Lots of trees
The next topic at hand in the outdoor mountain hiking trail adventure series is that of setting goal points. When you are performing a task, you need to have signs along the way that you are getting somewhere, in the form of stoppage points where you can recognize that you accomplished part of your goal. Your goals that don’t have these points written or thought of are much more likely to not progress, because your interest to continue will subside with no success feedback coming in.
The Goal Points Of Our Hike
As far as the hike, the various points along the 3-4 hour trip up the mountain were:
- the bottom
Green ski hut
- waterfall on the side
- ski hut
- small creek
- rocky plateau
- steep final stretch
- the top
Each point along the way was a notable memory point that we could use on the way back for safety issues, but was more valuable as a memorable site on the way up showing that we were getting to the top. Walking through the Sahara desert isn’t appealing because it is sand followed by sand followed by sand. Our minds want to have some result to latch on so that we can progress forward.
Rocky plateau
As we went up the mountain, about halfway through, there was a green ski hut where we stopped for a bit, and that was one of the “landmarks” along the way that we could come back to. There is a feeling of safety that comes with recognition, and unless there are stoppage points to recognize, that feeling of safety through accomplishment won’t materialize. When we were about 80% of the way up the mountain and had about an hour of sunshine left, all those points along the way became relevant return points, letting us know we were on the right path back.
The Same Is True With Your Goals
With respect to the goals you have, you need to write down a list like I have above for the mountain trip. Writing down this list on paper with a pencil, leaving lines in between each step, will help you break down what you want into manageable chunks. It is then that you can see if your interest is in doing those chunks, because if not, the larger goal is also out of reach. Sometimes we hold ourselves back from doing something because it seems too large, but that is alleviated by breaking it down into parts. At that point, the steps to take are visible, and you will know whether they interest you.
Book Reading Example
If you want to have read a certain book that you bought or loaned from a library, but have not read it as of yet, this is the process you want to take. Look at the titles of all the chapters. Read the first paragraph of some chapters. The table of contents is like the step-list of what material you will gain from reading it. Doing this will get you to the point where you decide that you won’t read it, or that you will read it right away. You need to clear out those books you “might” read, because they are taxing your thoughts and making you feel like you don’t tend to complete things you start.
Cooking Example
Setting goal points along the way is how to turn cooking into something easy. At a certain point of making a cooked fish meal, you will have the tomatoes cooked, or put rice in on the side, or pour water in, or other key points of the process. Thinking this way is similar to how it would say to think in David Allen’s Getting Things Done book.
Thinking Through Steps Gives You Control
If you have something big you see ominously looming in your future, setting steps leading to how you want it to turn out from the present time to that point in your future will give you a solid feeling of control. Lack of control is something that makes us act awkwardly, because we start to get into a dampened version of fight-or-flight mode, which we don’t need to resort to.
The next article will discuss setting up a future activity to take part in, like I did when I planned doing this series.
Links To The Rest Of The Series
- Series Introduction
- Part One – Punctuality
- Part Two – Realistic Optimism
- Part Four And Five – Going With A Plan And Social Sharing Of Strengths
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
thanks for sharing this friend, i’ll save this post for reminder as i often forget my goal in life, even i still dont know what i was born for…. again thanks for this post
Nice post Armen. I agree with you that when setting a goal, it’s important to write down a list and break it down into manageable chunks. This makes goals that seem impossible possible to do. Thanks for sharing this.
Nice post Armen. Very timely considering I’m planning on going through Brian Tracy’s goal setting program today. I think that when you chunk down most goals, they become much easier to accomplish. Most people set goals and then don’t measure their progress and goal points sound like a great way to do that. I think at some point I had set a goal for my blog to have over 100 visitors a day. After your guest post, and joining the problogger forum, I’ve had one straight week of almost 100+ visitors a day.
Yoan: Glad to there, and thanks for that. I like the honesty in your message there. That’s a tough one about what we were specifically born for, but honesty like that helps lead you toward what is satisfying to you much sooner.
Tristan: Thanks for that. I agree with you there. Your comment reminded me to write some things down.with a pencil on paper. It makes the impossible possible, like you said.
