If you could reach almost any goal in five years, would you be willing to start preparing today?
That is a question I always ask myself. My answer is almost undoubtedly yes. That being said, my goals do change as I proceed through life. Taking the long view is sometimes hard, given that we all want things sooner rather than later. How much nicer would it be to simply work twice as hard now and achieve those goals in half the time, am I right?
Well, what if the second question was, what if you couldn’t reach that goal unless you took the longer approach?
Incremental steps along the way take time. They take patience and nurturing. Skills develop by doing things more and more. Speed is one thing, experience is another. It goes without saying that there are inherent risks involved in trying to complete that five-year goal in two and a half. Burnout, damaged relationships, resentment, immaturity, overlooking mistakes, subpar work quality, etc. The list goes on. These are all things associated with moving too fast too soon.
Maybe the goal is on a three-year timeline or a 10-year timeline, the point is to use the timeline. Use the time you have to complete the steps the right way. If you want to be a better runner, run more. If you want to be a great runner, run more for five years. If you want to be a business owner/creator, create a business and run it for as long as you can, successfully.
The saying goes “Good things come to those who wait.” I say good things come to those who do and, even more so, to those who do over a long period of time.
Establish your goals and don’t be afraid of the long-term approach. It guarantees you more success than being short-sighted or impatient.
So in five years, where are you going to be?
Start now.
Written by: Rob Scherer, Vice President at Hunter Crown, LLC
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