3 Days: It's a Journey, Not a Destination
/“How did I let this happen again?”
Oprah Winfrey famously said those words after tipping the scales at 200lbs in 2009.
This was 4 years after she was toned, fit, and believed she finally had “conquered the weight battle”.
And that was the problem!
Because she believed the battle was won, she allowed herself to relax. She shifted her focus to her work, she created new personal goals, and she allowed herself to indulge from time to time.
After all, she won the battle! She didn’t need to worry about indulging as much.
Then, slowly but surely, she started putting on weight and until…Whoops. 200lbs.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN you're "DONE"
This is not just an Oprah problem, or even a weight-loss problem. This phenomenon happens with any goal.
When you’re working toward a goal, your brain will set up an internal reminder for any decision that might impact its success or failure.
For example:
If your goal is to go to the gym every morning, it will send you a reminder when choosing what to eat the night before, when to go to bed, etc.
If your goal is to eat healthier, it will remind you when you’re buying groceries, peering at menus, and trying to convince yourself you’ve earned a dessert.
Some people call this "the internal nag".
And, as we all know, it doesn’t mean you’ll make the right decision. But at least you’ll just be reminded of what the right decision is.
However, if you consider your goal “done” it will stop sending you those reminders. It considers the task “checked off” of your internal to-do list, and it’s time to focus on another task.
And if that task is unrelated...the scale tips to 200lbs again.
This is a phenomenon known as the “Zeignarik effect”. And it is why you should always view your goal as a journey, not a destination.
Because a journey is never finished....
The Will of Heroes JOURNEY
My ultimate goal with The Will of Heroes was never to raise $12,000 on Kickstarter.
My ultimate goal is to use the book to take a big step forward in fulfilling my life's purpose of strengthening the willpower of the world – one person at a time.
The $12,000 was simply the minimum amount I needed to produce it at the level of quality of a traditional publisher – and Kickstarter was the platform that could get it there.
Which is why it is time to set our sights on the next destination in our journey.
If we reach $13,000, I will be able to hit the recording studio and make the audio version available to everyone who is already getting the Ebook.
So it is still full steam ahead to keep executing on my plan, and writing my story.
And hopefully taking one more small step toward strengthening the willpower of the world – one person at a time.
RESULTS:
- What we needed today to reach our next goal: $192
- What we raised today from 7 backers: $235
- Key learning: My purpose is a journey, not a destination.
- Key takeaway for tomorrow: Stay just as motivated, disciplined, and willing to do whatever it takes to achieve the next small win.
