On a recent visit to the Idea Toros School in McAllen Texas, I had an opportunity to talk to 5th and 6th graders. The topic: goal setting, along with some of my other favorites—the importance of reading, how to become a life-long learner and why curiosity is an essential trait. Soccer, kids, reading, public speaking—these are my sweet spots and I was excited.
I had come up with what I hoped was an interesting program—both informative and entertaining. I was ready even if I knew with young children, a curve ball could be lobbed at any moment.
After the requisite intros and high-fives, I got the kids to do a simple exercise—an ice-breaker if you will.
I asked them to stand up, put their arms out like a “T” and twist their bodies as far as they could go. Once they got to a point where they couldn’t go any further, I told them to take a deep breath and let it go. Once they relaxed, I asked them to see if they could stretch just a little bit more. When they saw they could, they got excited but just like the time before they eventually hit a stopping point. They couldn’t go any further, or so they thought. Once again, I asked them to take another big-gulp inhale, a relaxing exhale and twist a little further. They were amazed to see their bodies could to do what their minds told them they couldn’t. By now the kids were laughing and giggling and it was time to introduce the crux of the conversation: goal setting.
Creating a goal is one thing, but in order to find the true power and potential we have inside, it has to be strong and challenging enough to keep us engaged and motivated. If our goals are too weak or small, we might not be as energized and committed. The trick is to create a goal that is not too hard and not too easy. It adds the right amount of resistance for you to dig and tap into the unlimited possibilities we have inside us. To find those hidden gems, I’m always talking about.
No matter what goal you set it needs to be something that stretches you and pushes you beyond your current limits. Like my stretching exercise some of these limits are in our own mind. I asked them to go as far as they thought they could. And they did. But they didn’t realize how much further they could actually go until I gave them a few tips and techniques that helped them physically get there.
When you set, what I like to call big stretching goals, they have a unique way of inspiring and motivating us. As much as it sometimes feels or seems impossible to obtain that thing we’re going for, it’s just as exciting to think how great it will be to actually accomplish it. I explained to them that this is how I felt about writing my first children’s book. Writing a book was a dream goal. A stretch of my skill, imagination and willpower. It was a wonderfully challenging project that was so far out there and yet still a possibility. With a few techniques, some small wins and a little stretching I created one of my greatest achievements.