Whatever It Takes
Posted by Sitkins Advisor on Thu, Oct 13, 2011 @ 06:00 AM
As summer comes to a close, organizations are taking a look at their progress and making that last push to hit their yearly goals. Unfortunately many individuals and organizations are nowhere close to where they hoped they would be. Why is that?
- Some set their goals too far out. - For some, they can’t stay focused or don’t have the complexity to see a yearly plan through.
- Sales people may be ‘forced’ to set goals so they throw something down without commitment.
- No accountability. If there are no consequences then there is no ongoing driving force.
- Getting better or accomplishing something great seems good, but most people are not willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen.
I recently heard a story about an IronMan competitor. This man was only a few miles into the bike leg of the race when his seat fell off his bike. For most people, even those on a leisurely ride on the beach, this would be a very easy excuse to stop. That was not the case for this guy. He had worked extremely hard to qualify for Kona which is the World Championship. His drive and determination wouldn’t allow him to quit, because he was willing to sacrifice and do whatever it took to finish.
So what did he do? He rode the remaining 85 miles on his water bottle! He took his little plastic water bottle placed it on the stem where his seat used to be and he pushed on. Riding a bike for 112 miles (the total bike portion) is agonizing enough. Can you imagine doing it on a water bottle? What if he hit a bump? What if the bottle collapsed? These thoughts would be enough to make almost anyone pull out of the race. Not this guy. He was committed to the end - to the finish line. Nothing was going to stand in his way.
What if you had that kind of commitment to your end game? What if you had a whatever it takes attitude? What if you refused to allow anything to get in the way of your goal?
Next time things seem hard, like: practicing your presentation, doing a little research, working on your brand, learning new technical skills, catching up on current events, or working your pipeline ask yourself - is it worth it?
Are you willing to do whatever it takes to hit your goals? What could you accomplish if you did?
If this resonates with you, try putting a water bottle on your desk to remind you. It may force you to pick up the phone and call someone. That bottle could be a reminder that things could be a whole lot worse.
The Author, Patrick Sitkins, is Vice President of Sitkins International.