I’ll be the first to admit, we’re all getting tired of hearing about Tim Tebow. It’s not that I don’t like the guy. In a league where players are facing charges of dealing drugs to their teammates, what’s not to like about this virtuous son of missionary parents?
Oh right, his skills as a quarterback.
It’s ironic that while the top three quarterbacks in the NFL are having historic seasons, the media’s attention is focused on one of the worst passers in the league. For some reason, his faith is a compelling story, even though there are several more accomplished players (e.g. Larry Fitzgerald, Troy Polamalu) who are equally outspoken about their faith.
For me though, the compelling story about Tebow is that he’s not content with having the top selling jersey, while he’s sitting at only 15th in passer rating. He wants to be the best. And he’s motivated to work his tail off in preparation for greatness.
The first step on the road to achieving any goal is preparation: well thought out, systematic preparation.
Most people with a goal in mind spend little or no time on preparation. They jump right into the action without first asking the right questions and being honest with themselves about the answers.
What do I want to achieve?
Why is it important?
How long will it realistically take?
What resources will I need to accomplish it?
What support will I need to accomplish it?
What things will I need to change?
Before you start hitting the gym or cutting the calories, make sure that the critical questions are asked and answered. This will save you hours of precious time, and prevent the disappointment of unmet expectations. Taking the time to reflect will reveal:
- the real motivation behind the goal you’re trying to reach
- the pros and cons of striving to make it happen
- how long will it realistically take
- the list of resources you’ll need
- how your life will change during the process
- what your life will look like after you’ve made it happen
Stats tell us that 46 per cent of people are still on track towards their New Year’s resolutions after six months. So does that mean that more than half of us fail, or that almost half of us succeed? Let your answer be your guide. Are you positive or negative about the prospect of change?
Now is the time to be brutally honest with yourself. Admit that it’s likely going to take a lot of work, and ask yourself: Am I up to the challenge? Am I willing to make the sacrifices necessary to succeed?
To help you through the process, we’re giving you a great resource used by our athletes in the BLU3PRINT Performance program. The Goal Preparation Mission Brief is a step-by-step template that will help you determine exactly what it is you want to achieve and what it will take to get there.
Download it here: Goal Preparation worksheet (PDF) .
Take your time. It’s better to realize that you need more time to get prepared, than to commit halfheartedly and give up before you’ve made any real progress.
If you’ve counted the cost and are still raring to go, next up, Step 2: Conquering Barriers.
Work It – Take Action
Read. Check out the article on how Tim Tebow is preparing to become the next great NFL quarterback.
Write. Download the Goal Preparation worksheet (PDF) .
Reflect. Tell someone close to you, whose opinion you trust, what your resolutions are for the New Year. Ask them some of the questions from the Mission Brief (“What do you think I will need to do to get a tryout in June?”) and see how their answers compare to your own. A different perspective will help make sure that you’re not fooling yourself.
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