When you typically think of being alert, goal setting does not come in to play. We need to stay alert while driving, be aware of our surroundings when we go from place to place, and work to remain focused and sometimes awake doing everyday tasks. Sometimes we work through our daily tasks without even thinking about them. We go to class, say hi as a formality to people we may not really know and finish our days not really thinking about whether we moved closer to any goal we had set for ourselves.
On John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, his seventh secret is “alertness” which he tells us to “Be observing constantly. Stay open-minded. Be eager to learn and improve.” When you connect this to last week’s secret of self-control and ambition, we see how the block of alertness does affect our goals. Without goals, we won’t remain alert while completing practice, studying for a test, pursuing a job or living our best life.
Psychologically it makes sense. Let’s say you really want to save money to take a trip to Disneyland or to a great destination. You will start to become alert to what it takes to save money. You will become aware of every money earning possibility that confronts you rather than not being alert to them if you didn’t have to earn money. When you set the goal of earning a certain amount of money you become alert to the opportunities it takes to achieve that goal. On the opposite side if you only focus on the negative- the what if’s, the fears, the bad things that have happened in the past, we have turned our attention from our goal to one of defeat before we have done anything. You do this when you race or confront a hard practice. You become completely alert to all the bad feelings you could have, the pain you may feel, and disappointment of possibly not doing your best. Instead of being alert to our goal and outcome we focus on being alert to possible negative results.
In our hectic, busy and cell-phone filled lives, we may feel as if we are always alert because we are always on the go and connected to everyone and everything. Rather, the opposite is true. With our heads buried behind computer screens and phones, we may miss half the people that cross our paths. We may miss beautiful scenery or the opportunity for an important face to face conversation with a loved one or even someone new. It is often difficult to quiet our minds and to remain still, but this is when the most alertness occurs. We become completely present with our thoughts, where their taking us and what we want from our lives. Through quiet observations of ourselves and others, we become increasingly alert and sensitive to other’s needs as well as our own.
As a coach and teacher, I must remain sensitive to each student and athlete’s method of motivation and inspiration. I must become a better observer to their needs. Whereas one person might like a daily dose of questions and answers another might like a random comment once a week. In asking better questions and working on truly listening, we actually grow as a person, a leader and in our alertness. Whereas we may want nothing but answers, it’s our questions that help us grow.
Written by Coach Clendenen
On John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success, his seventh secret is “alertness” which he tells us to “Be observing constantly. Stay open-minded. Be eager to learn and improve.” When you connect this to last week’s secret of self-control and ambition, we see how the block of alertness does affect our goals. Without goals, we won’t remain alert while completing practice, studying for a test, pursuing a job or living our best life.
Psychologically it makes sense. Let’s say you really want to save money to take a trip to Disneyland or to a great destination. You will start to become alert to what it takes to save money. You will become aware of every money earning possibility that confronts you rather than not being alert to them if you didn’t have to earn money. When you set the goal of earning a certain amount of money you become alert to the opportunities it takes to achieve that goal. On the opposite side if you only focus on the negative- the what if’s, the fears, the bad things that have happened in the past, we have turned our attention from our goal to one of defeat before we have done anything. You do this when you race or confront a hard practice. You become completely alert to all the bad feelings you could have, the pain you may feel, and disappointment of possibly not doing your best. Instead of being alert to our goal and outcome we focus on being alert to possible negative results.
In our hectic, busy and cell-phone filled lives, we may feel as if we are always alert because we are always on the go and connected to everyone and everything. Rather, the opposite is true. With our heads buried behind computer screens and phones, we may miss half the people that cross our paths. We may miss beautiful scenery or the opportunity for an important face to face conversation with a loved one or even someone new. It is often difficult to quiet our minds and to remain still, but this is when the most alertness occurs. We become completely present with our thoughts, where their taking us and what we want from our lives. Through quiet observations of ourselves and others, we become increasingly alert and sensitive to other’s needs as well as our own.
As a coach and teacher, I must remain sensitive to each student and athlete’s method of motivation and inspiration. I must become a better observer to their needs. Whereas one person might like a daily dose of questions and answers another might like a random comment once a week. In asking better questions and working on truly listening, we actually grow as a person, a leader and in our alertness. Whereas we may want nothing but answers, it’s our questions that help us grow.
Written by Coach Clendenen
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