First watch this:
Now ask yourself, “Why do I do what I do?”
I think this is such a great question to ask yourself. If you don’t know why, you need to figure it out.
Goal setting is such an important part of success with a business. As I’ve talked about before, we have to set goals that we have control of – performance goals. Outcome goals are good to have too – but if we have no real control of the outcome, it can be really frustrating to not achieve the final result.
A goal is defined as:
The purpose toward which an endeavor is directed; an objective.
One of my favorite basketball players is Larry Bird. Was he as fast as everyone else? Was he really that strong? Could he jump over cars? NO, NO, and definitely not! However, he set goals he had control of and busted his butt. This is what he has to say about goals:
A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals. – Larry Bird
Since it’s the new year, I’m sure many of us have at least thought about goals. I encourage you to really think about what you have control of. If you focus on things you have control of, the outcomes will come. 2007 was a great year; there’s no reason 2008 shouldn’t be better.
5 replies on ““Why Do You Do That?” – What Motivates You?”
Here’s another great Nike video about excuses: Excuses….
Motivation is so key, and also the ability to keep that motivation going strong and not let yourself make excuses for things. For a shoe company, Nike makes some pretty motivating ads!
Thanks for the inspirational moment Nate! Awesome Vid find and awesome message! It is always good to take a moment here and there and think about “why you do what you do”. And yes, goals are a cornerstone for success in any venture. Teach on Master Yoda….
Ryan
Hi Nate,
Thanks for the reminder that we need to know the WHY for doing what we do, and the importance of setting performance goals. My “why” for building an online business is clear, but the part about setting goals to accomplish certain tasks in a given period of time (i.e. my homework assignments) is helping to keep me moving forward in the direction of making my “why” a reality.
Don
Your articles on goals has really helped think about which goals to set and the difference in performance and outcome goals. I have recently revamped my goals into a list which is easy to read and in order of the goals to accomplish first.
Setting goals for someone with ADD and following through is really hard to get from point A to point B. It can be done with help and support.