Big Goals

It isn’t just a good idea to have big goals; it is a great idea.

You heard the but coming didn’t you? The problem with big goals is they cannot be reached in one step. If you want to train a Grand Prix dressage horse, a dog that reaches the highest levels of agility, make a million dollars or write a book you are going to have to learn how to have the ultimate goal out there yet break it down into teeny, tiny daily goals.

Furthermore, you don’t just break such plans down into monthly, weekly or daily goals; you have to take them all the way down to minute-by-minute goals. You have to write a sentence before you can write a paragraph; which comes before a page. Beyond that scenes and chapters are necessary before you have the book. The million dollars rests on the first penny you dedicate to your goal. The horse suitable for Grand Prix has to be acquired first as does the dog for agility.

By now you know I consider ground manners in horses important. You have also seen champions who have no manners at all and the people around them allow this. In race horses sometimes they even encourage it saying a winner needs to be like that. Why?

If you think about it, the reason most horses are behaving so badly is because they are frightened. I think, no I KNOW, being frightened interferes with performance. If you fear something you are going to get in your own way to protect yourself from the perceived danger.

I understand this all too well because I’m an expert in shooting myself in the foot when it comes to achieving big goals. Remember the earlier blog where I told you about winning the spelling contes--and then having my best friend tell me she hated me because of it? That fear of having people “hate” me because of winning a goal has stayed with me for nearly sixty years now.

I have a lot of company. There are millions of people who get in their own way because of their fears. I’ve coached many people who used the excuse, “I want to show, but I need a better horse.” as I stood there looking at a potential champion at the end of their lead rope. Their minds won’t let them see the potential or hear when someone tells them about the possibilities.

The way I’ve learned to get around this handicap is to play tricks on my subconscious. I don’t set myself up to win. I tell myself my goal is to get third place. The trick to this? Which third place?

I taught myself that if I want to win a third place at a national level then it is okay to take a first place at the local level. After all, in the overall picture, a first place locally is nothing in the overall scheme of things. Really, it doesn’t even qualify as a third place when you look at the regional, state and national levels.

Does this mean I’m allowed to have a goal of making the New York Times Best Seller lists? Sure. If that’s my goal then I don’t have to worry if I make some other list do I? How about if I get a book to the first place on the NYTBS list? I’m still safe because there are lots and lots of writers who’ve make the list multiple times for multiple weeks.

If you have a really BIG goal you must break it down into the smallest possible bits. If your mind gets worried and tries to sabotage your efforts give it something else to worry about. If it is panicking over the production of the all time best dressage horse, agility dog or a record NTBS book then it isn’t going to be paying attention to today’s effort to meet a tiny goal.

Lazy Trainer’s Tip

Break your biggest goal down to the tiniest possible steps. Give your brain something huge to worry about so you can accomplish those little bits without interference. And enjoy the ride.