Should you set your goals high, or a bit lower?

Hi Dien,
excuse the title to this post. I "borrowed" it from a movie...anyway it applies.

You are a breath of fresh air to and for me.

I very seldom meet people anywhere who have lofty goals. It is frustrating because we, who may have lofty goals, find it difficult to relate to others, at least I do.

When I begin to expound and articulate about the possibilities and abilities inherent in each of us, people look at me as if I am using crack or something.

My question is this: How come regular people cannot dream and become and rise up to new heights? Will only our basest desires be met and not our cherished ideals and dreams, will they go unmet, unrealized. I think not!

Besides, at one time, every billionaire was normal, true?

It gets depressing...

For instance, I can recall, vividly, the time I informed my so-called peers that the construction my uncle own's, in Mpls., MN, would be in the BE100.

Within three uyears we made it into the BE100, actually we were numer 10 or so for a couple years.

We had gross sales in excess of 126,000,000.00. I can recall photocopying checks for 2,000,000.00, 7,000.000.00, etc.

It was great because we were accomplishing something we wanted to accomplish in spite of the naysayers who constantly told us we were striving after the wind.

Now, to be sure, Dien, it ain't all about dollars. I feel, deeply, that whatever you are doing you should do it to the very best of your ability. Do it like Michaelangelo painted or like Picasso drew...

Do it better than anyone before you did it or anyone after you shall do it.

Compete daily against your own self, go outside your comfort zone and always remember that anything worth doing is worth doing badly...

AT FIRST.

Dien, thnaks for the inspiration and guidance...it will go far with me, trust me. I latch onto any flash of light that will further me in any way, shape or form.

Taylor

> Hi Taylor!

> Yes, I'm the same. :)

> I like getting to the roots of things, to
> the core of what's happening.... And without
> a doubt, how you set your goals (whether
> consciously or sub-consciously) is a core
> element for why successful people are so
> successful....

> Heheh.... You know what, Taylor? I was going
> to write something about
> "miracles" in my original message,
> but then I thought people would wonder what
> I was talking about....

> But you took the words out of my mouth!

> I feel many "miracles" have
> happened in my life too. And I attribute a
> part of that to aiming high.... If you
> settle for the mundane, those
> "miracles" are less likely to
> occur.

> There can be frustrations along the way, no
> doubt about it. There have been times when
> I've even felt like a big failure, and
> started to despair. I've found that this is
> a normal part of aiming high, being willing
> to risk these kind of feelings. However, I
> try to get over these feelings and keep my
> eyes on my dream, and persist.... Then I
> find that the rewards in the end more than
> make up for the difficulties!

> Wow, that's true.... I hadn't really thought
> of that, but I think there's a lot of truth
> to what you said.

> Taylor, I can really relate to what you
> wrote!

> I'm discovering that I go through a pattern
> in any serious endeavor I undertake.... I
> did this when I was focusing on my physics
> career, and I did it when I was focusing on
> being a successful investor. (I count both
> of these endeavors as having been successes
> for me -- I have several physics research
> articles, and I'm doing well on the stock
> market.) Now I've started to notice that I'm
> going through this pattern with
> "entrepreneurship" too....

> Here's the pattern. It might not fit
> everyone, but in case anyone benefits from
> this, this is what I seem to do....

> First, I start to read up ALL I can on the
> topic. That means a LOT. It can take a long
> time too (it depends on how big that topic
> is). I read every day.

> After some time reading, I'll often start to
> do some "experiments" here and
> there.... Try to apply the principles. (For
> example, "Entrepreneur-Web" -- my
> other web site -- was one of my experiments
> which I started a couple of years ago.... I
> learned quite a lot from doing it.)

> After a certain amount of time, I'll start
> to feel like I'm quite knowledgeable on the
> topic. I'll get to a stage where I feel that
> I know a significant chunk of what's known
> which is important about a topic.... (This
> can take anywhere from a few months, to a
> few years.)

> For example, I'm now at the stage that when
> I go to the "business" section in
> a bookstore, I feel like I probably know in
> essence what's contained in about 95% of the
> books. It's getting harder to find books
> with something "new" for me to
> learn from. When I get this kind of feeling,
> I find my confidence begins to soar....

> That's when I feel I've got to apply this
> knowledge really SERIOUSLY. That is, big
> time, since I feel I've begun to reach the
> limit of basic study. I'm now finally at
> that stage with my
> "entrepreneurship" studies....

> The next stage is to apply what I do know
> "big time," and see if it works.
> This is different from my
> "experiments," where I'm usually a
> bit more timid. Instead, I start to go all
> out, using all the knowledge and skills I've
> accumulated....

> For example, with business, I do believe
> there are certain "keys" which
> distinguish those businesses which stay
> small from those which become large. I'd say
> that outsourcing some of the work, or
> employing others -- which can be thought of
> as leveraging other people's time -- is a
> big part of that....

> And there are other shortcuts too. For
> example, using a celebrity as a spokesperson
> is a "shortcut" to achieving
> credibility and gaining the attention of
> your prospect. (And clearly this shortcut is
> used in advertisements all the time.)
> Whether you use this technique or not, it's
> powerful to have this kind of knowledge
> available to you to use in case you choose
> to....

> Yes, Taylor, I agree with you here. The way
> to go is to fashion your own destiny. :)

> While you do experience frustrations on this
> path, the exhuberance you feel makes it well
> worth it!

> Heheh.... Taylor, yes, here I'll get back to
> "miracles"....

> I feel incredibly lucky. And these
> "miracles" that I feel have
> happened to me too, I believe they are
> partly due to setting high goals.... and....
> praying. I have explored many traditions,
> and I believe in the power of prayer, and
> trusting in God (or a "higher
> power").

> Those who are skeptical may say that it is
> all some kind of psychological effect. But
> however people choose to interpret it, the
> fact is prayer and trust in a "higher
> power" can and does make a difference.
> (That's why they use this in 12 Steps
> programs to treat alcoholics -- it's
> powerful and it's been proven to work. It
> can change your life.)

> Heheh, very true Taylor!

> Well.... You know what? My
> "secret" goal is to be a
> billionaire one day, but to do it ethically,
> and to enjoy myself as I go along. (That's
> partly why I try to study the lives of
> billionaires, like Richard Branson, Ross
> Perot, or Warren Buffett.)

> (It's not worth it to me to do it
> unethically, though, or to sacrifice the
> more important things in life, like friends
> and family. I think it's important to get
> your priorities straight. Good friends and
> family will probably do more to make you
> happy than lots of money will.)

> Then I'd like to perhaps set up a charitable
> foundation which was funded purely through
> the returns on investments of some of this.
> That's so some good could come out of this,
> and hopefully will also continue after I
> die.

> Another long term goal of mine is to found a
> scientific research institute, and also
> perhaps a private university (or two).

> Lofty goals, I know. To many people, they
> may even sound silly. But these long term
> goals are always in the back of my mind. :)

> They keep me motivated. :)

> Thanks Taylor, you spoke a lot of truths....
> :)

> - Dien