by Charles George
What can you learn about reaching your goals from a dog playing fetch on the beach?
Recently, I visited some friends at their vacation home.
Early each morning, I took their Labrador Retriever, Moose, to the beach. While we were there, the dog engaged me in a game of fetch.
I would throw the ball, and he would chase it, bring it back and then drop it near me.
It didn’t take long to notice that as soon as Moose dropped the ball, he would turn and start running in the direction of where he thought I was going to throw the ball.
Now, he didn’t know exactly where I was going to throw the ball. But he would sprint in the direction he thought I was going to throw it.
As he ran, he would track the ball in the air by listening and watching for the ball.
As soon the ball would hit the ground, he would run to it, scoop it in his mouth, and then bring it to me.
Sometimes, to test his skills, I would throw the ball in his direction, but a distance away from where he was running. Then, he would hear the ball land, move in the direction of the ball, and search for the ball. Eventually, he would find it, grab it in his mouth and then sprint back to me.
We repeated this routine for at least thirty minutes.
I was fascinated by how Moose had optimized the game of fetch so he could chase as many balls as possible during the time we had together.
There are several reasons why I was so intrigued.
3 Components to Achieve Any Goal
According to John Assaraf, achieving any goal requires 3 things, the right mindset, your skillset, and actionset. Moose demonstrated all three factors while playing this game that he obviously loved.
1. Mindset
The first requirement of achieving any goal is having the right mindset to achieve the goal. Without the right mindset, no matter how hard we try, we will fail to reach the goal.
Having the right mindset has to do with your self-image, your belief in yourself, your ability to focus, your creativity, and your persistence.
Moose loved retrieving the ball. That was his only mission of the moment and it captured his complete focus.
2. Skillset
Often, we set goals but do not have the skills yet to achieve the goal. Acquiring the skills often takes time before we can achieve the goal. Developing the skills requires repetition, practice, and patience. The repetition and striving to improve leads to eventually attaining the skills to achieve the goal.
This was not the dog’s first time playing fetch. This is an activity that he has perfected over the last 6 years. The dog’s abilities to track the ball were refined.
The dog’s advanced skills of running before I threw the ball reminds me of the Wayne Gretzky quote, “I skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.”
3. Actionset
Often, we set a goal and don’t know exactly how we will achieve the goal, but we start moving in the direction of the achievement. As we move, the path to reach the goal becomes more precise.
Moose didn’t know exactly where the ball was going to land, he just started moving. Once the ball hit the ground, then he focused on the ball. The dog running before I even through the ball allowed him to retrieve the ball faster than if he waited until I threw the ball.
Fun, Patience, and Persistence
Taking action is critical for success. Taking action can lead to acquiring the skills to perform at a high level. As we have more and more success, it can build more confidence and help you develop the right mindset.
The biggest mistakes people make when they fail to achieve their goals are that they never start or give up too quickly. Goals aren’t achieved in a microwave oven. Often, reaching your goals requires time, patience, and persistence.
Remember, reaching and achieving your goals is more about the journey than arriving at a destination.
Moose didn’t start playing fetch to perform at a high level. He started performing at a high level because he loves playing fetch. Over time, as he continued to chase balls his skills got better and better. It’s his enjoyment of playing fetch that propelled him to improve his skills.
Such is life. Enjoy each moment and have fun and try to improve each day.
Naturally, the fun and the repetition will lead to you improving your mindset, increasing your skills, and taking more action. These three components will lead to achieving your goals and performing at a higher level.
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