Managing Time and Setting Goals

Lt General Arjun Ray, PVSM, VSM (Retd)

Introduction - The Cultural Challenge

Time is more precious than money because it is not renewable. You cannot step twice into

the same river. Time is linear and is running out; it is finite. In India the challenge of time is

also cultural.

For the past three millennia, our approach towards time has been non-linear. The Hindu

psyche believes that time or kaal is cyclical because life does not cease with death.

Existence is timeless. Death is an entry into the next cycle of birth, and is, therefore, not an

end in itself. Philosophically, this explains why Indians in general are not time-conscious.

Procrastination comes to us naturally, and no one seems to be in a hurry when going about

their jobs. We think, everything will happen tomorrow.

Another significant cultural challenge is that Hinduism and even Buddhism preach that what

matters is the present. The goal is here and now. Gurus and masters recommend that to be

happy one should live in the present; for the past is an illusion, and the future is all about

ego. The Western view is that time is linear - it has a past, a present, and a future.

Why is Time Management so Important?

We are living in an over-communicative society.

Our lives are governed by new ground rules:

Instant gratification

- instant coffee, instant relationships, and instant

intimacy.

The age of speed dial, speed read, speed dating, and even speed yoga.

“Hurry-sickness” that is responsible for anxiety and Type A personalities.

Work is fast forward and no longer in slow motion − everything is real-time

analysis, real-time decision-making, and real-time auditing.

With our reducing attention-span, future lectures may be reduced to

seconds sound bytes.

On life’s speed track the rules are clear: On your mark, get set, Think!

Our senses are under severe assault by unprecedented information-overload.

Life is uncertain and chaotic.

Knowledge is becoming obsolete at an unparalleled rate. By 2015 it is expected that

knowledge will become obsolete every twenty-four hours.

Our inability to manage time creates severe stress, adversely affecting our health as well

as work output.

What is Time Management?

Time management is not about preparing TO DO lists, and time tabling, or how best to

utilize available time into days, weeks, or a month. The secret of time management is

managing oneself - seeking purpose in life, setting one’s vision, defining goals, and finding

leisure to contemplate. In short, managing oneself is to empower oneself and to deliver

happiness.

Life is in the fast lane. We are expected to deal simultaneously with several tasks at the

same time with equal efficiency. There is limited time available. How do we get more time

to get more things done? The only solution is to get more things done in less time.

To be happy we need time to manage ourselves, our jobs, our family, and our community.

For women, time management is challenging, as unlike most men, they have additional

domestic responsibilities. The entire family seems to depend on them. Their stress levels

have escalated too.

The secret of time

How not to procrastinate?

management is managing

oneself - seeking purpose in

How to delegate?

life, setting one’s vision,

These questions dog a person 24x7.

defining goals, and finding

If I have achieved more than several of my

leisure to contemplate.

colleagues, it is not because I am more

intelligent or hard working than them; it is because I used my time effectively. In other

words, I have been able to manage myself better than most of them.

Challenges Teachers Face

By habit, teachers are not accustomed to time management on a structured basis, because

traditional teacher-centric teaching does not place any real demands on managing time.

Moreover, the overwhelming majority of teachers do not consider that they have any role

except instructing students in the context of their subject. The only time management they

do is to “deliver” and complete the year’s syllabus in time for examinations. The idea that

teachers are leaders, and are responsible for whole-child development, has still to take

root. This is the first and most formidable challenge.

The second challenge is that mainly women comprise the teaching corps. While they are

naturally inclined to teach, they have to take care of their homes, their children, and scores

of other domestic responsibilities. Every home pivots around the woman of the house;

and rightly so. This creates serious problems of how to manage work-life balance.

The third challenge concerns the inherent motivation

“Great minds discuss ideas.

of a teacher. Why is a teacher a teacher in the first

place? For most it is either a job or a career; very

Average minds discuss

few look upon teaching as a calling or vocation.

events.

