How Are You Progressing Towards Achieving Your Goals

First week back from an awesome family vacation on Maui. Hot, windy weather but still enjoyed the time on my bike and with my family. The next to last full day on Maui I rode to the top of Haleakala on Maui, stopping only once to fill my water bottle at the 15 mile mark). My wife took the above picture as I was reaching the summit of the climb. So what does this photo have to do with the subject of this week's post? Read on and you will find out.

To succeed in life, you have to have a clear picture of where you are going. Clear goals will give you purpose and direction, and they keep you focused.

Just like an airplane pilot must know their destination and have a flight plan to get there, you need to have your own destination (goal) and road map to get there. Not only does the pilot have his flight plan which is entered into the computer, there are also in-flight adjustments made along the way to ensure the plane stays on course and arrives at the correct destination.

Whether in business or in cycling, those who set goals (the destination) are fare more likely to achieve success than those who do not. But just stating a goal is not enough. You also need to have a plan to achieve that goal and periodically review that plan to see how you are progressing. Maybe your goal wasn't realistic and it is time to make some changes in order to accomplish your goals.

So, back to the why I have a picture of me finishing a climb to Haleakala? The climb is a 34 miles long, rising from sea level to 10,000 ft (all uphill). Not a ride for the faint of heart or someone who hasn't been training. For me, riding to the Haleakala summit was a goal to do this year (the last time I did it was over 20 years ago when I was many pounds lighter and in better fighting shape!). However, I knew what I had to do to prepare for the ride and I knew in my mind how I needed to do the ride if I expected to make it to the top.

Clear goals will give you purpose and direction, and they keep you focused and on target. With your goal clearly in mind, it is easy to make the adjustments needed to make along the way.

So, how are you doing on your 2012 goals? What adjustments do you need to make in order to achieve them? Or do you need to start over and make your goals more realistic?

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