Warrior Coaching

As we get back home from this years Bootcamp and start to unpack our kit it is a good time to recount the experiences we had and the lessons learned.  As always there were some strong themes that kept arising and they were very relevant to everyday life, even when you’re not in the middle of nowhere trying to get up a steep incline.

There a few blogs coming this week to share the stories, the experiences and the lessons learned.  Here is the first instalment.

Teamwork/ Communication

Straight from the off it was evident how fast situations can get complicated simply through a lack of teamwork and communication.  As we travelled down we went in two car loads with the brief that we would stay together and go at a steady rate.  However, the excitement over the weekend ahead lead to some over enthusiasm and one car started to pull away during the journey along the M4.  Before long the two cars were out of sight of each other.  Theoretically this was not a problem as all parties were briefed on where they were going so as long as they followed the plan everything would fall into place.  But as we know from life, it doesn’t always work according to a plan does it?

Sure enough by the time we got across the bridge into Wales we had learned that the M4 was closed from junction 24 onwards.  The plan was to drive to junction 32 so this clearly through the prepared tactics off track.  First thing to do was make a quick call to the other car.  No answer.  No doubt a combination of driving and listening to some tunes along the journey meant they didn’t notice their phone going.  And in the space of a couple of hours the smooth plan had turned into a situation where the team was split up, out of communication and having to tackle a change of plan with no knowledge of have the other party were approaching the challenge.  Well, we had to stick with the plan that we had originally set.  After all the destination was the same it was just the route that had to be adjusted to account for unforeseen circumstances.  Out came the AA road map and after some quick adjustments we were on track driving up the A449 to meet with the A40 and travel into Brecon without any real problems.  We’d see the other car there.

As we closed in on the campsite that we always go to every year it seemed to be a great deal busier than usual.  Essentially the campsite is a sheep farm and the farmers are happy for hikers to camp out in their fields for a relatively small amount of money which always suited us very well.  However as we closed in it appeared that the campsite had been organised into some form of an event with stewards/ marshals, a music tent and a beer tent?  None of us had ever seen this before?

Well it turned out we had arrived on the same weekend of the Jazz Festival which sees people from all over Wales flock to Brecon for what appeared to mainly be a heavy weekend of boozing.  From the untrained eye it looked the camping area of V Festival which was a long way off what we were used to finding when we got there.  And as you can imagine with such organisation the deal we were used to having with the farmer was drastically different to today’s prices which were quoted to us at £30 a night?  So naturally we explained our situation and that we weren’t going to be attending the festival and enquired about where to camp without all the facilities.  As they recognised us from our annual trip a deal was made.  However, we were unable to speak for the other car load?  In fact as they had raced ahead they were probably already there and the Brecons being the Brecons there wasn’t really a great deal of phone signal to establish contact.

So after 2 incidences which affected the previously concrete plans, we were now driving amongst dozens and dozens of tents trying to locate the rest of our team.  We couldn’t find their tents/ car anywhere?  After a couple of laps of the area we simply decided to head for the quietest area we could find and start pitching the tent.  After all it was pitch black at night what else could we do?  Sure enough within about 15-20 minutes there must have been just enough signal for them to phone us.  And we had a couple on the phone the other end explaining that they had just got here and did we know that a Jazz Festival was on?

As it had turned out, despite racing ahead on the M4 they had managed to get the navigation wrong once they were faced with an obstruction.  They couldn’t understand how it had happened as they were using a sat nav, and pointed out the kit took them the long way around.  And there was the first lesson of the weekend and we hadn’t even pitched our tent.  In fact there were two good lessons.

Lesson One

When working as a team, stay as a team with good communication and a clear plan that everyone understands.  Naturally unforeseen circumstances can mean that plans have to be adjusted so having the team in close communication these changes can be made without any party being out of the loop.  On our trip we had all had to make decisions as individuals and it led to one group making inefficient choices because they were isolated in unfamiliar terrain.

Lesson Two

Don’t assume technology will save you if you don’t know the basics.  A big part of our Bootcamp weekends is navigation and one thing we talk about is the use of maps against GPS.  Which is very similar to using the AA road map against Sat Nav.  Now both groups had Sat Nav technology in the cars, however one car went straight for the technology and the other car checked the road map first, and never needed the aid of technology.  After all, the technology only helps if you already understand the basics and you should not be hiking according to GPS if you don’t know how to read a map with a compass.  Same for car journeys though admittedly many rely on technology now the Sat Nav is available.  The question is where else do we rely on technology where we don’t have the basic knowledge to verify if it is taking us in the right direction?

