Question-Week ending Sunday 03/02/03:
What level of FIRE and PASSION do you generate, to execute the plans for the goals you set? Please read our Poll Commentary before taking this poll.
Pre-Poll Commentary:
This week's poll is the seventh and final in our series of discussions on our Goal Planning System. In this poll, we will be discussing the most important step in our SYSTEM - Passionate Execution and Keeping Score.
This step can be characterized by an example of being at the altar of your wedding ceremony after a year of pain staking planning. The bride has dotted all the i's and crossed all the t's with the help of Mom, her sisters and close friends. Hundreds of hours have been invested and everything has been thought out and planned for this special and glorious day. This day will launch a new and bright future for a loving couple. The marriage vows were written by each partner, describing exactly how they feel for each other and many promises are made to love, honor and make their partner happy for life. The preparation has been completed. Now it's time to commit to their plan by saying "I do" to each other. Then passionately execute all those beautiful words that leave everyone in tears at the church. Sound familiar?
You see, even with the greatest plan and intentions, you need to complete the last step in the system - PASSIONATE EXECUTION - to achieve your commitments. In too many marriages, the passion wears off after a few months. The same happens in GOAL ACHIEVEMENT. Obstacles get in the way and people give up too easily. Now if you were prepared for those obstacles ahead of time from Step 4-Listing Obstacles and Step 5-Listing Resources to Overcome Obstacles one would be more confident and passionate and would not give up so easily.
Passion erupts from within. You can't buy it. You can't trade it. You can only create it by wanting something so bad that you BELIEVE nothing is going to stop you. Passion is created by being as prepared as possible, with a DETAILED PLAN in your hand.
When I was in sales in my mid twenties, I rose to the top of my game because I was the MOST PREPARED and the most PASSIONATE on the playing field. I didn't need to be the most experienced or the most knowledgeable. My competitors as well as fellow salespeople in the company were twice my age and had ten times the experience. But I out-planned them and out-serviced them in an efficient and methodical fashion. My competitors didn't even know what hit them when they lost their largest accounts. They were too busy worrying and complaining about how difficult it was in the industry and how messed up the world was. The average salesperson today is still worrying about the same concerns as 25 years ago. That's why they produce average or mediocre results. PLANNING AND PASSION PRODUCES EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS!
The second part of Step 7 is to KEEP SCORE. Today there are so many tools to accomplish keeping score. I happen to believe in using Spreadsheets to keep score. I have been doing so since the days of Apple Works on an Apple II-C back in 1983. Today I use Excel every day of my life to keep score. Doing so motivates me and CREATES my passion to achieve my goals on time. I break down goals into small measurable and manageable pieces. I know what I need to do each day and I DO IT! No excuses. Keeping score is one of the most overlooked steps in Goal Achievement.
I learned Spreadsheet Skills by taking several night classes at local high schools and colleges. My first class was Apple works in 1983 and I've taken follow up courses for use on my IBM XT in 1985 through Office XP Professional, which is what I use today. You can do the same by always investing time in YOURSELF to learn new skills.
Get inspired, Get PASSIONATE and KEEP SCORE!
Let us know what level of FIRE and PASSION you generate, to execute the plans for the goals you set? This poll will end on Sunday 03/02/03. Watch for the results and summary by Monday morning 03/03/03.
Results:
- 48% voted-executing their plans with AVERAGE 80% passion
- 27% voted-executing their plans with FAIR 70% passion
- 19% voted-executing their plans with HIGH 90% passion
- 04% voted-executing their plans with POOR 60% passion
- 02% voted-executing their plans with EXTREME 90% passion
Post-Poll Commentary:
Our leading poll vote at 48% of respondents said they executed their goal plans at an AVERAGE (80%) Passion Rating. Only 2% believed they were extremely passionate about executing their goals. This leaves us a lot of room for improvement.
Your Passion Level coupled with your attitude can be compared to the type of fuel that is used to power a vehicle. Exercising EXTREME PASSION is like using ROCKET FUEL vs. LEADED GASOLINE for the AVERAGE PASSION level. Only you can decide what fuel grade you would like to use to fill up your tank before takeoff.
My belief is that your level of preparation in the first six steps of our GOAL PLANNING SYSTEM, will have a direct influence in your level of passion in executing your goals.
As an example of how passion is created, let's take a look at the U.S. Military in these days of possible war with Iraq. When you see the interviews on TV of our President, Secretary of Defense, Officers and Soldiers regarding the war, you see an attitude that we WILL WIN the war if it occurs. They are all passionate about executing the well thought out plans that have been made. This feeling of passion is created by their belief that WE ARE PREPARED and READY to reach our goals.
When you feel that you are TOTALLY READY to take on your goal, you will begin with a high degree of passion. However, as you run into your obstacles, your passion could easily wane. Let's use an example of two football teams entering a championship game, each well prepared and feeling extremely passionate about winning. They each execute well, however the momentum swings several times during the game due to fumbles, interceptions, bad calls by the refs or goal line stands. But in the end, the team that was more prepared both physically, mentally and strategically with a great game plan, usually overcomes every setback and wins the game.
How we as individuals prepare, execute, overcome obstacles and stay passionate is no different than the military or football examples. It takes a lot to be a winner in the competitive world we live in today. You need every advantage possible.
We hope you have found some value in our GOAL PLANNING SYSTEM and can tweak it to your needs. It lays the groundwork for you to build your own system, to achieve the many worthy goals you will be seeking during your life. We wish you THE BEST in all your endeavors.