Preparation
When it comes to setting goals, thinking backwards is an essential skill. Most people choose to focus on their desired outcome. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, but it often ignores two critical questions - Why? and How? Why do you want to accomplish this goal? How are you going to accomplish this goal?
Rather than answer the Why? question once, I encourage people to answer it seven times. Write down the answer the first time, and then immediately channel your inner five-year old and ask Why? again, and then again, and so on. This will help you drill down to your real purpose.
The same can be done with the How? question. For example, consider the following common goal - winning a championship.
- Win the championship - How?
- Win the semifinals - How?
- Make the playoffs - How?
- Win games - How?
- Outscore the opponents - How?
- Execute on offense - How?
You get the idea. Asking How? enough times eventually pushes you into identifying the processes and performances that are required to climb the success staircase. As Antoine de Saint-Exupery once said, "A goal without a plan is just a wish."