Jobs and careers are basically for money and

advancement in life. When the pay is not good and

Weak minds discuss

promotions are few and far between, the alienation

people.”

starts. Those motivated by a sense of calling or

vocation see teaching as contributing to the greater

good, to something larger than they are. For such

teachers, work is fulfilling in its own right, and not

merely because of money or advancement. To

them, managing time comes naturally.

I once read this on Twitter:

“Great minds discuss ideas.

Average minds discuss events.

Weak minds discuss people.”

If one spends over 80 percent of the time available discussing events and people (a

euphemism for trivia and gossip), we end up with mediocrity. This leaves very little time for

oneself and for ideas and concepts. The bottom-line is clear: average minds and weak

minds find time management difficult, and generally do not aspire to or insist on achieving

excellence. The matter is further complicated by routine distractions of school and home

life, procrastinations, the lack of personal discipline, and the acceptance that good is

enough. That one need not bother about becoming “better” or “best”! This is the fourth

challenge.

Agreement on a Common Manifesto for Teachers

There must be common consensus by teachers on fundamental premises before

embarking upon the mechanics and processes of time management. Let us call it the

common manifesto; only those who subscribe to it would want to manage their time. This is

legislated below:

The teacher looks upon teaching as more of a calling (or vocation), and not a job

or a career.

A teacher is a leader who aims at the whole development of the student, and not

just academic performance. As a leader the teacher’s prime responsibility is to:

Transform herself

Transform the child

Transform the school

Transform the community

The teacher empowers the student to become a lifelong learner by shifting the

responsibility for learning from teacher to student.

Likewise, the teacher is the student’s guru; she is primarily responsible for her

own personal and professional development.

The teacher is an expert in her subject domain, and not just a specialist. Experts

are persons who are trans-disciplinary.

It is equally important for students to be trained in time management. This

becomes a teacher’s responsibility, to be shared with parents, where possible.

Setting Goals

Most people are goal-less and this is one reason why they go through life miserable,

cynical, and pessimistic. They constantly remain part of the problem. On the other hand,

successful persons are ones who have been successful in goal-setting. This takes me

straight into the great debate: what is success? While there are many definitions,

simplistically put; to be successful is to be happy, to realize one’s full potential, to be self

aware, and attain one’s goals.

A person confided that he had everything life could give - wife, children, job, and money;

yet was lonely and miserable. Although he felt contented he had a deep vacuum within. His

condition could be summed up in two words - unhappiness and loneliness. My diagnosis

from a leadership perspective was straight forward: unhappiness arises when a person

does not have a higher purpose in life and is goal-less. This individual was so caught up

with work and family that he had no time to be alone with himself.

Another account of a middle aged teacher who has the best academic credentials any one

can ask for - a graduate from one of India’s IITs and a doctorate from an Ivy League

college in the United States. In the last twenty five years he has taught in college in the

United States, and then back to India into schools. On inquiry whether this was all by

design, the learned teacher replied that this was his karmic journey. According to him,

Hinduism does not advocate having goals. Just do your job and leave the rest to karma.

I have recounted these two incidents to underscore the importance that if you want to be

happy, you have to give meaning to life by reaching out, by taking charge of your destiny,

by vision.

We often wonder how average persons have become rich, famous and successful, vis-à-

vis those who are decidedly more intelligent than them, and endowed with great

competencies. The reason is not difficult to find. Average people who pursue goals will

always outstrip above average individuals who do not set goals. What differentiates

average and above average persons is goal-setting.

If I asked you what is 3 into 3 all would say it’s 9. But if I asked you what 2487 multiplied by

1593 is, most of you will not be able to answer. On the other hand, if you took a paper and

pencil and multiplied the two sets of numbers, each of you would get the answer right.

Goals are similar. If you seriously and honestly follow the process of writing or typing them,

(easier to reflect on each one and to revisit with the passing of time) you will be more

successful and happier than you are now.

To be purposeful, the goal-setting process should go through four steps: an evaluation of

one’s work-life balance, followed by a SWOT analyses of all key aspects of one’s life, a

clear inspiring vision, and then the final act of goal-setting. Unless these three steps are

done seriously and honestly, goal-setting is not possible.

