The Positive Impact of a Goal to Focus On

by Brian Lloyd | April 27, 2020 | General | 5 comments

"You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight."

— Jim Rohn

Goals, even small or short‐term goals, can focus us in a way that can shift our perception of the world around us.

This morning I started a 5k training program. A few days ago I set the goal of running my best 5k by the end of May. Let’s be clear, I have been running almost zero times in the past year. I occasionally get goaded into chasing my boys on their scooters (and…have to endure their cackling laughs as they exclaim “DADDY’S RUNNING!!!!”…all while still outpacing me easily on their scooters).

I was going to write last week about the idea of using this crisis to rise up – setting big goals for transformation and stepping up to new levels, but today I experienced a very different impact of goal setting. I had been wanting to get back in the habit of running for weeks. As I said in my last post (Letting Go), I have frequently been getting swept down the rabbit hole of angst and high productivity; pushing myself to run X times per week wasn’t getting any traction. It’s just too easy to put it off until tomorrow. But once I set a goal, it started to activate. It also took my mind off of the present and all the other things I could’ve spun myself into at my computer. A small positive step that has the potential to be a positive habit and bring one little healthy element to the structure of my days. It feels wonderful.

Goals can focus us and that focus has a powerful ability to change our perception of the world around us. Do you have a project or a goal you’ve taken on or want to take on during this crisis? Obviously, we get to see people move forward in a positive way on their financial goals every day in my professional world, and I have seen that be incredibly empowering and impactful in the midst of this crisis, but really any goal can have this impact. A project, a short-term goal, a new adventure large or small. With all the very real stress and suffering going on in our world today, it would be great to share the stories we all have of little wins we get from the projects and goals we find space for as we shelter in place. We’d love to hear yours!

Be well and stay safe!

5 Comments

Trudy on April 27, 2020 at 12:30 pm

I loved reading your journal!

Until now I haven’t thought of it as such, I have set and completed one small goal during this strange time.

When we started hearing about restrictions on movement and personal contact along with recommendations for wearing face masks in public I did a little research on best construction techniques for home made masks. At first I planned to make just a couple for my husband and myself. Then as relatives neighbors and friends began expressing interest I made a list and set to work. Then, just as I finished the last of many requested masks my elastic ran out! That’s fortunate as elastic is like hand sanitizer, TP and gold – pretty much unavailable.

Now it’s on to my other “small goals”.
Reply
- Brian Lloyd on April 28, 2020 at 12:17 pm
  
  Thanks Trudy!
  
  I love your story! Thanks for sharing! I had no idea elastic would be in short supply, but it makes total sense. Strange times indeed!
  
  Can’t wait to hear about your next project(s)!
  Reply
Sarah (Sally) on April 27, 2020 at 3:23 pm

If you woukd like to share your e-mail address, I have a humerous you tube video showing how simple it is to make a
facemask

Sally (Brian’s mom)..
Reply
Caryn on April 29, 2020 at 5:48 am

I’ll admit from the get-go, my project during these homebound days has none of the altruism of Trudy’s, but it is an inspirational Mega-of-a-Monster Project, nevertheless. It makes me smile while I‘m working on it and, truth be told, will probably make me smile even more when I’m done with it. At the rate I’m going, I estimate I’ll be crossing the finish line in, oh, maybe 5-6 years, provided I get no emails, texts, or need to take out the garbage during that period. No, I am not building a house with reclaimed nails; I am, however, going through boxes and boxes of photos and memorabilia that date back to my grade school days. To put that in perspective: I’m old enough now to qualify for Costco’s Senior Shopping Hours (tip: not worth taking advantage of—you still can’t get toilet paper.) So, as you can imagine, I’ve got quite a sizable collection to wade through. Just a moment. I forgot what I am supposed to be writing about here. Oh, right—how my Mega Project fits with Brian’s invitation to share our goals. Not sure this fits. It probably doesn’t. But, since I missed half of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills to write this (What the unreal ones are like?) I am going to submit this, anyway. Besides, it might serve as inspiration for the hundreds of people out there who still have their second grade drawings of the Easter Bunny or their first grade book reports of Jane and Dick go to the Park (See Dick Run.) Despite the powerful inspiration I’ve unknowingly provided, the real goal of my mega project is to bring me and others joy, something that is particularly important to me now, since this pandemic has got me stuck at home and I’ve already binged watched every episode of Tiger King. Twice.
Reply
- Brian Lloyd on May 14, 2020 at 8:44 am
  
  LOL. Thank you Caryn!!
  
  By the way, since you’re through Tiger King, I highly recommend “Last Dance” on ESPN. I am dangerously close to done with that one as well, but I think it’s safe to say it’s worth a second time through. After that, I am going to have t follow your lead into my box of photos, or go through all my old books and see which ones inspire me to read them again.
  
  Wishing you, and all of us, a little joy as you mention!
  Reply