Scary Goals = Rewarding Achievements
Think back to a time you wrote out a goal. How did it make you feel? Did it feel achievable? Did you rest easy thinking about it?
Or, did it scare the absolute hell out of you?
If it scared you to the point that you struggled to sleep, eat, and you even had a mini panic attack about it, then it was the right goal.
If you wrote out a goal, and you achieved it within a few months without deep breathing, then you didn’t give yourself enough of a stretch goal.
Scary goals equal rewarding achievements.
The saying, “if it’s worth achieving, it’s worth fighting for,” is a direct reflection of this. That statement wasn’t built out of someone who wrote down a goal of running a mile in 100 minutes. That statement was built out of someone who said, “I’m going to break the record for an Iron Man triathlon!”
Scary? Yes! You could pass out, you could get exhausted, dehydrated, hurt yourself, the list goes on.
Worth achieving? Hell yes! How many people can say they have achieved this goal?
We as humans have a central mechanism built into us that keeps us protected from danger, it’s called our Sympathetic Nervous System or our SNS. It’s the part of our bodies that controls Fight or Flight. Our bodies and minds are built to stay away from danger, or scary situations. As soon as we sense them, we go into protection mode.
As soon as we start to approach a scary situation, we immediately back up as a first reaction. (Well some people do, then you have X Games people, skydivers, and thrill seekers, but that’s a different story)
The same happens when we start to think about achieving a scary goal. We may write down that we’re going to take first place in that Iron Man, but then after thinking more about it, maybe just signing up and participating is good enough.
But this is where the feeling of a scary goal pushes us outside of our comfort zone to grow. If we just think about signing up and participating, then we won’t take it as seriously. Then we won’t train as hard. We will be satisfied with getting the t-shirt and the bib. By the way, people will be impressed, because just showing up for an Iron Man is big enough. But will you be happy with your results?
If you write out the goal of taking first place, you will take it seriously, buy the equipment, train hard, mentally give it the energy it deserves, and even if you don’t take first place, you will still achieve greater results.
The fear of the goal pushes us to achieve more, just by nature of putting more mental energy into the cause.
The rewarding achievement comes as a result of putting forth a scary goal. Small goals are for everyone, big goals are for top performers.
I promise that if you set forth on a scary goal, you will be happy with the results. You can do it scared by the way. You don’t have to be brave at everything you do. It’s ok to let it cause anxiety in you, because that anxiety is our way of saying, “holy shit this could really be something big” once you accomplish the goal.
There are serious benefits for working to accomplish strong, scary, rewarding goals, including:
Personal Growth: When you set a goal that is beyond your comfort zone, you are likely to learn new skills, gain experience and develop as an individual. This process can help you become more confident and self-assured, and can enhance your overall sense of well-being. Remember, nobody invests in your personal growth except you. Only good will come out of these experiences.
Motivation: Setting a scary goal can be a powerful motivator. When you set a goal that you find intimidating or daunting, it can inspire you to work harder, stay focused and be more committed to achieving it. Remember the Iron Man concept, saying you want to finish first means you train harder, you’re motivated by the effort as opposed to the participation trophy.
Innovation: Scary goals often require creative and innovative solutions, which can lead to breakthroughs and new discoveries. By striving for something that seems impossible or unattainable, you may be more likely to come up with unique and innovative ideas. The fear of achieving the scary goal means you get more thoughtful in the approach.
Resiliency: When you set a challenging goal, you are likely to encounter obstacles along the way. By overcoming these obstacles, you can develop resilience and perseverance, which can help you succeed in other areas of your life as well. The highest performers in the world have overcome obstacles and challenges, leading them to push beyond the struggles, and making them stronger in the end.
Achieving greatness: Finally, setting and achieving a scary goal can be a tremendous accomplishment. It can help you push beyond your limits and achieve greatness, both personally and professionally. Who doesn’t want to say they accomplished a scary goal?
Whatever goal you have in mind that is scary, go forth, do it scary, and be happy with the results. Then go back out there and set another scary goal, and do it again!
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by Scott Bond