Next we’ll talk about the next lesson which true to form with Warrior Bootcamp is never very far away.

Already it is August and many of us are starting to reflect on how we stand with the goals that we set ourselves back in January.  Are you on track?

In this blog I’m continuing with the acrostic word to help explain exactly what Warrior Coaching is all about, as a recent survey highlighted that over 50% of people don’t really know what a Mindset Coach can do for an individual.  So far we have already covered 3 of the letters which include:

W is for Winning Mentality
A is for Attitude
R is for Responsibility

I you missed any of these then you can find them on the website here:
http://www.warriorcoaching.co.uk/blog.html

Today I want to talk about another R which stands for Resilience.

This weekend I am hosting a Bootcamp in the Brecons where I help people understand how to work with their bodies and get the most from themselves.  And a huge part of the lesson over this weekend is how to be more Resilient.  After all life sure does knock you down when you’re least expecting it and it is not a sign of weakness when it happens because sure enough everyone will experience being hit for 6 at some point in their lives.  Now the Bootcamp although we use the terrain and physical activity to prove the point, doesn’t really have anything to do with either, it’s all about developing the mindset and attitude to go the extra mile when you need to.  For quite often we are stood shoulder to shoulder with the path that our dreams are on and all we need is a bit more resilience to weather the storm and we’ll make it.

When the military are assessing new recruits they have less interest in how fit the recruit is (within reason of course) and more interest in what his/ her attitude is under pressure.  After all, everyone has that point when their body starts to fail on them and it is how they react at this point which determines their value within a team.  The Warrior that shows Resilience and is able to weather the storm when everyone around them is running for cover is the one that will succeed when others quit.  Not because they are better than everyone else but because they have the belief and confidence in themselves that they can always move forwards.

One of my favourite speeches which epitomises this was when Rocky had a chat with his son in the film Rocky Balboa.  Now I don’t know if you’re a Rocky fan but here is the youtube clip for you to take a peek at if you’re interested:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uASVzkrEKgs

The tools in Warrior Coaching take people on a journey to understand what really motivates them and develops the mindset that keeps them on track no matter what the terrain is outside.  Of course, part of the skills developed is how to navigate the terrain to find the most appropriate route, however even when you are an expert navigator there will always be a few parts of the journey that aren’t quite as luxurious as you’d like.  That’s ok, just keep moving forwards.

Remember to book in for your Free 1-2-1 if you haven’t already so we can help you accelerate forwards and set yourself up early for an awesome 2011.  Looking forward to hearing form you.

Till the next time

Keep up the Intensity!

Dean

  Here we are at the start of a new week already and I’m continuing the series detailing what ‘Warrior Coaching’ is and what it stands for through an acrostic word.

Already we have covered W which stands for Winning Mentality:
http://www.warriorcoaching.co.uk/1/post/2010/07/w-is-for-winning-mentality.html

And A which was all about Attitude
http://www.warriorcoaching.co.uk/1/post/2010/07/a-is-for-attitude.html

Today we talk about the first R which is all about Responsibility.

Responsibility is all about taking full control of your situation.  Responsibility is what binds you to the course of action that you need to undertake to succeed in your goals.  And nothing and no one is responsible for your success more than you are.

Now one thing you will learn about Warrior Coaching is that it is never about re-inventing the wheel.  It is only about getting clients from A to B in the most effective and efficient process.  However, no amount of advice, input and information can help the individual who refuses to accept full responsibility for their situation.  This is not a new concept and the reason I insist on continuing to bring it up is because across the board many people refuse to pay attention to it.

We appear to live in a society where we’re all thirsty for knowledge, the new killer piece of information, the shortcuts and the holy grail of expert advice.  And in truth people have never known as much as they do now.  However, many people are not living that knowledge or applying it which is why we must all take full responsibility for that right away.  The ones that do stand up and accept responsibility are the only ones that allow themselves to grow to their full potential.

All aspects of your life that you don’t particularly like are there because of choices and actions that were your responsibility.  And by the same token, all aspects of your life that you truly cherish and love are there because of choices and actions that were your responsibility.  That’s the great thing about life.  You get to claim all of the credit for everything you achieve, as well as all the credit for what you don’t.  So be responsible for your results and accept that they are in your hands.

