High Performance Leadership

We can always imagine a better future and that's a great start to getting there. That's the fun part.  The hard part is the work. But you know that already. Set the goal, identify the plan, then get started. No one else is going to do it for you. -- doug smith

What do you want? Are you getting what you want? Intention is direction. Decide. And, then go. -- doug smith  

Keep your goals simple and keep your work on them steady. Goals are nice to have. Action is essential.  -- doug smith  

You don't have to trick yourself or hyper-motivate yourself to achieve your goals -- just pick goals that you really care about. It's not a great goal until you can't stop thinking about it. -- doug smith  

  Goals may not be the cause of all happiness, but they make a lot of happiness possible. What is the most important goal that you're working on today? -- doug smith

  Obvious, yet essential: The closer you get to a goal the less distance you have to go.  Keep going. -- doug smith

"It's just too hard!" they said, "and I can't find the motivation." "Where do you think motivation comes from?" "Powerful speakers, wonderful leaders, carefully written goals...I don't know." "You probably DO know. All of that is true -- we can find motivation in our circumstance, in our leaders, in our goals, but even if motivation smacks us in the face with a big wet kiss, unless we do something about it, what does it really mean?" "Is that supposed to be motivating?" "Only if you want it to be..." "But things are so tough!" "Sure they are. Always have been. Not likely to change. If the world was easy the soft would rule. If you don't want to BE ruled, you might need to find some inner motivation -- especially when you need it." Motivation matters most when times get tough. Find your motivation wherever you can. The reality is, motivation comes from yourself. -- doug smith

If a goal energies you, motivates you, and excites you it's a goal worth working hard on. To quote the Beastie Boys, "Get Busy!" -- doug smith  

If you dream ambitiously enough, there will be dreams that you need to let go. I had to let go of my dream to be a professional basketball player. I had to let go of my dream to jam with Crosby, Stills and Nash. You've probably let go of a few dreams, too. But there are two types of dreams. Dreams we had in the past, and dreams we still hold for the future. Letting go of dreams from the past is no reason to let go of dreams for the future. Hold on, baby. Dream on. -- doug smith  

Has anyone ever told you not to rest on your laurels? It's OK to celebrate. It's good to reflect on the bright spots. And then, with all of the possibilities in front of us -- to move forward.  -- doug smith

Whatever your hopes and dreams are, you'll get there faster with goals and action. -- doug smith

When you set your plans to achieve a goal, do you factor in the unknown? The unexpected is part of every goal calculation. How will other people react? What if your goal changes relevance just as you're able to finish it? What if you change your mind (or your heart?) The design for your plan to achieve a goal should factor in the unknown. -- doug smith

  As far as you've come, there is more to go... High performance leaders push beyond the status quo. -- doug smith

  Finding someone to share your goal with doubles your chances of success.  Partners provide energy. Team take us to new levels. People push us on. I'm going to start collaborating more...how about you? -- doug smith

  Set goals that set you up for success. You deserve it. Today's the day. -- doug smith

How important are your goals? Do you know how I can tell? I can tell how important a goal is by how disciplined and hard I work on them. Big effort = big importance. Little effort = just nice to have. Your effort measures the true value of your goal. I'm going to work today to put more effort into those goals that matter most. How about you? -- doug smith

You don't need to be perfect to take on a bigger goal. The goal is ready for you. Are you ready? -- doug smith

The song of success contains many variations. -- doug smith I'm not the world's greatest singer but wow do I love to sing. And, sure enough, I cannot sing everything. Almost no one can, of course. We're all limited by our vocal range and even though we can expand that vocal range, almost no one can sing ALL THE NOTES. And, we don't all like all the songs. Success is like that. What one person calls success, another might think of as torture. I know some jobs that people absolutely love that would irritate me to try to do. My own definition of success has evolved over the years. As I have discovered my limitations in some areas of aspiration (oh no, I CAN"T hit that note, or OH NO I'm NOT going to be a professional athlete!) I have also discovered new horizons -- all very colorful, exciting, and new. Success can be this simple: think of a goal, write it down, achieve it. Of course it's work. Naturally, there's much more to it than that. An...

Go for goals that light you up, even if they frighten you. -- doug smith

A goal too long to remember takes too long to solve. Set short goals. -- doug smith