Conceive It
The first part of any adventure, project, or rebuilding of one self is Conceive It. Conceive It is simply setting goals, determining how one is going to reach those goals, and setting a time line for those goals. Sounds simple, but we have all done these many times, sometimes with success, sometimes without. What makes the difference between being successful and not? Taking the right approach.
Starting off on the right foot is never given enough credit. Probably because too many people use it as a cliché. The true meaning of Conceive It is getting your ideas in order, reflecting or meditating on it, and setting up a process that cannot fail. We can all do this, and this is how:
Setting Goals: This will soon be another post on the subject, but we can set up some standards here. Goals should be set in two ways. Always set goals in a positive manner. Never be anti something, never be against something. Always set goals in a way that achieves something. This can be a little tricky at first but it gets easier as you get the hang of it. Always set goals in the now. By setting goals in the now we begin to act as if we already have it, or have done it. Setting goals in the now also makes you review constantly to see if you have achieved that goal. Quick example:
Bad Goal: I will lose 20 lbs by next year.
Reason Why:
- It is negative. Lose is a negative word. We don’t want to see negative words all the time. What fun is trying to get something that is negative.
- It is in the future. If I have not lost 20 lbs then that is ok because I have not failed in my goal. I still want to lose 20 lbs, so I still have that goal.
- Not a firm deadline. Next year is vague. What happens in 2008? Well if I have not lost 20 lbs then I still can in 2009. No goal reached, no goal to reach.
Good Goal: I weight 170 lbs on January 24th of 2008.
Reason Why:
- It is in the positive. I weigh. Nothing negative about that.
- It is as if I already weigh 170 lbs. At the time of writing this I have just come off of a 6 month season of constant coaching. Unfortunately this also means stress. When I get stressed I drink soda, coffee, and I eat sugar. I currently weight almost 190 lbs. I have a small frame so that is big for me. Saying I weigh 170 lbs and seeing that goal all the time gives me something to work towards. It is a constant reminder that this is where I need to be at.
- It has a definite time line. I gave myself until the 24th. That is just before the Superbowl. This will give me time to get through the holidays, and a few extra weeks for watching the rest of the football season.
Learning: Part of the Conceive it part is learning just what it takes to get what you want. As you are setting goals you are learning. You are learning from yourself just what it is that you want. As you are learning you are adjusting your goals to make them realistic and to narrow them into what you want. It is human nature to change. As you learn about what you are trying to Achieve you are narrowing in on the final result. This is part of the Conceive process. You are forming and reforming your ideas, and your goals.
Doing: Once the goals are refined, and the research into what you really want is done, it is time to start doing. This is the ending of the Conceive stage. Initially as you begin there will be adjustments and refinements to goals and to what you want as your end result. It is ok to make mistakes, as long as you learn from these mistakes. Edison said he did not fail 10,000 times before he made the light bulb work. He just found 10,000 ways that it does not work. It is part of the Conceive stage. Action always beats inaction. Standing still never got anyone anywhere. If you are making mistakes then that is one less that you have to make on your way to success. If you are standing still you still have to go through all those mistakes before success anyway. So move forward. Get going. Get doing.
Conceive It
Coach Kip