This concept although simple in principal can be a challenge for some clients to fully take on board.  Warrior Coaching simply works in partnership with them and develops within them the skills, belief and courage to face that responsibility and take charge of their destiny.

After all we are all masters of our own destiny, and the captains of our soul.

Be Responsible for your success today.  And if you have any questions at all about aspects of your life you would like to have more control over or questions about how you can be more responsible then email me right away.  Even better, if we haven’t spoken yet then remember to book your free 1-2-1 and I’ll get you started with some tools you can use immediately.

Keep up the Intensity

Dean

Recently I’ve started a series of blogs which breaks down what Warrior Coaching is all about.   The blogs aims to share exactly how it helps individuals and teams break through barriers standing in their path and to do that I broke Warrior down into an acrostic word so we could explore it further.

You may have noticed last week that I started with W which stood for Winning Mentality.  If you missed it you can check out the blog here:
http://www.warriorcoaching.co.uk/1/post/2010/07/w-is-for-winning-mentality.html

Well A stands for the most important aspect of any individuals success.  A stands for Attitude.

It is why the home page of my website contains this quote at the bottom from from Thomas Jefferson.  Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.

This is not new information to us, we hear it all the time.  However how many of us actually commit to investing in our attitude?  How many of us spend hours forging an attitude that has the strength to empower us to the level that we aspire to?  The sad truth is not very many.  We live in the information age where knowledge is deemed as power though that is not the case.  It is the application of knowledge which is power and only those with the right attitude are out there taking the appropriate action when it is necessary to do so.  And it is action which drives you forward which is why the Middle East claim that when you start moving, God shows willing.  They believe God gives them further power the moment they start acting on their goals and dreams.  Though they are also totally aware that to proceed action they need the right attitude as without it too many of us procrastinate.

My first ever day in Sales I was told that selling was 99% Attitude and 1% Ability.  I would say this was true of many areas and I have observed the proof many times.  How many of you would like to be fitter and know what you have to do, but don’t?  How many of you know what activity you need to do to get that next sales lead, but don’t?  How many of you know exactly what your dreams are, but are waiting for the right time to act?  Well tomorrow never comes.  Start developing your attitude today and use time more wisely.

And yes, Attitude is not as simple as positive thinking.  It is partly about positive thinking but it is so much more than that.  For instance if you are up to your waist in crap and you have a positive attitude then it means your up to your waist in crap and happy about it.  It hasn’t done anything to deal with the problem.  Many of us use PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) as a tool to try and mask the pain and hide the fact we’re unhappy.  This is not strength of attitude and will not help you succeed.  It just makes your boss happier to hire you because you complain less.

Start focusing on your attitude today as it is the single one thing that stops 99% of people achieving their goals.  Knowledge and information is worthless without the right attitude.

Next blog I’ll tell you what the first R stands for.

Keep up the Intensity

Dean

Watching England play against Germany yesterday got me thinking all about Team Building.  The England side clearly were not operating as a team, lacked understanding between them and were unclear about their roles.  Hard to believe I know when you consider that the management team has had them for over a month to work with?

So here is a few short tips of how to Build Teams

1. Common Goals

Naturally the team needs to share common goals.  In theory these goals are often considered so obvious that they don’t need to be said.  But they do.  Take England for example.  It appears obvious that their collective goal would be to win the world cup.  And I’m pretty sure this was discussed.  However by watching their actions and observing individual efforts oppose to a team effort I would surmise that the common goals were not clear enough or understood by all.  For this reason every single team member must clearly understand how the team coming first benefits them individually.  This certainly was not communicated effectively yesterday as too many players looked like all they were trying to do was bump up their transfer fees without realising that not playing as a team made virtually EVERY player in the team drop in value.  So common goals must be discussed and you must get ‘buy in’ from the team members with some level of confirmed commitment.  Merely dictating the goals does not qualify as getting ‘buy in’ from the team members.

1. Clear Roles

Every member must be totally aware of their specified roles within the team.   Again it was painfully clear that this had not been effectively communicated in the game yesterday, hence the lack of direction.  On top of that the manager must be so in tune with the staff that they know their strengths and weaknesses.  By knowing this they can place the members of the team in the appropriate key areas.  After all not only must the staff have clear roles but they must have full training and adequate skills to fulfil the role.  It is not appropriate to try and smash a square peg into a round hole just because that’s the system that looks the best on the whiteboard.  It has to suit the personnel on the ground.  Also each member must be aware of the importance of their individual role as the team can not function without every one performing in their key areas.