Srinivas: Thank you for that. Cool mentioning of Brian Tracy. I think I saw him on TV or somewhere once, but I will take a look at that program you mentioned there for goal setting. Your solid effort towards your goal sure has shown itself to be valid. I bet it was just my guest post that made it possible, and nothing else. I have to agree about that Problogger forum, as I have learned many things there as well. Solid work on your site by the way.
For those that don’t check my guest posts page at the top of this site, my guest post over at Srinivas’ site is here:
http://theskooloflife.com/wordpress/guest-post-using-good-jealousy-and-overcoming-useless-jealousy/
Another good post. I’m really liking this series. I find the setting of smaller, more managble goals to be especially helpful during my spring cleaning. House cleaning is not a fun project, but by breaking it down into small goals, I am able to make small achievments and feel good about htem as I work towards the larger goal.
Eric: Thanks there. I like publishing the series too so we are in line here. As far as the goals, I am making more use of smaller goals each day, especially when I write material such as this. I set a small goal as something I can do in 5 minutes, or like that, and then expand from there. Little steps keep adding up.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Hi Armen,
I think it does start on the interesting & casual topics from where you take it to its destination topic of value of timeless information – life goals.
I would say that there are few questions very significant for all the readers to think upon as landmarks to the goal; just the way you described in the hiking example:
How bad do you want it?
Are you aware about the risks & rewards ?
Are willing to risk it all & pay that price, no matter what it is?
Would you say yes to any price you might be asked to pay that you might not be aware of?
Let’s do it ,guys! The rest is just is gonna happen.
Hi Chris.
How bad we want something is a big part of getting it. While the perspective we take into getting it is key, it is also substantially helpful to reach for something that fits our current mindset or abilities.
I like your energy at the end of that comment. It is true that if we are willing to do the hard work, the results will come. Keep up the positive mindset sir.
I do the exact same thing with my running!!! As I build for the marathon, each week has a new long run, just a bit longer than the previous. It feels great when you break through something that was previously a ceiling.
hey armen!!
really really cool post.
love the whole series. the idea and the energy and honesty you’ve put into it.
i’m super big on goals. like the way you paralleled it to the mountain cos it brought up something related to goals and personal dev that i haven’t ever considered before. i used to run a lot, you know, cross country type running, and what motivated me was saying “okay. i’ll push until i get to that big bunch of trees there in the distance” then i’d re-set according to another landmark in the distance. really worked a treat cos it was like, “im tired but it’s not that far. i can see it. cummon. there it is. just push and make it happen”.
magic.
keep well mate. and in touch.
alex – unleash reality
Change Agent: Hey that is cool. I like hearing about that. That makes sense about adding another distance, or adding a new location to head to on a city run. hitting a new peak is something that is special. I’m going to do a half-marathon later this year, just to point that out in relation to your building for a marathon. Thanks for your example.
Alex: Hey Alex. Thanks for that cool guy. I know you and goals are long-time friends. I like your example there about the big bunch of trees. That was pretty cool huh. I do that same thing a lot when running. I wonder how many do but don’t mention it. I see a big rock or some tree of some sort, or bunch of trees like in your example, and then I get there, and then I see another one. We get some cool scenery as runners.
This guy Alex unleashes more reality in 10 seconds than I can absorb in 2 minutes. Thanks for your material sir.
Hi Armen, I’m really liking this series and this personal development adventure through mountain hiking! Very cool indeed!
“There is a feeling of safety that comes with recognition, and unless there are stoppage points to recognize, that feeling of safety through accomplishment won’t materialize.”
I think this is so important, the comfort and breather we can take with recognition of the “landmarks” along the way in any journey. So many people have only the endpoint in mind, miss the milestones, and run out of steam before they get to the top. But if you chunk it down and recognize these points along the way, celebrate them and breath, you get more juice to keep going.
Thanks for sharing this!
Cheers!
Miche
Hey Miche.
Thanks for that about the series. I like the connection between the trip and the points from it as well.
You sure hit on some of the good points behind having those items of success to recognize. There are often so many that we can take note of if we look for them, and each one can then be used to help in the main mission. It gives us more juice like you said there.
Thanks for your thoughts and relations to the recognition concept.
I’m thinking about taking up hiking as a new recreation. Thanks for the insight