Goal Setting- An Accurate Science to Achievement

Boredom is defined as "feeling weary because one is unoccupied or lacks interest in one's current activity." Everyone is bound to have felt this at some point in their life, if even for a few minutes when the motivation machine just isn't churning. But what about in your daily life or your occupation? Do you ever find yourself seemingly spinning your wheels? One day seemingly an identical spawn of another? I wonder how many thousands, if not millions of people feel this way on a day-to-day basis. I'm certain you have witnessed it. I'm also certain when you read the previous sentence a particular person popped into your head.  They are probably someone who drones through everyday as if their biggest battle in life is to push the time-clock forward to quitting time & always puts in just enough effort to avoid scrutinization from their superiors.  Typical analysis would label these persons lazy or slothful. But what causes those who may have extraordinary capabilities to become so inept?

Consider this statement Lou Holtz took from a book given to him by his wife at a most dismal point in his life: "If you're bored with life - you don't get up every morning with a burning desire to do things - you don't have enough goals."

At the time Lou Holtz read this, he was unemployed, newly married, and about to have their first child. The writer instructed that "To be accurate in goal setting you need to take a pencil & paper & write down all the goals you wish to achieve." Lou got out a pencil & paper, and started writing down all the things he wished to do. He wanted to go the White House for dinner. He wanted to be on the "Tonight Show". He wanted to see the pope & go to the various continents. He wanted to win the National Championship, be the Head Coach at Notre Dame, and be Coach of the Year. He wanted to hit a hole-in-one, jump out of an airplane, land on an aircraft carrier, go on a submarine. The more he wrote, the more excited he got. When he finally finished, he had compiled a list of 108 goals he wished to achieve in life. Throughout his life he has accomplished almost all of the goals listed above. He went on to coach at Notre Dame, win a National Title, be Coach of the Year, visit the White House, appear on the "Tonight Show." Setting goals always allows us to have something to work toward. The absence of goals gives way for boredom & a sedentary lifestyle to set in.

Goals for each individual are always going to have differences. For some, it may to be to raise a productive & upstanding children, get a job promotion, or scale a treacherous mountain. It is almost certain we won't accomplish every goal we set out to accomplish. However, if those goals remain unattained we will always have something that drives us & gives us something to work toward. They also provide a framework for how to approach our daily lives, with vigor, with intensity, with FIRE. I encourage everyone to take a little time to write our a list of goals that you wish to achieve. One day you will be able to look back & admire not what you have NOT done, but all that you HAVE accomplished...

Here is my crack at setting my life-long goals. I reserve the right to add more goals!!!!

My Life-long Goals:

1. I want to make a positive impact on every life I touch.
2. I want to win a State Championship.
3. I want to coach a Player of the Year. (Check. Ryan Schadler - 2013 4A Prep2Prep POY)
4. I want to coach at the college level.
5. I want to get married. (Check. July 20th, 2013.)
6. I want to be invited to a player's wedding.
7. I want to visit the White House.
8. I want to be a head football coach at a high school within 5 years of my college graduation. (Check. I set that goal when I was 18. Happened at 23.)
9. I want to be an Athletic Director. (Check. I set that goal when I was 21. Happened at 23.)
10. I want to lead a life pleasing to my Lord & Savior. (In progress. Needs work)
11. I want to visit Boston.
12. I want to go to a warm beach. (Check. Honeymoon to Jamaica, 2013)
13. I want to write a book.
14. I want to be a school administrator.
15. I want to coach a Division 1 football player.
16. I want to go on an Alaskan Cruise.
17. I want run at least a half-marathon.
18. I want to win Coach of the Year.
19. I want to have children.
20. I want to live in a state other than Kansas at some point in my lifetime.
21. I want to coach at my old high school. (Check. 2008-2012)
22. I want to win a district championship within the next 2 years.
23. I want to win a playoff game within the next 3 years.
24. I want to receive a teaching award.
25. I want to be on ESPN.
26. I want to run my own business.
27. I want to meet the President. (whoever it may be at that time)
28. I want to go the a Super Bowl game.
29. I want to go to a National Championship football game.
30. I want to be in a tv commercial.
31. I want to speak at a coaches clinic.
32. I want to go to Europe.
33. I want to fly on a plane. (Check. Honeymoon to Jamaica, 2013)
34. I want to ride on a train.
35. I want to train a state power lifter.
36. I want to make a music video.
37. I want to learn to play the guitar.
38. I want to go to a NCAA basketball tournament game.
39. I want to shoot a round of golf under par.
40. I want to coach an undefeated regular season. (Close this year! 8-1)
41. I want to coach a (school, state, conference, national) record setting player. (Check. 3 of them so far.)
42. I want to donate $1,000 to a scholarship fund.
43. I want to win a League Championship. (Check. 2013 Undefeated CKL-South Champions)
44. I want to save an animal from a pet shelter.
45. I want to go to an OU-Texas football game.
46. I want to coach an Academic-All State, Conference, or American Player.
47. I want to visit the Walk of Fame.
48. I want to visit the Grand Ole Opry.
49. I want to coach at Oklahoma.
50. I want to be a Secret Santa to a needy child.
51. I want to coach with my brother!

52. I want to ride a Sea-doo (Spelling?)

53. I want to own a brand new truck.

54. I want to ride in a car going over 150 mph.