Every year an event is held near my hometown that attracts the best people in a very narrow specialty. The National Rifle and Pistol Matches draws some of the best shooters from around the world and some of the finest guns ever made. When I was growing up, I met some of the shooters and, on a few occasions, some of the weapons. I have very little first hand with guns and shooting, but I have always been impressed with the level of commitment that motivates someone to acquire both the skill and the weapon to compete in an event like the National Rifle and Pistol Matches.

When I look at people who appear to have achieved success in anything, the common element I see is their ability to be specific about the goal they are after. It is far from easy, especially in a culture like ours that offers an infinite number of choices, to focus on a specific goal, aim for that goal and develop and carry out a plan for reaching it. There is actually a term for the difficulty of making a specific choice. FOMO–”Fear of Missing Out” means that making one specific choice rules out another choice. There are people who go from one thing to another believing that the newest thing on the horizon is better than the current one.

Being specific in setting goals doesn’t mean we can’t modify or even change direction. Many of you know I am more than twenty years into my second career. Another way of phrasing it, is that my career has taken two different paths–so far! Each has come from following a very specific dream. Each has utilized my primary gifts, and each has brought me satisfaction in achieving specific goals and objectives.

I often ask people, ”What would you do if time and money weren’t a factor?” I believe if we start at that point, we can come up with very specific dreams that can be turned into reality. Another question I sometimes ask is, ”What would you try if you knew you could not fail?” Ask yourself these questions, and you will be on the way to finding out what specific goals you have. You may find you are already working toward your goals. Fantastic! If so, keep up the good work and encourage others. If not, get specific with yourself about what dreams you would like to turn into goals.

Write down the specifics you come up with. Tell someone you trust what specifics you come up with. Both of these will get you on the road to accomplishing your dreams. Remember, be as specific as you can. This life is a fascinating journey if you know where you are planning to go.

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