1. Give it adequate Time

No matter what the new system is that you put in place it must have adequate time to gel.  Whether it is a new sports team formation, a sales team, a new personnel hierarchy, office management or whatever, it doesn’t make a difference.  It has to be given enough time to work effectively.  Naturally the more preparation you put in at the start ensuring the individuals are competent for their roles then the quicker it should come together.  However, sadly for Capello in the role of England Football Coach he entered a World Cup still not knowing his best team and how they should play.  This kind of lack of preparation costs people their jobs and in business could cost millions.  There is no excuse for not planning ahead and allowing enough time to weed out the teething errors which are likely to occur at the beginning of building a new team structure.

1. Manage Motivation Levels

My first sales position I was taught that sales is 99% attitude and 1% ability and to be honest that is true with many things.  Once the team is in place, the members know their roles and everyone is working toward the same common goals then the next step is to manage the emotions and personalities of the team.  After all a team shows its mettle when facing adversity not coasting through the good times.  So be prepared and have processes in place to manage the expectations of the team members and how they are mentally prepared.  If the team starts to lose confidence, belief and desire as a unit then it’s difficult to point the finger at individuals.  The management has to be accountable and take some responsibility for not managing the motivation of their team members.  And like Zig Ziglar says:

‘They say motivation doesn’t last, well neither does bathing that’s why we recommend it daily’

Managing motivation levels has to be part of the initial plan and not something that gets thrown together later to resolve a crisis.

1. Accountability

Finally their needs to be accountability within the team though this also needs to totally balanced with a reward structure.  You can not chastise if on the other end of the scale there is no reward and vice versa.  Also you can only claim accountability of team members once you have got their ‘buy in’ to the cause and they fully understand what they will get from fulfilling their side of the bargain.  Paying someone an hourly rate is not enough to assume they will just do what they are told.  This only works if the manager is constantly chasing them with a stick and traditionally this is a huge expense of resources for minimal return.  The real art is to empower the individuals so they can be self motivated to further themselves and reap the rewards.  That doesn’t mean that management is not required but it does mean that managers can focus on more pivotal projects than just chasing around the shop floor with a long stick.

So there you go 5 quick tips!  Enjoy

Fabio Capello has had an amazing career as a Football Manager so credit where credit is due he deserves to be respected as a manager.  However, sadly his ability and experience is not coming together how he would like for the England Team right now in South Africa. 

One thing that is very different from club management to International management is the time that you get with the players and the time you have to get the team to gel.  Even if you walk into a new club you know the team have already gelled to an extent.  Whereas England have not had that cohesion for a very long time.  But don’t worry help is available and all he needs to do is call the Warrior Coach and I’ll be there!

So what would I be saying if I got his ear?

Preparation

Games are rarely won on the pitch but in the preparation and build up that precedes it.  Currently the squad are kept in the dark on team selection until the final hour and none of the players have the opportunity to mentally focus on the task at hand because they don’t know what part they will play.  So if the team selection is this up in the air how can they be able to carry out tactical orders that are not fully rehearsed?  Confidence comes from preparation and the team don’t have a full opportunity to bring it all together before the big day.  You can see in the player’s body language that this confidence is missing.  This was shown by Wayne Rooney as he expressed the pain of being booed by his own fans.  The players are so low that they need every scrap of support they can muster to rebuild their own belief.  Abuse from the fans will signal another nail in the coffin.

Tactics

Fabio Capello has World Class stars at his disposal however they are only World Class in certain areas of their game.  If these areas of their game are not maximised then even the best player in the World can look very average.  One of the phrases that keeps coming up is ‘square pegs in round holes’ and I fear that is exactly what Fabio is doing.  He is taking World Class players and operating them in a system where they can not show their full capabilities.  To make matters worse not only are the players struggling and losing belief, but the media slam their individual performances which pushes the players even further down.  If confidence comes from preparation then taking a player out of his comfort zone and asking him to perform how he has never performed before will certainly create doubt in their minds.  If I was with Capello I would rapidly be running through a SWOT analysis of each player and highlighting where the weak areas of their games are as well as their strengths.  This way we can neutralise their weaknesses and play only to the positives.  Also if you insist on a stubborn set of tactics then you have to admit at some point that sometimes your star player will not feature in them.  As despite their obvious talent their abilities don’t fit the tactics.  This is how surprising stars are made in big tournaments and also how surprisingly big stars fade in tournaments.  Look at Sir Alf Ramsey when he chose not to play Jimmie Greaves in the final against West Germany in 1966.  Greaves was in many ways a much better footballer than Geoff Hurst, but despite that he wasn’t the right man for the job.  It is key decisions like this that earn managers their money.

