3 things to write about here: Goals, visualization and performance
Tomorrow, I will race in the Santa Barbara triathlon. I chose the Sprint Distance race, one that I've done a total of 4 times in the past.
While I was up in SB today, scoping out the course and getting my "mind set" for the race, I had a nice "Twitter conversation" with a colleague,Rob, in Europe. Here it is:
[Rob] @7breaths_ Good luck with tomorrows tri, any goals set for this one?
[me] @JasonWomack Do I have a goal for the triathlon tomorrow? Of course! Always (and this is not JUST about sport) perform with a SMART goal.
[Rob] @7breaths_ SMART goals do help don't they. I'm tending to do a lot of visulisation prior to training these days, find it helps - do you?
Goals
I see the three words of the title of this post a significan [aka: crucial] aspect of excellence. As soon as we "sign up" for event (a presentation at work, an athletic endeavor, going on a vacation with friends or family, etc) the goal-setting process begins. At it's very core, I'd defind a goal as: "Something I kinda hope happens."
I know, it's not a tight definition; but then again, the goal setting and goal achievement process is a loose one, isn't it? We see something, hear something, meet someone and our worldview changes.
Visualization
Visualization is - for me - foremost an external process, and THEN an internal one. (Below, you'll see my latest "vision board." As a participant in one of Keith Ferrazzi's classes, I completed this assignment to make a visual representation of the things I'm focused on...)
Allow your thinking to "get out," and then watch how your world gives you the small hints, tips and opportunities to achieve those things yo're thinking about. Right now, on the bathroom mirror at home, I wrote (with a dry erase pen) the following
40
40
40
That's a reminder to myself that I need to: Read 40 pages, Write 40 sentences, Exercise 40 minutes - every day I'm home this week.
Performance
The race starts early (7am, Pacific time zone, if you're up and want to send a "fast thought" our way...) and it will be a short one. If all goes according to plan...
...oh, wait, that's one thing about goals. You've got to be careful about who you share them with. I usually err on the side of NOT advertising ALL of my goals to everyone. In this case, the goals I have set I will share with my race mentor tonight over dinner. I'll leave it to tomorrow to let you know if I reached them! Suffice it to say, as we write about on pages 22 and 23 of our book, my 3 goals are extremely specific and "just" believable!