Step 1: Work-Life Balance

While the essential content of leadership has remained constant, its context has changed.

The pressures of increased connectivity, rising uncertainty, and a pace of life that is hurtling

itself recklessly, there is an intense search for meaning and happiness. A new approach

towards leadership is needed, a model that improves performance at work, home,

community and the self, by integrating all parts of life, and all parts of an individual. This is

my visualization of a whole-person.

We need a new kind of leadership that will harmonize all domains of one’s life - work,

home, community and the self, as well as meet the expectations of all stakeholders who

matter most in one’s life. Leadership in business isn’t just about business. It is life.

Likewise, leadership in schools isn’t about curriculum; it’s about life.

Life, leadership and self-management are inevitably a balancing act. Getting the right

balance will always remain a formidable challenge, but its benefits are worth the effort -

happiness, self-awareness, and identity.

There are two very significant aspect of work-life balance that deserves serious attention.

First, most of the literature on the subject relates to work at a job and in the home. This is a

very narrow perspective of work life balance. The balance comes when we invest quality

time in all four circles of our life.

Second, and this the paradoxical and subversive part of my understanding of work-life

balance. Excellence in any field of life requires sacrifice and dedication. To achieve

excellence in any walk of life, and to realize your full potential and break a new path with a

powerful vision, you will have to promote yourself to what you are capable of becoming −

you must imbalance yourself. Walking the middle-path and trying to balance is

reserved for mediocrity. Imbalance does not imply losing a foothold. Imbalance means a

revaluation of focus in your life, and varying it from time to time as the needs of other

require.

If you desire mere contentment and mediocrity, go for ‘balance.’ If you want happiness,

then go for ‘imbalance.’ This is the price tag that comes with excellence. Are you prepared

to pay it?

On the surface this may appear contradictory to what has been said earlier in favour of

‘balance’. In this context leaders have to understand that they should seek balance at the

tactical level but imbalance at the strategic level. Both can coexist; it is difficult, but it can

be done. Remember the tight-rope walker; he is always imbalancing himself to achieve

balance. See Figure 1 below.

If you desire mere

contentment and mediocrity,

go for ‘balance.’ If you want

happiness, then go for

‘imbalance.’ This is the price

tag that comes with

excellence. Are you

prepared to pay it?

Figure 1: Work-Life Balance

There is no one-shoe-fits-all formula for getting work-life balance, but there are a few

experiments that may help you.

 To begin with, ascertain how well you are balanced.

 Identify four or five most important people in your work life, family environment, and

stakeholders in the community. Thereafter, list out their performance expectations

from you, and then write down what are your expectations from them. The challenge

will be how to strengthen the relationships and make them more compatible.

 The third experiment will aim at drawing four circles each being size appropriate;

and then figuring out what has to be done to overlap them.

Domain

Importance

Attention

Satisfaction

Work/Career

Home/Family

Community/Society

Self : Mind, body

and spirit

Total

100

Step 2: SWOT Analysis

SWOT is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and is the first

step in strategic planning and goal-setting. SWOT analyses aim at enabling individuals,

teams, and organizations to get an insight into their capabilities, the opportunities that exist,

and what strategies and goals they must, therefore, pursue. The SWOT analysis also helps

in identifying areas for development, for present and future states.

A detailed and honest self appraisal enables a leader to identify internal and external

factors that are favourable and unfavourable in achieving individual and organizational

goals. This is explained schematically at Figure 2:

Internal (under

Strengths

Weakness

Done Poorly

our control)

Can be improved

Should be avoided

SWOT

Opportunities

Threats

External (beyond

our control)

What can provide us competitive

What will erode competitive

advantage?

Figure 2: SWOT Analysis

In the case of individuals, the SWOT analyses should address four areas: work, home and

family, community, and self development. Each element of the SWOT analysis is discussed

below, in question form for ease in understanding.

Strengths

What do stakeholders, media, competitors and customers think are our strengths? In

schools, the views of teachers and students must be ascertained. In classrooms, the

feedback from students is what matters.

What are the strengths that provide the organization a competitive advantage over others?

What unique resources do we have?

