Whenever we'd like to achieve something, either for ourselves, or our children, it is important to set goals.
The problem is, often times the goals are either too over-reaching, or too vague. When we have goals that are too over-reaching, we often set ourselves up for disappointment. An example of this is trying to make a basket from half court, without even trying to make a basket from up close! When we have goals that are too vague, then, we end up with vague results. An example of this is saying you want to be good at Kung-Fu. Well, what does that mean, exactly? What does that look like?
The solution is simple:
Make it specific, make it simple, and make a lot of them!
It's a lot easier to reach a smaller, simpler goal. It is specific, and within grasp. After you achieve that goal, make the next goal to build on top of that. The key is to make them small and achievable so that you feel success! It is very important that you feel success, and keep building on those successes! In the world of Behaviorist Psychology, this is referred to as the "Law of Successive Approximations".
This is why we have all the different belt colors in martial arts!
Dr. BJ Fogg, a professor of Experimental Psychology at Stanford University, said to have "mini celebrations" for these mini victories! He said that it is very important that you reward yourself for any achievement that you make towards developing more productive habits towards your end goal. These mini celebration can be as simple as doing a little fist pump and saying, "YES! I DID IT!" And then move into the next goal.
Anything is achievable when you break it into small pieces. Too much at one time can lead to disappointment. Goals that are vague don't allow for a clear path towards what you want.
At Austin Kung-Fu Academy, we are all about everyone feeling those mini victories, on their path to the big one!