The secret of The Secret is no secret.

Climbing Everest is a cliché goal for many adventurers, in large part because of how simple it is to measure and understand.

You either make it to the top, or you don’t.

Do you have goals like this?

Probably not, you probably have wishes, desires, desired states, OKMs, targets, forecasts, or growth plans or models or spreadsheets… can I stop?

How often do you check on those models, OKMs, forecasts… Can I stop?

Not very often.

Simple goals lead to clear measurement.

Since you make what you measure, simple goals will allow you to make what you need or want to succeed.

This was the secret of The Secret. Is there is an active guiding force in the universe moving you towards your wants and desires? Maybe, but you don’t need that to be true to achieve what you want in life or for your company. The software your brain needs to achieve what you want to is there already. The more simple your goal is, the easier it is to express and track your progress. The more often you check your progress the more you internalize and remind yourself of the goal. Your brain loves questions and problems, the more often you check on your goal the more your brain realizes it’s important and starts building more neural pathways to strengthen that area of your brain. It also goes to work to solve the problem or answer the question subconsciously and consciously. More often than not, if you goal is realistic, you will attain it. What looks like magic, or divine intervention is simply your brain’s plasticity at work.

Setting clear goals is the most important thing you can do personally and professionally.

So pick something you wish was different, set a clear goal and start moving towards it day by day.

Everest is as tall as it’s ever going to be, you are still growing.