chance.That’s why these things fail.
I do believe the size of the goal itself can have a positive influence on the outcome, but I also believe that you should set that goal from the right place first.
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Well, I still prefer small yet realistic goals with a higher probability of success than aim and gamble for something big that might hinder other more important things in order for me to achieve. I do gamble on sorts but there are certain instances that i would still like to maintain my balance. Also, it depends on how you set your goals, well I guess we are just way too different, but i really like and get your point so to answer your question about my unrealistic goal, lets see, get my very first belt in Muay Thai.
Hi Lantis. Yeah there are so many ways to go about goal setting. Maybe a good balance is to take an unrealistic goal and break it down in to smaller, more realistic objectives. The main idea is to not let mental barriers stop you from setting and reaching your goals. I’ve always wanted to try out Muay Thai!
Great post. Setting ‘unrealistic’ goals – DESIRED goals you never thought you could ever achieve, because of a lack of confidence. Crazy how fear can control our actions, even though our bodies are capable of achieving anything – both physically and creatively (as many athletes and artists have proven to us). This is definitely the way to start of the year- drop your fear! (of time and failure)
Exactly – fear keeps many people from their potential. Forgetting about doubts and focusing on a goal which really inspires you is so important whether you are on day 1 or 1000 of your journey!
Interesting post Mr Conway.
I like the idea of a new year a new you.
The concept I suspect implies that a particular person is not content with their current you.
That is a concern.
The points I’m about to I raise are things I have seen many times both with myself as a young man and now with my clients.
When people are sick they pass the responsibility of getting better on to a Doctor.
If overweight the responsibility of getting slimmer is past on to a trainer (or a crap slim fast nonsense diet regime).
If unhappy they seek it happiness through a relationship with someone else.
If you take this responsibility and place it on your own shoulders then there’s no where to hide.
Setting goals is fine but the issues I suspect run a bit deeper than that.
Are people really engaging with themselves if they come home from a job that in terms of stimulation doesn’t even touch the sides, are deep in a relationship that isn’t really going anywhere whilst spending their evenings sitting down in front of the TV with a bottle of wine watching a soap?….
I’m unsure how we can establish who we are with all that going on.
I’ve asked many of my clients over the years what makes you happy?
I don’t know
Would achieving the goals that you seek change that?
No idea Paul.
It is indeed an important question and one I’ve asked myself.
I don’t know hoe you plot a goal target largely aimed at making you happy when you don’t know what makes you happy because you don’t engage your inner self because you don’t find the time to know who you are.
The idea of setting a goal to lose excess weight sounds good but that’s an outer perception of how we’re meant to look.
If someone doesn’t identify with and doesn’t allow their inner self to come through and be the power that it is there to be, there’s no chance.
That’s why these things fail.
I do believe the size of the goal itself can have a positive influence on the outcome, but I also believe that you should set that goal from the right place first.
Great points Paul. I think it’s a massive issue you’ve raised. If you don’t understand your internal motivators, what makes you happy, what drives you – then you live life on autopilot.
It’s a process I have been going through recently and the answer only comes from sitting down and spending time reflecting on what you want out of life. This process can be both scary and liberating. You may realise you have spent years doing things you don’t really care about but it also gives you a chance to change direction.
There are many goal setting techniques that can be used but it’s so important to understand what your true values are and that you direct your actions to reaffirm them.