Why Your Goals Keep Getting Blown Off Course

Jun 9, 2025

Explore how our natural wiring for goals can lead us off course when we don’t set them intentionally. Using a pilot’s perspective, the discussion highlights the importance of direct paths to major aspirations instead of detours. Life's distractions are compared to wind affecting an airplane, making corrections crucial for staying on track. Mindfulness and meditation are suggested as key tools for maintaining focus. Learn why pursuing your dreams directly can yield better results than gradual builds.

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INSIGHT

Hardwired for Goals

You are hardwired to pursue goals whether you consciously set them or not.
If you don't set your own goals, others will set them for you, leading to unfulfilled desires.

ADVICE

Go Directly to Your Goal

Go directly toward what you want as fast as possible without waiting with stepping-stone jobs.
Building up gradually often wastes years better spent pursuing your actual goal.

INSIGHT

Flying Crooked Metaphor

Life blows you off course like wind affects an airplane flying crooked.
Without correction, you won't reach your intended destination or goals.

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Daily Boost Podcast Show Notes

Why Your Goals Keep Getting Blown Off Course

June 9, 2025 | Episode - 5111

Host: Scott Smith

Episode Description

You’re hard-wired for goals, whether you realize it or not. If you’re not setting them consciously, everyone else is setting them for you. Scott breaks down why most people struggle with goal achievement using his pilot’s perspective on “flying crooked.” Life will blow you off course like wind affects an airplane, but that doesn’t mean you should take detours or stepping stones.

Learn why going straight to what you want works better than building up to it, and how to make those crucial wind corrections when life gets in the way.

Featured Story

Scott shares insights from a recent Fisher Passion coaching call where a friend wanted to build up gradually to making a TV show instead of going directly for his goal. This leads to Scott’s airplane metaphor about flying crooked - how pilots compensate for wind by pointing slightly into it to reach their destination.

Just like pilots need wind correction to avoid missing their airport, you need goal correction to avoid missing your dreams.

Important Points

Your mind and body are naturally designed to pursue goals, so if you’re not setting them deliberately, others will set them for you.

Taking “stepping stone” jobs or building up to your actual goal often backfires - go directly toward what you want as fast as possible.

Life will blow you off course like wind affects an airplane, so expect it and make constant corrections rather than getting frustrated.

Memorable Quotes

“If you’re not setting goals for yourself and deciding where you want to go, then your body and your mind and everybody around you are setting goals for you, which is why you’re not getting what you want.”

“Why would you give up a year or two or three or five of your life to see if it’s going to work out as a stepping stone?”

“Life gets in the way. It’s going to blow you around. Expect it’s going to happen.”

Scott’s Three-Step Approach

Set clear goals for yourself instead of letting others set them for you - you’re hard-wired for goal achievement, anyway.

Go directly toward what you want rather than taking stepping stone positions or building up gradually to your real objective.

Expect life to blow you off course like wind affects an airplane, then make constant corrections to stay headed toward your destination.

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