Individual Flow Trigger: Clear Goals
Individual Flow Trigger: Clear Goals
Proper goal-setting tips you wish you knew yesterday!
In this edition, I’m breaking down the timelines for proper goal-setting, the neuroscience behind the Clear Goals flow trigger, and real world examples of them being applied.
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When considering “clear goals,” most of us have a tendency to skip over the adjective clear to get to the noun goals.
When told to set clear goals, we immediately visualize ourselves during the trophy ceremony, the Academy Award stage, or on the Fortune 500 list, saying, “I’ve been picturing this moment since I was a kid.”
We think that’s the point.
But the podium moment can pull us out of the present. Even if success is seconds away, it’s still a future event subject to hopes, fears, and all sorts of now-crushing distractions.
However, before we can nail the clear part of our goal-setting, we first have some prerequisite things to consider…
MTPs & HHGs
MTP stands for Massively Transformative Purpose. Massively means large and audacious. Transformative means being able to bring significant change to an industry, community, or planet. And purpose? A clear why behind the work being done.
This can also be considered a mission statement for our lives.
Here, we want to break that mission statement down into smaller chunks, leading to…
HHGs, which stands for “High, hard goals”—the technical term for big goals.
MTPs are along the lines of “discoverable ways to end world hunger,” while a high, hard goal (HHG) is a major step along that path, such as “get a degree in nutrition”.
High, hard goals are our longer missions, the ones that can take years to achieve. They’re big steps toward our big dreams. But broken down into small chunks, they lead to…
Clear Goals
Clear goals tell us where and when to put our attention. If our goals are clear, the brain doesn’t have to worry about what to do or what to do next—it already knows. Thus focus tightens, motivation heightens, and extraneous information gets filtered out.
This lowers cognitive load and frees up extra energy, which can then be repurposed for attention. Action and awareness can start to merge, and we’re pulled even deeper into the now. And in the now, there’s no past or future and a lot less room for self.
Taken together, what all this means is that proper goal setting requires three sets of goals: massively transformative, high and hard, and clear—for three different timescales.
MTPs last a lifetime
High, Hard Goals can take years
Clear Goals are accomplished one minute at a time
How I Use Clear Goals 😎
In the early 2010s, neuroscience and peak performance wasn’t what it is today. I didn’t have the privilege of using the strategies we have today to properly discover my MTPs, HHGs, and clear goals.
However, human optimization is innate. Ever since we were hunters and gatherers, our biology has optimized our performance to enable survival in life or death situations.
We have less of these situations today due to A/C, WiFi, & dollar menus; yet our biology is still hardwired to prefer optimal performance.
So looking back on things, I can pinpoint what my MTP, HHGs, and clear goals possibly were. And with what I know now, it’s crazy to think how spot on the methodology was.
MTP: own a franchise of gyms
I remember being 22 and working at a YMCA. And during the interview process, I shared this “MTP” with my boss. This MTP was incorrect for many reasons (I’ll share why at the end of the newsletter). But at the time, it served it’s “purpose”—pun intended.
HHG: learn business skills to properly run a gym
After I got started in sales, I was extremely curious about the advancement I could make in management to gain the skills I needed. My point guard instincts always took over in the office, as I frequently looked for ways to help the team and lift different sales reps up.
The Mobile office I worked out of was a part of the SEC (Southeast Coast) Division and covered parts of Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee—of course using “SEC” helped with recruiting reps to join a championship division. My Division Manager, Danny Feldman, had a high, hard goal of his own to expand the division—which connected with my high, hard goal. So becoming a District Manager of my own office within my own territory became another HHG.
Clear Goal: improve personal sales!
My District Manager in Mobile made it clear that if I was going to get onto Danny’s radar when it came to management, I had to continue increasing my sales. Danny also ran the Birmingham office that was the HQ for the Division—and also a top office in the nation for sales rep productivity.
To prove I could run my own office, I had to first show I could lead from the front with producing sales of my own.
That clear goal eventually happened…
Which lead to me passing 6 promotions in 9 months to become a District Manager of the Florence, Al territory…
And me owning a franchise of gyms?
Stay tuned…
How The Greats Use Clear Goals 🤌🏾
We’re all familiar with the greatness of LeBron. We also know that he’s had goals of playing with Bronny in the NBA from seeing the Griffeys do the same in the MLB. In high school, he labeled himself a “pass first player”—a clear goal. Now it’s difficult to label what are MTPs or HHGs of his; but it’s safe to say this focus leads to very clear goals that tighten his focus, pull him deeper into the now, and leave a lot less room for self.
In an interview with FIBA, Tina Charles shared that her motto was, “Whatever the situation, give thanks.” This may very well be an MTP or HHG, but the clear goals it dwindles down to forces her to pay close attention to every situation and extract something to be thankful for—which transcends over into basketball where she is an all-time great.
“If you listen to me I’ll make you the best big man ever.” That’s what Shaq’s dad told him early on in life—one hell of a clear goal! A sound argument can be made that he’s the most dominant big man the NBA has ever seen.
This Week’s Book Recommendation📖
People are using this simple, powerful concept to focus on what matters most in their personal and work lives. Companies are helping their employees be more productive with study groups, training, and coaching. Sales teams are boosting sales. Churches are conducting classes and recommending for their members.
By focusing their energy on One Thing at a time people are living more rewarding lives by building their careers, strengthening their finances, losing weight and getting in shape, deepening their faith, and nurturing stronger marriages and personal relationships.
Last Words…
As you can see by now, clear goals are as good as the massively transformative purpose they derive from.
So what makes a good MTP?
Well, lets focus on what makes a bad one…
MTPs shouldn’t be outcome related, nor quantifiable.
“Run a franchise of gyms” can be measured and pursued. Which means this is a bad life mission statement.
Today, one of my MTPs is to help student-athletes transition to play the infinite game of life.
Two things…
This MTP is infinite in itself. I can literally do this until the day I die.
It’s not aspirational, it’s filtrational!
A good MTP provides clarity on what to focus on, but more importantly, what to NOT focus on!
Which leads to a good focusing high, hard goal.
And leads to a good focusing clear goal.
Hope this added the fuel to ferociously launch your week! ♾️🔥🚀
See you next Monday! 😎
And when it comes to the infinite game of life…
Choose Flow.
Be Brilliant.
Ball Out.
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