"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal" -- Hannah More

Alive & Well Archives

August 2005

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TODAY'S QUOTE:  “The major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes of you to accomplish it. What it makes of you will always be the far greater value than what you get."

-Jim Rohn

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TODAY'S TOPIC:  Break Down Your Goal

Have you ever had a goal, desire or dream but thought it would be too difficult to reach?  If so, have you broken it down into smaller chunks?

Let me give you an example.  Yesterday, I competed in my first duathlon.  I have participated in running races before, but I had never entered a duathlon.  In fact, I would never have thought I could compete in a duathlon.  I had always believed duathlons and triathlons were for top athletes. 

But one day, I saw some information about yesterday’s duathlon.  I immediately started to wonder if I could do it.  The duathlon consisted of three segments: a 3.1 mile run, a 15 mile bike ride and another 3.1 mile run. 

When I thought about the overall goal, it was a little overwhelming, and I wasn’t sure I could do it.  But when I broke it down into pieces, I realized I could achieve this goal.  I have run many 6.2 mile races and many 3.1 mile races in the past.  So I knew I could do the running part.  I had ridden my bike at least 15 miles earlier in the summer, so I knew I could ride the bike portion.  I had never combined the running and biking, but I knew I could do each separately.  The overall goal of finishing would be challenging, but I could do each individual part.

So in order to achieve my goal, I focused on each portion independently.  By breaking it down, it was easier for me to believe I could finish.  Yesterday, as I stood at the starting line for the first 3.1 mile race, I focused on just that portion.  

After the first run was completed, I focused on the biking portion.  I focused on it as if that were the only goal.  I even broke the biking portion down into smaller chunks.  The 15 miles consisted of four laps, so I focused on completing each lap until I finished the total 15 miles.  Then my goal became the last 3.1 mile run.  I focused on that as if I were starting from scratch, and that were my only goal.

You see, by breaking my goal down into manageable portions, I believed I could reach the goal.  I was able to focus on completing each step rather than getting overwhelmed by the total goal. 

At the same time, although breaking the overall goal down made it more manageable, I still had to remember the total goal.  For example, in the first 3.1 mile run, I could not run like a madwoman and tire myself out.  Doing that would have made it more difficult to complete the overall competition.  I had to pace myself knowing that I had a lot more to do.  This is often the case with a long-term goal, isn’t it?

I also remembered the overall goal particularly toward the end.  In the last run, my body started to feel pretty fatigued when I had about 1-2 miles left to run.  At that point, I focused on the end goal.  When my body said it wanted to stop, I visualized myself crossing the finish line, which was my overall goal.  Every time I got tired, I saw myself cross the line, and I felt that exhilarating moment.  By focusing on this end goal, I was able to keep going.  I continued until I actually did cross the finish line!  I did it until I accomplished a dream I would have previously thought impossible.

How about you?  Do you have a goal, dream or desire that you think is impossible?  Have you broken it down into manageable parts that you know or feel you can accomplish?  If not, go ahead and break it down now.  Then go have fun achieving it!

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Coaching Challenge

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Take a goal, dream or desire.  While still remembering the end result, break the goal down into manageable parts you feel you can accomplish.