The Science and Art of Goals by Eric Ryan

The Science and Art of Goals
by Eric Ryan

Have you heard of Brian Tracy? Well, he is one of the world's leading success gurus, having given more than 2000 presentations, published twenty-six books, and sold more than 300 audio and video learning programs worldwide. With this in mind, I'll generally listen to what he has to say when it comes to the tools of success. That's why I bring your attention to this powerful line from his recent book, Create Your Own Future:

"The primary reason for great success is clear, specific, measurable goals and plans, written down and accompanied by a burning desire to accomplish them."

So, here is Mr. Success himself saying that the primary reason for success is two-fold:

You need to write down your goals and plans in clear, specific, and measurable ways, and

Your goals and plans need to be accompanied by a burning desire to accomplish them.

Let's call #1 above the science of goals and #2 the art of goals.

The science of goals is not too hard to get a handle on. If you visit the Goals section of the Resources page on our web site, you'll find several resources to help you or your organization learn some techniques to craft clear, specific, and measurable goals and plans.

The art of goals, however, is another story. There is no quick path to identifying your burning desires. For starters, however, I recommend that you read the following:

"Desire" — Chapter 2 of Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich. (Don't be misled by the title of this book—it is not just about getting rich. It's about learning how to pursue any goal. Originally published in 1937, this book is a classic and is still one of the best-selling self-improvement books over sixty-five years later.)

"Habit 2 — Begin With the End in Mind" in The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People by Stephen Covey. (There is a reason why this book is the fourth best-selling book in the English language. Read it.)

After reading and acting upon these chapters, you'll be a lot better prepared to identify and pursue your own burning desires.

For your team or organization, the key point to remember is that a burning desire—often referred to as a "vision statement" in the business world—cannot come from above. It needs to come from within so that everybody has buy-in and works toward a common end. Or it simply won't work over the long haul. Take a look at the Services section on our web site and see how we can help your team create its plans and vision.

The bottom line with all of this is, of course, to write some goals and start pursuing them. And then watch as you begin to grow your business and grow your life.

Eric Ryan is a marketing coach in Chico, CA, and a new member of the Best Year Yet International partners. He brings fabulous energy to everything he does. See his website at: www.thecoachingmarket.com.