Motivation

As the players run out of the tunnel you want to see the fire burning in their eyes.  You want to see the hunger spilling over as they can’t wait to get on the pitch and show the world what they were born to do.  The World Cup is the pinnacle of a Footballers career so if you can’t motivate them for this then what can you motivate them for?  The truth appears to be that Capello is mismanaging the pressure and offloading it on to the players.  The players are playing like they have the world on their shoulders and to be fair they have.  The level of expectation now is so high that the squad are getting concerned they don’t have what it takes to deal with it.  This is what Managers get paid for.  Managers who offload stress and pressure to those below them have no right being in that profession.  Players have to be responsible and accountable for fulfilling the roles that the manager asked them to deliver.  But the buck ALWAYS stops with the manager.  If it didn’t get done it’s because the strategy was wrong or the personnel ordered to carry out the task was wrong.  Both were selected and dictated by the manager.  This has to be made clear to the players that their responsibility is to do that task to the best they can and they then have to be empowered with all the tools required to carry out that task.  At the moment the England players appear like it is their responsibility to win in spite of their manager and that the pressure is on them to work out how it is going to be done.  Removing this pressure and blockage and playing the players in formations and roles that they are fully prepared for will allow them to play without fear.  And we need to see England play without fear against Slovenia.  A full answer to motivation should have started a long time ago with a full understanding of the values of the individual players and a common guideline of shared values adopted by the squad.  The players need to know how they personally fit into the team and be reassured that they are an integral part of that team.  At the moment I fear that every player is treading on eggshells and many don’t feel integral at all.

Belief

It costs nothing to believe in yourself and everything not to.  The players have had a rough ride so far and there is no doubt that without the appropriate measures in place it will have affected their mindset and their opinion on their chances.  The management team need to work hard at making sure each player is fully aware of their potential and instil the belief that the only ones that can stop them are themselves.  England are still in control of their own destiny here and an emphatic win in Slovenia is likely to see them progress.  It’s ugly but it doesn’t matter its results that matter.  And if they progress they have the same chance as anyone to lift the cup.  Creating the belief shouldn’t be difficult as virtually every player in the squad has experience of playing in Finals in the domestic league and even winning championships.  Most have played in the Champions League which in many ways is a much higher quality of football due to the time the teams get to prepare together.  England CAN win the World Cup and whether they do or not is simply a choice.  Do they choose to win the World Cup?  Sounds like an easy decision however they do have to be empowered to make that decision by the management in place.  And I know what you’re thinking.  What if all the teams make that choice?  Then it comes down to the team that is not just paying lip service but genuinely believe it the most.  Not as individuals but as a team.  From the guys who don’t get to play to the star of the tournament.  And even down the staff all the way to the physio and the kit manager.  Belief has to be instilled at every level and it has to be backed up by the preparation to win and the actions that show that you came to win.  No good saying that you are intent on winning the lottery someday but never buying a ticket.  Actions always outweigh the words and its what you do that speaks volumes about your belief.  The manager has a responsibility to demonstrate actions that scream the level of belief he requires from his players.  Dropping Green was one of those decisions that weakened the squad’s belief as it distinctly showed lack of belief.

I could write for another week about what I’d love to discuss with Fabio but today is not the day.  Maybe when I meet him I can go through it properly

Yes it’s true the country is Football crazy for the next few weeks as all eyes look toward the national Football team to make us proud.

 
Some love football, some hate the game but no matter where you stand there are some fantastic lessons to be taken from observing the games and thinking how we can apply those lessons to other aspects of our lives.  Watching the England v USA game got me thinking about Man Management.

Now there are many people up and down the country right now discussing their choice of line up to play Algeria on Friday and what tactics they would propose if they were in charge for a day.  Though only one man actually gets the honour of that task and that is Fabio Capello.  He’ll be mulling over the performances and considering his options for the next throw of the dice.  As an armchair fan it appears that maybe his choice of Man Management so far is flawed. 

