January 2006

"The Vols trail by two and they've got one last shot. Trueblood comes off a screen...takes the three-pointer-r-r-r...HE MADE IT! Oh my!!!"

The dreams of my youth centered around sports and needless to say, I dreamed big. Unfortunately, I didn't really know the difference between Dreams and Goals. Actually, I never played basketball in my youth. My four varsity letters associated with hoops were for taping ankles, keeping stats and handing out water bottles. I dreamed of sports, but dreams never got me in the game much less hitting the game winning shot.

Interestingly enough, I blame Rick Pitino. It was only when I read his best-selling book, Success is a Choice, that I learned the difference between Dreams and Goals. I blame Coach Pitino because if he had written that book 10-years earlier, it might have inspired me to work my tail off and create some actual on-court memories rather than fictitious fantasy!

As Coach Pitino stated in his book, Dreams are where you want to be and Goals are how you get there. I've since learned the distinction. His ideas regarding realistic versus unrealistic goals and the hard work needed to accomplish your goals was greatly motivating to me. To his inspirations I want to add to just few thoughts.

Dreaming is great. However, if there is no plan in place as to how that Dream is to be accomplished, it is destined to forever be a prisoner of fantasy and ultimately left unrealized. Goals help move that Dream toward reality, if only one step at a time. A Goal is a blueprint for your success.  Every goal has three components: 1-What; 2-Why and 3-How.

What. First you must define what exactly you want to accomplish. For instance, your goal may involve a dream vacation, but if you can't decide on a destination, you end up vacationing in your driveway. In other words, if you want that vacation, first you need a destination. You need a dream. Be as specific as possible and quantify this aspect of your goal if possible.

Why. Now, with a well-define objective just waiting to be reached, the next step is to identify 'why' you want to achieve this goal. What value will the accomplishment mean to your life? What will it mean to your relationships with colleagues, family and friends? How will it enrich your life? Will the success help you realize financial goals? The bottom line is simple. The accomplishment of any worthwhile goal requires hard work. If you have a well-defined goal, it is vital to know what motivation exists for you to go after it. This "Why" will instill motivation that will help you persist and persevere when the going gets tough. The "Why" will give you the sticktoitiveness to stay with the plan.

How. Finally, with a specific goal in mind and the worthiness of the cause established, you are ready to create a plan of accomplishment. Ask yourself, "How am I going to get this done? What will it take for me to reach this goal?" Write down a step-by-step game plan and review it often in order to hold yourself accountable to persevering and realizing your big dreams.

As for me, I still dream big. While there are no game-winning buzzer-beater's in my future, Coach Pitino's thoughts on Dreams and Goals did inspire me. His thoughts on work ethic, deserving success, dreams and goals prompted me to leave the corporate culture and start BrandVision Marketing. Thanks Coach Pitino and Go Cards!

To buy a copy of Coach Pitino's book go to the Marketing Connection.

 © All Rights Reserved. Matthew Scott Trueblood and BrandVision Marketing. 2005.

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