A GOAL IS SOMETHING ONE WANTS. Consider the meaning of the word "want". It does not mean "it would be nice to have" or "it would be nice to be" or "it would be convenient". The feeling "want" is very strong.
There is a hypothesis which says that one gets what one wants. It is based on the premise that one is automatically driven to get what one wants. It presumes that one does not necessarily know what one wants, & this is borne out by introspection, ie examination of one's thoughts.
Detractors usually describe a case of someone in a pickle & then ask the rhetorical question "Is this what he wants?" The hypothesis answers this by looking at what he has done to get out of the situation, & usually finds that it is not much, if anything.
Corollary 1: Don't set something one does not really want as a goal; this goal will not be achievable.
Corollary 2: Introspect, because if one doesn't have a conscious goal, one will almost certainly have an unconscious one.
I dare you to answer the following question, posed in three forms: What are you hoping for out of life? What state do you want to be in in ten year's time? What is your current goal? Suspend your life & answer it NOW!
SETTING A GOAL. A goal must be something one wants. Think carefully about Lesson 1.
No goal is out-of-reach. This will be explained in Lesson 7.
If one does not have a goal think about Lesson 1, Corollary 2.
If one has more than one goal, then think about which one is the most wanted & forget the rest; they can be the next goals.
Once a goal has been set, don't talk about it. The benefits of this will be evident upon achievement of the goal.
Stay, or get, fit.
LEARN ABOUT THE GOAL. Learn absolutely every last detail about the goal. If the goal is to own a Ferrari, which Ferrari, what colour, the design history, the names of the people building it, the cockpit layout, the suspension, the payload, the performance, the engine details (are the pistons forged or cast?), the dimensions, the current price, the maintenance price, the upholstery material, optional extras...
CONSIDER THE EFFECTS OF HAVING ACHIEVED YOUR GOAL. Once one has one's Ferrari: garage, security, use, nearest dealer, advanced driving lessons, the cost of insurance...
PICTURE ONESELF HAVING ACHIEVED THE GOAL. At this stage you will be in a position to imagine yourself cruising King's Road & navigating alpine passes.
GET A VISUAL IMAGE OF ONESELF IN THIS POSITION. In the case of a Ferrari, one will already have been to a Dealer's; go back & get a photograph of oneself in the driving seat. Get lots of big copies of this photo' & put them in all the places one frequents, & put a small copy in one's wallet. Copies must be put in at least the following positions: on the ceiling above one's pillow, next to, or even on, one's bathroom mirror, on the TV, near the kitchen sink, at work & in one's car. If the goal is not a material thing, substitute the plan (see below) for the picture.
GET A STRATEGIC PLAN. This is the trickiest part of the achievement. A good one will make the rest easy; a bad one & the rest will be difficult.
Only general rules can be given here. A goal can be anything from make a model boat to rule Britain.
Always have the picture or plan in front of one.
Plan for the exact goal. A Ferrari on credit is owned by the usurer.
Consider ALL strategic approaches. This is a brainstorming exercise, so rule-out no idea. Continue in your current life, save & buy. Get a better-paid job. Rob a bank. Steal a Ferrari. Play a market, stock, antique... Sell one's house. Buy a second-hand one. Buy a beaten-up one & do it up. ALL ideas.
Decide on a strategic approach. (Decision-making has its own guide.)
GET TACTICAL PLANS. Separate the strategic plan into smaller stages.
SP = Strategic Plan
ST = Stage
Reiterate Lesson 7 & 8 for each stage until each stage appears viable. One ends up with a tree.
The plan is:
ST1 --> ST21 --> ST22 --> ST231 --> ST232 --> ST31 --> ST32 --> GOAL
Put the plan in writing.
In the 7-8 loop, if one cannot think of a viable plan:
ARRANGE THE PLAN CHRONOLOGICALLY. At this stage a knowledge of project management techniques, GANT & PERT diagrams, will be handy if the tree is complex. Go through the plan examining each stage in turn. For each stage determine the earliest possible start date & number of days for completion. Some stages will not be possible until previous ones are complete. It will be possible to run some stages simultaneously. Some start dates & durations will not be determinable until previous stages have been completed: in these case the plan will have to be modified as one proceeds. Arrange the sequence so that the plan is completed as soon as possible, to minimise the effects of changing conditions. Consider the possibility of a break if there are long stretches of danger, physical labour...
Carve the final arrangement in stone.
IT IS NECESSARY TO CONCENTRATE ONLY ON ONE'S GOAL. EVERYTHING ELSE MUST BE IGNORED, CANCELLED, POSTPONED...
This is not a mind game playable only by indian yogis. Firstly note that it is possible to think of only one thing at a time (try doing two mental arithmetic exercises simultaneously). Secondly, think back to the meaning of "want".
RUNNING THE PLAN. From waking to falling asleep the plain will be in one's mind, because one wants it & because all of those pictures. While at work one will be aware that work is just a necessary part of the plan.
Every evening plan the next day. Many old practices will be seen in a new light. Keeping the house tidy will fade into insignificance. Excelling at work might be crucial. Can a haircut wait for a week? Write down the next day's plan & keep it to hand, like a shopping list. The evening plan will settle one's mind, facilitating sleep.
Each day, stay with the day's plan. Deviate only in cases of force majeure. Saying "No" to people will happen more frequently because time or resources are booked.
Comments (including criticisms) will be shrugged off. "He's not as sociable these days." triggers the thought "I'm getting a Ferrari, you are in the pub.". "Your house is a tip." triggers the thought "Is that what will concern you when my Ferrari arrives?". You will never have to justify yourself.
Review the plan frequently. Complete the starting dates & durations. Once one's mind has been on the job for a while, new ideas will form. Sometimes the plan will need modifying due to external circumstances.
"Have you seen the Ferrari outside? I wonder whose it is."
"I have seen it. It's mine."
"Yeah, yeah, won the lottery, then?"
"No."
"Well, I don't want to pry, but I don't see how you can afford a
Ferrari."
"I wanted one, I planned it, & I've got one."
"Just like that?"
"It took seven years."
"You mean to tell me that you've spent seven years getting a
Ferrari?"
"Yes. Now you know why I wasn't in the pub very often."
Howard's Stuff Index
Back to Pigeon's Nest
Be kind to pigeons
