What Are You Aiming At?

It is very difficult to hit a target if you haven’t yet identified where or at what you are aiming. Zig Ziglar has another way of saying the same thing, “If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.”

Have you noticed a lot of folks are aimless these days? It seems people are waking up every day, going through the motions, and wandering through life. They may have an idea or a glimpse of what they want their life to look like but certainly lack a clear plan or path to get there. This is not intentional living.

Even if goals are made, they are often vague and unmeasurable. “I should read more” is an idea. “I want to read one new book a month and I will accomplish that by reading at least one chapter four or more nights every week” is an actual goal. By being specific and engaging in immediate action, we immediately hold ourselves more accountable. “I want to lose weight” is a far cry from “I will lose 10lbs in three months by cutting out snacking after dinner and running an extra 15 minutes three times a week. So tonight, no snacks!”

Goals must be specific and measurable but they also must be attached to a plan of action – a process breaking down a much larger goal into bite sized pieces. Dreams can be daunting and may intimidate us from taking action which leads to procrastination and excuses. A plan not only divides those ambitions into manageable parts, it also should require immediate action – “In order for me to accomplish X in the future, I must start doing Y today.”

Intentional living requires engaging in consistent and deliberate action. It also demands you have a clear picture of your target. You aren’t just randomly shooting into the woods and hoping a trophy buck runs into your bullet (some of you just smiled or chuckled to yourself but that’s how a lot of people approach life). Start seeking specific targets and clearly defined destinations. Then work on the steps necessary to reach those goals, including an immediate action step you must execute TODAY. Many people wait their entire lives waiting for tomorrow to begin their journey. Also, never expect great outcomes from mediocre aiming.

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