Are you setting goals this year? Then, eliminate the escape routes!

Setting and accomplishing goals are two very different things! It’s relatively easy to set a goal, whereas accomplishing goals takes a lot of effort, planning, and initiative. So how does one actually fulfill their dreams? There are many different tactics but in this article, we are going to focus on one of our favorites — eliminate escape routes! It is tempting to retreat to safety and comfort when challenges and difficulties arise. To avoid turning around and abandoning your goals, you must make going forward more compelling than going back.

Burning the Ships

When Spanish Conquistador Hernando Cortez landed in Mexico, one of his first orders to his men was to burn the ships. Cortez was committed to his mission and did not want to allow himself or his men the option of going back to Spain. By removing this option, Cortez and his men were forced to focus on how they could make the mission successful.

Identify and Obtain the Tools and Supplies You Need for Success!

Even after eliminating escape routes, accomplishing goals still requires prudent planning and managing. That said, it is important for you to identify and obtain the necessary tools and supplies needed to achieve your goal and understand that you can take risks without being careless or foolish!

Realistically, all goals have risks! However, there is a difference between risks and undue risks that cause stress! For example, if you are trying to get your company up and off the ground while still holding a full-time job, it might be easy to say, “If I quit my job, then I have to go ‘all in’ and make this new venture work!” However, leaving your job without a safety cushion can put you on a fast track to bankruptcy. Living in today’s modern world costs money, and if you no longer have an income (or a reserve) your basic needs may not be met!

Let’s go back to the Cortez example! Though he had his men burn the ships, he did not have them burn the food and supplies! See, cutting off an escape route to increase motivation and create the desire to press on where you might otherwise give up is very different from throwing all caution to the wind! 

So instead of quitting your job right away, it might be better to create a savings account or have a “journey job” (a job that is a stepping stone to what you really want). This will allow you to take the risk of leaving your current job without creating undue risk! 

Final Thoughts

If you have your heart set on a goal, you should go after it! Then identify the tools and supplies you need to fulfill your dream and identify the escape routes that might lure you away from finishing your goal. Once the escape routes are identified, it’s time to start burning the ships! 

If you need help along the way, we are here for you! Schedule your complimentary discovery call today!