Weaknesses

What do others consider to be our weaknesses?

What should be done better in the future?

What knowledge, skills and systems and processes are lacking?

Is there a lack of training opportunities?

Are there any barriers in achieving a competitive advantage?

Opportunities

If properly leveraged, what will give us a competitive advantage, for example, new

technology and a new geographic location?

What additional services can be provided?

What new markets and trends should be investigated?

Threats

What factors could erode one’s competitive advantage, for example, a new competitor, or

government regulations? What specific regulation may cause harm, for example, a cap on

fees?

What is the possible impact of what competitors are doing?

What threats do our weaknesses expose us to?

Do you visualize a leadership crisis in the next five years, either through lack of succession

planning, or the absence of visionary leadership?

Strategic Plan and Goals

After careful consideration of the internal and external factors, an intense brainstorming

session must follow to come up with strategies; areas of development and improvement,

strengths to be leveraged, review of existing goals; writing down new goals; and

preparation of detailed plans. In view of the volatility of markets and changing perceptions

of stakeholders, I would recommend a six-month review of SWOT analysis.

In schools, once analysis has been completed, the teacher brainstorms the students on the

areas of development, defines areas of improvement, lays down goals and prepares

detailed plans. This is called co-construction, and is necessary if students are expected to

have a buy-in for the success of the plan.

Step 3: Setting a Vision

Visionaries are in short supply in every organization and country - just about 9 percent. To

make matters worse, senior executives spend as little as 3 percent of their time thinking

about issues that may affect them beyond ten years.

Vision is what differentiates a leader from others. Visionary leaders work in the present but

live in the future. Of the four greatest qualities people admire in a leader

- honesty,

visionary, inspiring, and commitment, vision receives a rating as high as 71% after honesty.

Goal-setting cannot be meaningful unless the organization or the individual has a vision.

Most people lack vision; and that is worse than having no sight. Vision is an imagined

future about oneself and one’s organization - a 100 pixel picture of your future (individual

or organization) destination (what you want to be) by a given time. To have a vision is to

be empowered; to be able to make a public commitment that you are your destiny, that you

are going to take charge of your life, that you will be responsible for what you ultimately

become.

Many confuse a vision with the mission. The former is what you want to be, and mission is

how you will become or realise your vision - what you will do to fulfill the vision.

Vision (Where

+ 5 Years

and What?)

Mission (How)

Present

The personal vision process is characterized by the following:

 Can you identify what is your passion? Your element?

Can you say what will make you happy? Most of us go

Vision is an imagined

through life without even knowing what we are passionate

future about oneself and

about. Your passion is your vision. Fulfilling your vision is

one’s organization - a

really living out your passion.

100 pixel picture of the

 Project one’s mind into the future at least ten years

future.

ahead. Even five years would be helpful. Anything less is not

advisable because this is the minimum time that will be

required to develop competencies and overcome

weaknesses in oneself or one’s organization. Five years is

the lead time that will be needed. Skeptics will discourage

vision-setters by saying that the world is fast-changing and

the future is uncertain; so better to settle for a vision for three

years. I do not agree. If the vision is correct it should cater

for turbulence and corrections as the years go by. But if the

vision is too short, then progress becomes slow, erratic, and

is vulnerable to being derailed.

 Clear and visible, as if you are standing on a mountain top.

 Audacious - go Big. Look beyond what is conveniently possible. Apply your

dreams!

 The wording must be inspirational and motivational, but clear and concise.

What is the vision process?

Business schools and You Tube videos recommend that leaders should involve their teams

in developing the vision. I disagree completely. Visionaries are a rare species. They are

distinguished by the following characteristics:

 Future-minded and a big-picture thinkers.

 Bold and risk-takers. They are prepared to walk down the road armed with nothing

but their vision.

 They are men and women of destiny who seek a higher purpose and believe that

they have a mission in life.

 They possess a passion to sustain and execute their vision.

Are we seriously saying that average team members are so characterized? The answer is

a “No!” Leaders are lonely. In the quiet of their mind and heart they design the vision and

then share it with the team. In turn, the team helps the leader in refining the vision.

