The Winding Path Towards a Goal

• January 28th, 2008
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This article comes from Get Motivation. This is one thing I love about Mary Kay. It allows us the time to try different paths. With no quotas on us to weigh us down, we can work at our own pace. Enjoy the article:

Column By Kevin Eikenberry

The Journey to Your Goals
On a recent cross country flight I looked out over the Rocky
Mountains from 30,000 feet and saw hundreds of paths sort of
heading towards the summits of the various peaks.

I write “sort of” because looking at these zigzagging paths
made it very clear why they are called switchbacks. Those
switchbacks occupied my thinking for most of the rest of the
flight to Oakland and have been on my mind often since.

It occurred to me that those switchback paths are much like
the paths we often take towards our largest, most important
goals. We’re definitely on a path, but it doesn’t always
seem direct or in a straight line.

Through my reflection I have found five messages about goal
setting - and goal attainment - in the switchback paths.

1. The need for a clearly defined goal. If you are on a
   mountain path, the goal is pretty clear. You are there
   because you want to get to the top. In your daily routine
   how often do you strive to make your goals that clear and
   obvious?

   From the 30,000 perspective you probably can see yourself
   progressing towards your goal, but sometimes on the path
   it’s hard to see. Keeping your goal clearly in front of you
   is critical to your attitude and aids in maintaining your
   persistence and belief.

2. Switchbacks allow you to get started. Have you ever faced
   a mountain of a goal and the steps towards it seemed hard,
   steep and full of risks? While boldness is important, often
   at the beginning of a journey, you just need to get started;
   to build some momentum and confidence.

   Taking a winding path may not be the most direct route, but
   it’s one of the best ways to insure a successful start, and
   finish.

3. Keep your head up. Not only do you need to clearly define
   your goal, but you must always keep it in sight as well. In
   any journey, whether walking or moving towards a goal, you
   must keep your head up — to be alert to dangers and
   diversions and to keep the goal in sight. Even if the
   switchbacks make it seem — even momentarily — as if you are
   moving away from it.
4. Switchbacks allow for ongoing progress. I’ve hinted at
   this already, but it bears repeating — the path of the
   switchback allows for ongoing progress. The path allows for
   steady consistent progress — which is critical to reaching
   any goal of importance.

5. Watch for shortcuts. The well worn path is a valuable one
   to have, but there may be opportunities to skip a
   switchback. The serious hiker and goal achiever is always
   looking for a short cut — a path that might be a bit more
   difficult, but may cut significant time off of the journey.

   Yes, moving towards your goals is a journey, but you must
   always have the destination in mind. If someone dropped a
   rope from a helicopter, and your goal was to get to the top
   of the mountain, be willing to grab on!

   We must keep moving forward, but always be looking for the
   big opportunity to shorten our path and reach our goals more
   quickly.

   Obviously, this is written from the perspective of reaching
   individual goals, and hopefully that perspective has been
   valuable. However, thinking of these five points is just as
   important (if not more important) for you as a leader or as
   part of a team that is trying to reach important and perhaps
   big goals.

   Keeping your focus and enthusiasm for goals as an individual
   is hard, but keeping a team or organization on track and
   excited often presents an even larger challenge. Keep these
   lessons in mind and put them to use for yourself or your
   team and they will aid you on your path.

____________

Kevin Eikenberry is a leadership expert and the Chief
Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning
consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential
through a variety of training, consulting and speaking
services. To receive a special report on Unleashing Your
Potential go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/index.asp
or call us at (317) 387-1424 or 888.LEARNER.

Tags: Get Motivation, Goal Setting, Goals, Inspiration, Motivation