It was the last day of school the coach asked us where we wanted to be at the end of next season. In as close to unison as high school boys could yell “THE PLAYOFFS COACH!” we all wanted to go to the state championship. During the summer some of the same guys would be lifting weights and running, the others, would be out partying and doing other activities. When the season started the vision of the playoffs where not universally accepted. Some guys just wanted their minutes, others wanted their letterman jacket, and the few that wanted to play to win kept pushing on. Football, however is a team sport, it does not matter how good your best player is if the rest of the team does not play as one.

Some of my teammates did not see the long term vision of going to the playoffs. How it would feel, what it would sound like. They did not have a clear enough vision of the playoffs to buy into, which was needed to keep them working through the summer working out and running. They needed to keep that vision as we played tough opponents and defeat was possible. We needed to be able to have the goal stronger than the obstacles in our way to get there. We needed to have a vision that would motivate us to work harder, even on days when we didn’t feel like it, we were sore, or we were tired. This vision needed to be plastered all over our walls, so we could see it all the time. We needed to talk about how it would feel hearing the fans cheer as final buzzer rang and we were victorious.

When you set goals how descriptive is the finish line? What would you do? What will you gain? How will you feel? How will this affect others?

I believe the clearer you can define the end, the better you can define the reward for obtaining the goal the stronger you will be when you face opposition. When your friend ask you to go out and have a few drinks, your family asking you to join them on a vacation, your spouse wanting to go out to eat instead of eating at home.

Having clarity with your goals will give you the ability to stand up to the pressure. This will give you the ability to say NO, or Thank you for thinking of me, I am working on a project and will have to pass!