The vision process is incomplete till it is shared periodically with the immediate leadership

team. In turn, the team is expected to ensure that the vision is shared with every single

person in the organization.

Inspiring a shared vision is one of the five best leadership practices; and is possibly the

most difficult part of the vision process. The problem is compounded by the fact that

younger people, especially those below the age 30, are concerned more about the present

than the future.

The challenge for the leader is to explain to his team how the vision connects them to the

future? How do they benefit? How will the vision enable their hopes to be realized? How

their future success will be determined by their time perspective. How deep they can

project into the future? This is what is meant by vision sharing, and this is what is expected

from a leader at least once every six months.

Vision sharing ensures everyone’s commitment towards common goals; and is a constant

reminder of the importance of the vision. In order to drive the vision forward, to translate

vision into action, leaders ought to conduct a vision review at least once every quarter. This

will include:

 A reiteration of what the vision means, why it has been chosen, and how it will

benefit everyone.

 Monitoring the progress of implementation of each goal, and making mid-course

corrections, if required.

However, what is more important than words and speeches is the leader’s ability to walk

the talk, to live the vision in letter and spirit. It ratifies his or vision repeatedly. It gives

credibility to this vision. This is important for the team and for everyone who is to be

affected by this vision.

In visioning, the challenge is how to develop long-term thinking abilities and how to be

future-minded. This is not easy for the vast majority who prefer to live in the brief, present -

the short now. Most people you meet talk about their present projects, but few, if any, will

tell you about their life projects.

To be future-minded, the following are suggested:

 Goal-setting must become a habit, a key element of leadership development, and

should start as early as in 3 year olds.

 Within organizations specific individuals should be tasked for studying the future,

possible scenarios beyond ten years, and emerging trends especially in

neuroscience, technology, and changing attitudes.

 The iphone in the last three years has created 30,000 apps already. Each trend

must be brainstormed along with the likely needs they will generate for clients,

competitors, and society; and what impact they may have on our unique selling

propositions?

Step 4: Goal-Setting

To me success is happiness, and happiness arises when we achieve our full potential and

fulfill our goals. We fail to achieve our goals not because of lack of time but because of lack

of direction.

Advantages of Goal-Setting

It is not what you get by

achieving your goals,

Goal-setting bestows several advantages. It provides

but what you become

purpose and direction in life by enabling us to focus

intensely on what we want. Deep and sustained focus

by pursuing your goals.

activates the subconscious mind to come up with ideas

and strategies on how to be successful. The journey

ultimately leads to happiness. Very often we are not

able to reach our goals despite all the effort and

commitment. This is very normal but should never deter

us. It is not what you get by achieving your goals, but

what you become by pursuing your goals. Often, the

journey is the goal. Was it not R. L. Stevenson who

said, “It is better to travel than to arrive”!

Why Goal-Setting is not Popular?

Of the 17 percent who set goals, just about 3 percent of people write down their goals; and

even fewer - say 1 percent, review them regularly. It is not that the vast majority do not

realize that goals lead to a richer and more fulfilling life. They are afraid of setting goals for

a variety of reasons:

 The fear of failure and committing mistakes is daunting because it usually leads to

disappointment and rejection. For those lacking in self-esteem, fear can quickly turn

into phobia.

 The fear of criticism and discouragement can be debilitating.

 There is a growing category of persons who do not understand the importance of

setting goals, and, therefore, are not confident or familiar with the entire mechanics

and processes of goal-setting. There is seldom any formal teaching in goal-setting,

even in corporations.

 Success does not happen by merely writing down goals. The difficult part is the

enormous passion and discipline that a leader requires to execute goals in the face

of heavy odds.

 There is another class of persons who are quite content with what they have. So

why sweat? For them, pursuing goals comes with a price tag: discipline and ferocity

of purpose that frequently demands sacrificing time, pleasure, and at times, even

relationships.

Goals Must be SMART

On average, having three goals is the optimal; in very exceptional cases it can be four.