When selecting personnel for a task it is important to fully understand their strengths and weaknesses and position them in such a fashion that you stand the best possible chance of succeeding as a team.  Then you must decide on how you will go about implementing the plan with your line up in place.  And sometimes it is advisable to tweak the plan to accommodate the limitations of your staff.

So what does this have to do with Fabio, England and Man Management? 

Well from the performances so far it appears that Fabio is hell bent on forcing square pegs into round holes and there is a lesson to be learnt.  Fabio has been very open about the fact that he likes his team to play with width; he looks for wingers to run down the flanks and cross the ball in to his target men to attack the goal.  It was this preference that cost Theo Walcott his place in the squad because time and again Theo didn’t do as he was told and played too narrow for Fabio’s liking.  Now the good news is Fabio has a plan, but the bad news is there is a flaw.  The tactic he has chosen does not fit the strengths and abilities of his staff.  And instead of revising the plan he is more interested in forcing square pegs into round holes.  You see, without Beckham England’s wide players have shown they are not that good at crossing the ball.  And to make matters worse England’s talisman Wayne Rooney actually has been removed as a threat to the opposition by Fabio’s tactics as Ferguson will tell you Wayne Rooney is very competent in the air but his World Class ability only becomes apparent when the ball is at his feet.  If we had Shearer, Drogba or a centre forward of the style of Les Ferdinand in the squad then I could understand the tactic.  But we haven’t?  Yet the tactic remains.

So what are the alternative options?  Well you only have to look at the style of play of Argentina.  They have a player called Messi who many dub as one of the biggest talents at the World Cup and in many ways he is similar to our Rooney.  He is short, tenacious, fast and World Class coming from deep with the ball at his feet.  Both play almost like midfielders upfront and can finish as good as any player that has ever graced the game.  Yet Messi is allowed to play in a system which allows him to shine and Rooney is left to get so frustrated he is in danger of getting himself red carded as for 90 minutes he watches the ball constantly flying over the top of his head.  And if he does lose his mind and get himself sent off then as much as Rooney has to be responsible for his actions you also have to look at the guy who put him in that position.  You have to question the Man Management.

Man Utd and Barcelona have developed a free flowing style where Rooney can get involved in attacks with the ball at his feet.  The ball is played on the deck and often never rises above waist height as it is threaded through the opposition’s formation.  This is the environment where these players have flourished and if you don’t provide them the conditions they are accustomed to then you can not expect the results they are used to achieving.

So what can we learn from this?

Well next time you are in a meeting considering a strategy for the next phase of the plan spare a thought for the personnel you have and ensure you really do understand their strengths and weaknesses.  As much as it is good to stretch people and develop them it is not always effective to re-invent them into something they are currently not.  It is possible, yes, but why would you do it when you don’t need to?  It takes huge resources and they won’t be as effective as they are in their preferred style.  Simply be prepared to compromise on the plan so that you get the best possible output from the workforce that you have and refrain from trying to hammer square pegs into round holes.

 Like the saying that trainers have in sports:

‘You can make a fast man faster, but you can’t make a slow man fast’

And teams in other environments can share the principles in their own agenda’s.  Don’t be fooled into believing that there is only one way to sell, one way to pitch or one way to implement a plan.  That is not the case.  There are many ways to realise an idea and to do it the right way you have to maximise the strengths of the individuals involved and create and environment that caters for the weaknesses ensuring they are minimised. 

That is the art of Man Management.

We all get told on a daily basis that we can do anything that we want in life and the truth is that we really can.  However, when you look around it appears that the whole premise of that statement is just words and small talk.

So if we really can do anything that we want then whats the problem?  Or should I say what's the catch?

Well there is one small catch.  In order to be able to achieve what you really want you need to know what it is.  And to be truthful there is a very small percentage of the population that actually know what they want.  Those that don't cling to the same old throw away goals such as 'to be a millionare' or 'to own an Aston Martin' or better still 'to win the lottery!'

Mostly goals like those are fabricated because they don't know the actual goal.  So take some time to have a think about what you really want and don't be surprised if it takes a bit of effort and longer than you think.  Stick with it as this is something that is really worth taking the time to work out.

After all the quality of life is dictated by the quality of questions we ask.  So if you haven't found the answer yet then ask a better question.

And if you find you really can't get to the bottom of what you really want then maybe you could use a helping hand.  If so, don't be shy and drop me a message.  It's what I'm here for ;)