Declare Victory

No matter the project, it is best before starting something to have a plan for finishing it. 

I think of each competitive season I coach as its own project, with the desired outcome being victory at the pinnacle competition defined by the athlete.  

To target a specific day, place, and event to work towards being victorious takes guts.

Why?

Because the other side of the coin is failure.

But failure is not as harsh or lasting as most think. 

The path to the declarative moment can be filled with small wins and small defeats. No one said you need a perfect record to declare victory on the target day. In fact, learning is what happens during the ups and downs towards completion of a project.

But a definitive date is needed.

And this is the error many amateurs make — they lack clarity and accountability, and ultimately results. They're too afraid to commit, make assertions, and declare their objective to achieve something by a specific time. As a result, they flounder, and often wonder why. I know from first-hand experience. 

It's far more powerful and effective to crisply define victory or defeat in advance, at the onset of a journey.

And in the end, success or failure doesn't matter nearly as much as knowing where you're going.

Thanks for reading. I'm glad you're here. // jm