Russ Dalbey's Blog

If I had to choose just ONE THING that best sums up the way I live my life and run my business – the critical action that I believe all but guarantees success in anything you do – it’s the setting of goals and the ambitious and determined pursuit of those goals.

I’ve often written and talked about setting goals, and at times, I’ve been a proponent of the “bigger the better” philosophy. Jim Collins, a popular, influential writer and a man I respect very much, co-authored a book called Built to Last that defines the qualities of visionary companies. 

Collins writes a lot about setting what he calls BHAGs (pronounced “bee-hags”). That stands for “Big, Hairy Audacious Goals.” It’s quite a memorable acronym.

Chasing after BHAGs relentlessly is a mindset I’ve used thorough my own life, and one I’ve discussed in seminars and workshops. And while I certainly believe in that kind of ambitious, “over the top” outlook, I think it’s also important to remember that sometimes setting smaller goals is appropriate, too.

When you’ve got a monumental task before you, you have to look at both the big picture and focus in on the “here and now”… set goals for the long term AND the short term. The big-picture, long-term goal is to have climbed the mountain. The close range, shorter-term goals are the actual hikes you have to take each day to get there.

Consider this: you have to take small steps to climb a mountain. You know the mountain is there, and you’ve planned and prepared your attack – it’s what you’re working toward. But you’re not necessarily going to climb it all at once. 

Especially when working toward your day-to-day goals, I recommend setting small milestones for yourself. Day-to-day or weekly goals should be logical, and achievable. 

Nothing will make you feel more disheartened and make you lose confidence faster than setting goals and then not reaching them. Some people hate to set goals, because they have a bad taste in their mouths from past “failures.” They think that they didn’t reach their goals because they weren’t good enough, or didn’t have what it takes. Well, it’s much more likely that they came up a bit short because their goals weren’t appropriate or realistic. 

To keep yourself motivated and focused, divide your goals into two categories: big, OUTRAGEOUS, “pie in the sky” dreams, and smaller, more manageable targets that you can easily achieve. Set the BHAGs out there, and keep your eye on the grand prize, but pay keener attention to what you want to achieve today.

Warmly,

Russ
Founder of Winning in the Cash Flow Business
Dalbey Education Institute

Founder of Winning in the Cash Flow Business