How To Win The Lottery

"Set your goals high, and don't stop until you get there."  ~ Bo Jackson

I love this quote and its simplicity.  If you have a vision work really hard and commit, great success can be met.  Although the concept of goal setting is quite easy to grasp, many people have a difficult time setting goals and obtaining the desired outcome.

Why?

A lot of times it's because they don't know where to start.  Sometimes the best place to begin is with your thoughts and emotions.  Is there something that you think about often that you really want that captivates your imagination and motivates you to no end?  If you're thinking about something right now, that's where you start!  Maybe you've never done a pull-up before and you daydream about it often.  Or perhaps it's a clean and jerk PR that seems far away.  Quite possibly there is someone reading this that has high hopes of knocking Rich Froning off of the podium at the CrossFit Games this summer.  A goal is a goal, no matter what it is and everyone should have one!  Once you figure out what it is you want, you must break it down into pieces and begin by taking small steps and then you must take THAT first step.  After all, you can't expect to drive to the store without first grabbing the keys to your car...right? 

There are three types of goals: process goals, performance goals, and outcome goals.  Of course everyone has their eye on the outcome goal, and will disregard and totally ignore the two less flashy and fancy goals.  Well, these two ugly step-sisters are actually very important, and if you don't pay close attention to them, they just might knock you flat on your ass and keep you further from the success you anticipate.

So, what is the difference between the three goals and why does it matter?

Here are some short definitions.  Process goals focus on specific behaviors displayed throughout a performance.  One example of a process goal would be maintaining a hook grip during a clean during Olympic lifting training or keeping your chest upright in a basic body weight squat.  Each behavior executed effectively is a demonstration of proper form and technique.  Once you have mastered one process, you would move to a new one so on and so forth.  This is where performance goals come into play.  Performance goals specify the end result of a performance.  A good performance goal that a novice athlete might strive for is 3 consecutive pull-ups.  Performance goals provide immediate feedback and satisfaction.  The athlete would then strive for 10 pull-ups and so forth.  If performance goals are accomplished there is a great chance that the outcome goal is obtainable.  Pull-ups today could mean CrossFit Games tomorrow!  Performance goals lead to the Grand Daddy of them all, outcome goals.  Outcome goals have one focus, the end result.

With outcome goals there is only talk of winning or success, only concern for the shiny and sparkly things.  Just so you know, everything that glitters ain't gold.  All I'm saying is I have high aspirations of winning 25 million dollars in the lottery, but if I don't buy a ticket I don't have a chance in hell. Do you get my drift? 

Here's something really interesting to think about, if I set a process goal of buying 2 lottery tickets on a weekly basis for a year, my chances of reaching my goal and buying the winning ticket are going to be a lot better than if I didn't play at all.  Gotta play to win baby! 

Goals are vital in obtaining success, that's why you can't  leave process goals or performance goals out of the equation.  Once you have established the BIG goal, work backwards.  Figure out how to reach your goal by setting smaller and obtainable process and performance goals.  If you take small steps on your way to the top, you have the opportunity to change your pace or re-route your path, and if you are truly committed to your goal success will be yours.

My point?  Set goals, big ones, and GO FOR IT!  But if you set big goals, I would suggest crawling first.

Be on the lookout for part-two about how to set goals.