Goals could be personal (relationships, what to learn, limitations to overcome, health care,

or spiritual); career and business; organizational; and contributory i.e., making a difference

in society.

Goals must be written, dated and visited every day to form part of one’s psyche. Read out

the goal aloud; and visualize the end state, thereby creating neuro-pathways from where

you are to where you want to be. For every goal:

State reasons on why the goal has been selected by you.

Identify the obstacles that need to be overcome.

Name people and organizations you will have to work with.

Write down a detailed plan of action with firm deadlines.

Effective goals must be SMART - specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and tangible.

Specific

Leaders must

speak the

Leaders must speak the language of specificity in which there is

complete clarity on what the goal means. The goal should be easy to

language of

understand without jargon, and well-defined. To say, “I want to be

specificity

happy,” is not specific. However, if a teacher were to tell her pupils, “I

want each one of you to secure 80 percent marks in mathematics;

that will make you and me happy!” is specific.

Measurable

A goal that is measurable enables the leader to know what progress has been made. To

say that “I will lose weight” is not measurable. Better to say, “I will lose ten kg by 31

December 2011.”

Achievable

Can you achieve the goals given the time, money, resources, and skills your team

possesses? Goals have to be within the capabilities of the leader and her team. We must

find ourselves in the situation of having 5-star ambitions with 2-star capabilities.

Relevant

Goals should be vertically aligned with the vision and mission of the leader. It should

contribute towards achieving the aim and purpose of the organization.

Time-Bound

Put a date on each goal because that is the only way it can be measured, and is also one

of the ways of keeping focus on the objective.

I would like to add two additional features of a goal. One, the

The journey is

goal should be challenging and stretchable. To reach out

the goal.

beyond one’s grasp; this is what heaven is all about. Only

challenging goals can lead to transformation of the self or the

organization. If they don’t then the goals were not worthwhile. Very often the goal may not

be achievable, and somewhere down the line one gives up in frustration. But that does not

matter. What matters is how hard one tried because the journey itself can be the goal.

Second, there should be unanimity in what the goal means. Leadership has a vocabulary

that is understood by one and all. For example, if the goal is to improve discipline; then

everyone’s understanding of what ‘discipline’ means should be similar. In one workshop I

attended, there were ten different meanings of discipline. There were also ten different

definitions of ‘classroom management.’

Goals should be shared with the entire team. It needs to be explained to team members,

why the goal has been selected, and how its achievement will contribute towards fulfilling

the vision and mission of the organization. Why will I succeed? What happens if I choose

not to do it?

Goal-Setting Exercise

So let us begin the exercise of goal setting through a session of questions and answers.

Step 1

What are the five things that you have accomplished that are distinctive and you are

proud of? Answers to this question will give you an indication of how goal-minded you have

been so far.

Write down a list of goals each in four areas of your life - work, personal development,

home and family, community, and self, in the next ten years. Write whatever comes to

your mind in the next five minutes. They could be varied: lifestyle, experiences you want,

travel, possessions, savings, achievements you desire, habits you like to drop,

benevolence goals, whatever. Andrew Carnegie once said, “I will spend the first half of my

life earning money, and the second part of my life giving it all away.” He gave it all; $ 400

million which by today’s standards is indeed a lot of money.

When writing these goals keep in mind three principles. The first: write in present tense.

Say, ‘I earn so much money,” as if you are looking back. Goal writing believes in the

language of now. Second, use positive language. Instead of saying “I will give up smoking,”

write, “I am now a non-smoker.” Third, be personal. Use the word “I” followed with an action

verb, e.g., “I will achieve such and such goal by 31 December 2011.”

Give each item on the list a number: 1 for I year, 3 for 3 years, 5 for 5 years, and 10 for 10

years.

Now that you have written down your goals, you have entered an elite club of 3 percent. Of

14 percent people only who set goals, just 3 percent write them down.

Step 2

Prioritize your top three 1-year goals (short-term) and 3-year goals (long-term) you

have set by reducing them to one in each category. Anything more than three goals can

lead to diffusion in focus. Prioritization also helps in time management by separating the

major from the minor goals.

