I learned something listening to Bill Belichick discussing his preparations for the upcoming Superbowl XXXIX game. Or maybe, I remembered a lesson I’ve been taught, but forget often. Break it down.
Are you training for a marathon? You do so by putting out x-y-z mileage on a schedule and ramp yourself up every week until you can do all 26.2 miles. Are you trying to lose 100 pounds? You do so by improving nutrition and fitness at every angle. Are you looking to write a book? You do it word by word.
Breaking things down to their essence is vital for all our efforts.
I’m a project manager in my day job. I’ve learned through years of experience that most people just can’t envision the entire picture and still know what to do on the day-to-day. What becomes a critical part of my job is communicating to my teams what the day-to-day efforts must be to achieve the short-term goals, which will wrap up into the longer term goals.
Bill Belichick was talking about all the challenges the Patriots will face against the Philadelphia Eagles. When you hear him talk, the Pats are fighting for their lives, by the skin of their teeth, etc. These are the same Patriots who’ve won 2 out of the last 3 superbowls, who set new NFL records for consecutive wins, who are undefeated in their last eight playoff games. And yet, you have to plan and then execute against the daily efforts.
Stephen R. Covey, who wrote the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, breaks it down this way.
1.) Realize that you’re the author of your plan.
2.) Decide what your big goals are.
3.) Make your big goals the big focus of your days.
4.) Believe that everyone thinks they’re doing their best.
5.) Understand others.
6.) Work together.
7.) Renew.
The first three relate, in this case. You have to come to terms with the reality that only you can change your lot in life. Only you. Other people can affect your decisions, but ultimately, you choose. Without this major revelation, you’re doomed.
Then, decide what matters most. It’s hard to start with “lose 100 pounds.” It’s easier to start with: My continued health (or my improved health), or something that explains the benefits of what that 100 pounds will get you. You want to get sub 3 hours on your next marathon, but WHY? Because your goal is to run Boston? See? What matters most to you? Those should be your goals.
Finally, without some changes to how you spend your time, how will you achieve those things that matter most. If your goal is peak fitness, you can’t say there’s no time to workout. Because obviously, that means you’re not supporting what matters most to you. You have to put the things you say come first ahead of the things that you say do not. Is television first? Are dinners out first? Or can they come in fourth or fifth to your other goals?
Break things down further, though. If your goal is to run Boston, and that means running a sub-three-hour marathon, you have to make steps on the staircase to achieving that goal. If you’re at a five hour time, there’ll have to be all kinds of evaluation, training, etc, to get to 3. Try some of these break down methods.
By Time If you have five months to reach a goal you’ve set, break down your plan into five mini goals, and focus your energy on hitting the first of the five.
By Task Sometimes, there are just a million things to do to reach your goal. Well, start a list at #1, and work your way down. You might find along the way that you don’t need to accomplish all the items on the list to hit your goal. You might find that you have to add even more tasks. But at least you’re knocking them off as they come.
By Segment Say you’re running a marathon. If you run along and get to the first water station, it really feels cruddy to think, “Only 21.2 more miles to go.” Try segmenting your goals. Are there six water stations? Just focus on hitting the next one. If you ONLY hit the next water station, that’s okay. Same with mile pacing, etc. Can you break this thing down to ways that your head wraps around it? That’s the issue.
The weight loss aspect of my fitness goals is being handled this way. I lost 50 pounds without a world of effort between August and December 2003. Then, I went a year without losing a pound. Now, I’ve got two mini goals: one for 30 pounds and one for 20. For me, I only see the 30 I’m working on now. I also believe in my heart of hearts that if I achieve only the next 30, but not the final 20, I’ll be okay.
Watching the coach of the New England Patriots break down every strategy behind challenging the Eagles this coming Sunday reminded me of these lessons. I’m glad I got the reminder. The lesson is a good one to revisit often.
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