The Cost of Goals

It could have been ones I made for the year in a notebook, poster boards with lifelong goals, or weekly goals jotted down on a working paper.  I believe in the power of goals – setting them and getting a plan to achieve them.  I thought I was pretty good on goals until I ready the “Circle Maker” by Mark Batterson.  In there he outlines 115 lifelong goals, it challenged me to think bigger. 

I haven’t come up with a list of 115 goals though.  There just weren’t that many things I currently find valuable enough to put on the goal list. One of the reasons is usually achieving a goal will cost something.  It might be money, but more often it is a pain.  I think many times when I have failed at a goal it was because I didn’t take into account the pain it would cost to achieve the goal.   When I have been successful, I have planned for the pain.  I knew when I signed up to run a marathon; it was going to have a cost.  There were going to be training hours, sore muscles, but I was ready for that.  No one signs up for a marathon and thinks, “that will be easy.”

I am listening to “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*uck.” If you can get past that he uses the F-word a lot, I like some of the points.  One that I have re-listened to several times is that if you ask people what they want out of life, most of the answers are the same – happiness, significant relationships, job they love, financial stability.  A better question to ask is what pain do you want in life?  What are you willing to struggle for?

If you want great friendships – you have to be a great friend.  Be willing to help, be there for people, be vulnerable with them.  Want a great marriage – there will be some uncomfortable conversations, honesty when you don’t want to be, sacrifice that you don’t like.  Want a great body- you will have to go to the gym when you don’t want to (Even though I know you all want to go to OTF every time).  Eat things you don’t love and give up some of the ones you do love.

Mark Mason says, “Happiness requires struggle.  It grows out of problems.  Joy doesn’t just sprout out of the ground like daisies and rainbows; it is earned through managing struggle.”  I think this is so true!  When I thought about opening Orangetheory, it was the hardest thing I have ever done.  Initially, it was a struggle, and there were some tears and a few thoughts along the way of “what in the world did we get ourselves into?”  Today there are still days that there is a struggle, there always is in the running a business, but it is also a huge source of joy for me.  I love helping people accomplish something they didn’t believe they could – because their struggle will also bring them great joy!

My challenge for you is to create a goal list if you don’t have one, but also put what it will cost to achieve that goal.  There is always a price.  Plan for it upfront and it will help you when you want to quit!

Go and create the life of your dreams! You only get one shot!