Step 3

Write one very short paragraph on each of your short and long term goals, as to WHY it is

your major goal, i.e., why have you chosen a particular goal for yourself or the

organization?

Step 4

Identify the possible obstacles between you and each of your goals. What are the

choke points? What are the limiting factors that may prevent you from reaching the goal?

80 percent of these constraints are within you, such as skills, discipline, work knowledge

and possibly focus. Concentrate intensely on overcoming these impediments. What if the

plan is grounded? What contingency plan may be needed? Do you have a Plan B? Of the

skills and competencies, select the one most important skill that has to be acquired. This

can take anything up to five or seven years to master.

Step 5

Name the people and organizations whose help you will require to achieve these

goals. At a personal level, it will have to be explained to the family why a particular goal has

been selected. At work, it may be the boss, a mentor, or the customer. For example, what

will have to be done to satisfy the customer?

Step 6

Write down the plan of action, to include tasks to be completed with datelines, skills and

competencies to be developed and how, and specific responsibilities of you are with a

team.

Step 7

Display the goals at a place where they can be read every day.

Read and visualize your goals once a day. Set up reminders so you do not forget.

Review the goals once every month or when change is necessitated.

Pre-requisites for Being a Visionary and Goal-Setter

Having the right vision and meticulously planned goals, is no assurance of success. Certain

pre-requisites have to be in place. I have the following in mind:

1. The leader must build an effective mindset against failures, and develop

coping strategies on how to overcome the fear of failure. Success is born out of

failure. Failures are stepping stones. We should consider failure as something that is

good and should be welcomed.

2. Very few are able to achieve all the goals one sets out. So one needs to be an

optimist; that is what resilience is all about. Optimism looks upon failures as

challenges, as temporary, and changeable. Optimism overcomes stress, depression,

anxieties, and failures.

3. When embarking upon the leadership journey, we need to be aware of our

‘destructive emotions’ like anger, intolerance, lust, fear and arrogance.

Overcoming destructive emotions clear the path towards higher emotions. These

negative emotions de-energise one’s work/efforts and diffuse the focus. While we

may not be able to conquer them, we can be mindful or aware of them.

Conclusion

History bears testimony that all great leaders seldom achieve all the goals they had set for

themselves. The tragedy of life does not lie in not reaching your goals; the tragedy of life

lies in not having any goals to reach. Moreover, despite all the passion and effort goals may

never be within one’s reach. For such people I say, the journey is the goal. We should feel

miserable if we did not try. What matters is doing.

On return to earth after their successful landing on the moon on 20 July 1969, there was no

great challenge left in the lives of the astronauts. They faced serious relationship and

drinking problems in their personal lives. The lesson was oblivious: the journey of goals

does not end once specific goal has been achieved. New and even more challenging goals

must be set, or else, leaders will suffer the fate of Apollo 11 astronauts.

An experiment was carried out to determine when people sleep

The tragedy of life

and dream. Those selected were hooked on to brain-wave

lies in not having a

machines to determine when they would sleep and dream. The

goal to reach.

experiment was so designed that as soon as the machine would

detect that the person had started to dream, he would be

awakened. The results were astounding. After the first night the

group was found to be nervous. On the second night they were

clearly irritable; and on the third night, the entire group experienced

no dreams, and everyone was heading for a psychological

collapse. The conclusions were obvious: When you are asleep you

need your dreams to remain healthy and happy. But even when

awake you too need to have your dreams.

As a result of creating visions and setting goals in my personal and work-life, I have arrived

at three major life-lessons which I wish to share with you as a take-away from my

presentation.

 What you get by achieving the goal is not as important as what you become by

achieving your goals.

 The journey is the goal.

 The tragedy of life lies in not having a goal to reach.

 The most successful people are those who are good at Plan B.

 Re-recreate challenging goals otherwise loneliness and depression can get you.

Remember the Apollo II astronauts.

 Like Generals have a battle plan and teachers have a lesson plan, leaders have

goal plans. Without a plan you will be a dreamer.

Optimism, resilience and perseverance in the face of failure: don’t ever quit. And above all

you need passion.