A couple of days ago, I had lunch with a old friend of mine. He’s finishing off his last year in high school and is ranked number 2 in his class. So I asked him “alright Mr.Salutatorian, what are your goals? Short term and long term?” He answered with the worst answer possible: I don’t know. So here’s a guy, taking on extremely rigorous AP classes, capable of going onto an Ivy League university, who has not one damn clue about what he wants. I was a little disappointed, for he was very book smart, but seem to have no thought in having or experiencing what he desired. He told me that he could never get what it is that he wants, for those are for other people to have, not him. I explained to him that we can achieve anything in life if we set our goals and work towards them. Nothing is off limits and you are just as capable of achieving playboy status as Dan Bilzerian. Just get off autopilot and start taking life into your own hands.
Check out his great article from Rick Winley about goal setting from Elon Musk here.
Here’s an analogy, I believe, that can put this into perspective.
Here’s a massive 21st century cargo ship, capable of delivering millions on pounds of cargo from Hong Kong to Seattle or from Dubai to Sydney. It’s made to be extremely sturdy and strong and is able to cope with high winds and rough seas. The analogy here is that we are these ships. Massive, impressive, strong, sturdy, capable, reliable and lasting. Now a ship like this has a large crew and a plethora of advanced electronics on board. If you plug in a destination into its computer, 9,999 times out of 10,000, it will arrive at its destination. But if you just turn on the engine, pull the anchor up and let it sit, it’s going to be pushed around by the sea. It would be astonishing if it even makes it out of the harbor, but once it’s out there, it would probably wash up on some shore. You are that ship, put in a destination, or you’re bound to achieve mediocrity.
- Estelle Maersk on her maiden voyage. Simon Burchett http://www.channelphotography.com
So you plug in your destination, let’s say Los Angeles, and you depart from Hong Kong. As you head further and further out, the lights from the the city fade away, wind picks up speed and the waves get bigger. It’s scary and intimidating, but that’s how we grow. We leave the comfort zone (the harbor) so we can go out to places we’ve never been before. We’re stretched and thrown around so we can grow tougher and stronger.
Persistence is key. For example, you don’t drive from Tucson to San Diego and halfway there, you look around, get mad because you’re not in San Diego and then turn back to Tucson. Commit to your goal, know you’ll make it. It’s uncharted territory so uneasiness and second-guessing is natural. You don’t have to know how you’ll get there. It is a new goal and you’ve never done it before, so don’t fret. Just know you will. The path will unfold to you, just know that you’ll make it there; that’s how I do it and its always worked.
Although I am not a religious person, I believe there is great power in this Biblical verse:
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” -NIV
There is power behind every thought, dream and goal. Believe in yourself because if you don’t, no one will.
Be grateful, but never satisfied.
-Brian
Mind Comes First 