Being Off Target
The sooner you recognize you are off target, the quicker you can correct your course.
#QuoteoftheDay
The sooner you recognize
you are off target
the fewer arrows
you will lose.
– Kathryn Lang
Hitting the target is simple. Aim for the target and shoot. If your aim is aligned with the target then you will hit it.
Simple.
As long as you know your target and are pointing at your target, it’s simple and it should be simple. The trouble starts when something is standing in your way so you are shooting blind. You know where your target is, but you can’t see it in a tangible way.
When you are shooting at a distance or from behind a barrier, you need to evaluate your results after each shot so you know if or by how much you have gotten off target.
Spinning Out of Balance
I watched as a guy practiced his trick bow shooting. He would cover his eyes with a blindfold and then spin around before taking a shot. No matter how many times he spun around, he managed to stop and shoot right at the target.
“Do you want to try?” He offered when I started asking him about how he could do it.
I didn’t really want to try. I’m never excited about being blindfolded and spun in circles. I don’t even like it when I spin in circles without the blindfold. But I decided to give it a try.
It was a good thing he was standing with me, or there could have been some casualties. When I shot, I wasn’t even close to the target. He stopped me before I tried a second time.
If you can’t see where you’re shooting, it’s a challenge to hit the target. And if you know where the target is, but your dizzy from all the spinning, it’s an additional challenge. Having someone with you and reviewing what you are doing will help you stay on target before you use up all of your arrows shooting in the wrong direction.
The Problem with Little Misses
Little bits will add up, even when they are little misses. If you ever doubted that, try making little mistakes in your checkbook. The first one might not be so bad, but they’ll add up, and when they do, it won’t end well.
You can enjoy a little bit of cake now and then. It won’t hurt you or your waistline. But when you keep taking on that little bit and then a little bit more and then a little bit more, you might want to lay off the scale for a bit.
One little weed will not destroy a garden, it might even bloom and make the garden a little more interesting. But if that little weed adds up with a few more little weeds then they will choke the garden.
Taking one step off the trail, you won’t get lost. Each step you take off the trail will take you further from you comfort, safety and faster path to your destination.
It doesn’t take a lot. But each little miss will add up until you aren’t sure where you wanted to go in the first place.
You have to deal with the little misses so that you can stay on target. Evaluate your intentional actions to be sure that they are leading you to your desired target. The more you evaluate your actions and the sooner you adjust your aim, the fewer arrows you will lose.
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When was the last time you were sure of your target?
Share your top tips for taking aim.
I’m reminded of a quote from Ashleigh Brilliant. “To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and whatever you hit, call that the target.” Seems “off target” but there really is some wisdom in there. Look for the benefits in what you DID achieve. Might be a hidden gem in there somewhere.