When was the last time you set out to achieve a big goal?
A goal so big it mattered that much to you? So big you didn’t know if you could achieve it?
So big that it required all of you, but even that would only get you a fraction of the way. Like a body-builder setting his sights on Mr. Universe, that to achieve your goal you’d have to get much bigger?
When was the last time you set out to achieve a goal like that? Was it recently? Was it some time ago?
What drove you to set the goal to begin with? What inspired you to keep moving towards it? Were you like an Olympian dreaming of standing in the middle of the podium, gold medal slung around your neck?
Was it something different for you? Did it relate to something personal, like my friend, a world class dancer, pushing herself to move better than before?
What was your goal about for you? When you look back on it today, what do you notice about it? What do you remember was so important to you along the way?
How did it feel when you were in the middle of it? Did it feel like Churchill’s, “never never never never quit,” gritting your teeth to get through? Like a marathon runner finishing the race with bleeding feet. Did it hurt but you just had to finish what you started?
Or was it more like Tiger teeing off towards the 18th green? Strokes ahead, the hard work behind you, knowing you just had to keep it together for a short time, the excitement building as you were taking your final steps?
Did you reach your goal or did it end in tears? Was it like Humpty Dumpty, the fall breaking you, putting the pieces back together from there? Did it all go up in flames? How do you see from those ashes your phoenix did rise?
When was the last time you set your sights on a goal like that? How much did it drive you that every morning you woke up with this feeling of coming alive? How much did it lead you to grow? What did you learn about yourself? What goal did it enable you to set after that? And after that?
What big goal are you chasing right now? Are you going after what you truly want? In your life? Your career? In every way? In any way?
Or are you phoning it in? Is the phone even ringing?
Are you answering the call?