Page 165 - Hard Goals

156 HARD Goals

becomes, the higher the possibility that you could fail. Now,
every study I cited earlier in the chapter says that won’t hap-
pen. The more diffi cult your goal, the better your performance
is likely to be. In fact, it’s because the diffi cult goal gives you a
jolt, stimulates your brain, gets you out of your comfort zone,
and excites you emotionally that you’re able to deliver your best
performance. But all that notwithstanding, a sizeable group of
folks are still fundamentally afraid that if they attempt a diffi -
cult goal they might fail. (And given many people’s history with
poorly designed goals that were doomed to fail from the get-go,
perhaps that’s a pretty understandable thought process.)
So how do we overcome that fear of failure? How do we
mentally get ourselves over that hump of trepidation (or anxiety
or fear or whatever you want to call it)? With a pretty simple
process that’s going to rewire the way we think. We tapped into
the emotional parts of our brain in the “Heartfelt” chapter and
the visual parts in the “Animated” chapter. In this chapter, we’re
going to be using the logical/analytical parts of our brain.
Step 1 of this process requires asking yourself a very simple
question: “What happens to me if I fail at this goal?” I say it’s
a simple question, but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy question.
Answering it truthfully requires a deep look into some of your
inner mental processes.
When I’m working with someone (or an entire organization)
to fi gure out what they’re really afraid will happen if they fail at
this goal, here are the kinds of answers I hear:

• People will think I’m weak and couldn’t hack it.
• I’ll be exposed as someone who talks a good game but
can’t deliver.
• People will be disappointed in me.