Goal Setting 101

In order to grade for black belt, there are a number of assignments that we must first complete. All of them seem somewhat daunting, but there is a purpose. And it’s funny how I end up being reminded of that purpose everytime I have a new assignment due.

Take for instance the 26 000 pushups to be completed in a 6 month period. Once you break it down into a manageable 150 per day, and then perhaps break it down into 3 or more sessions, then it isn’t really that impossible to do. Not to mention the strength you build.

We had a memorization assignment. This one worried me a bit, because when it comes to testing or having to present something orally, I tend to freeze and forget all I know. After a week or so, I figured out how to approach this one. But I had to first remind myself as to why I was doing this. We aren’t given these things so that we have something to do, but it a valuable tool that we are being taught to use. How to set a goal, break it down into more manageable parts so that the whole is so much easier and simpler to accomplish.

I think a lot of the time, we as people tend to fix our sights on a goal, and then leave that goal because it seems to big to accomplish. If you just have a goal, and no apparent plan, you will never get there.

You need to break it down. You can’t say I am going to college and it will happen. There are many steps you need to take to get there. Same thing applies to achieving a black belt. Now I am obviously not there yet, but I have been given the assignments to teach me how to actually attain it.

And I think the same would apply to training for the Tiger Challenge next Saturday. I couldn’t possibly just say, yes I am going to compete and then not train. First is the decision in which competitions to enter. Then what to perfom in each of those categories. And then to practice what I have chosen. And with practicing there also needs to be a plan. If I was to enter 6 things, I doubt I would accomplish much by trying to practice all 6 things in one go. Again, one would need to break it down and work on one or two things at a time.

Yes, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out (and I am certainly not a rocket scientist), but I do tend to focus on the big picture and struggle with trying to come up with a plan to get there. I have learned so much at Kung Fu about this, and it is something that I can apply to any goal in my life.

So with that being said, every assignment is a tool. And I have learned not to let them intimidate me, because I can do it. I can achieve anything if I break it down into manageable parts.