Own Your ONE Thing

The ROCKET Goals framework starts with Remembering Your Future Self. Put simply, if you aren’t clear about where you’re going, progress will be haphazard at best. Most goal setters have started down this road of defining their future.

Owning Your ONE Thing is the critical flipside to Remembering Your Future Self. Out of all the possible Future Yous, make a deliberate and enthusiastic commitment to the ONE goal and outcome that is MOST important. This does not mean you need to abandon all your other supporting goals and interests. Instead, by locking in your ONE Thing - many of those supporting goals will “come along for the ride” - but now you will be traveling at a much faster and efficient rate.

The Future is an Extraordinarily Powerful Tool: Apply your future clarity as a tool to dramatically impact and bolster your present day activity. This “future filter” unlocks tremendous energy by sifting out all the distractions and detours that tend to pop up in our super busy world. This singular Future Focus also brings unforeseen ideas and circumstances that propel your ONE Thing at a much faster pace than if you were to just keep plodding along by making endless project plans based on your current reality.

Consider the difference between saying “I’m going build a rocket and land a probe on the Moon” vs. “I am going to build a human presence on Mars.” Both are excellent goals, but you can quickly imagine how these two different future lenses will impact choices of design, timing, staffing, etc.

Owning Your ONE Thing is an active process of bringing your future to bear in the here and now in the most focused and energetic ways possible. In doing so, you will unlock all kinds of happy “coincidences” that will jump you forward faster than you might have ever thought possible.

Here are Five Ways To Frame Your Future for Jump Starting Your ONE Thing:

1. Craft a Vivid Vision Statement: Based on Remembering Your Future Self, your future vision for your ONE Thing should be so clear and compelling that it feels realizable even before you've started. Like a detailed blueprint for a master architect, your vision statement should include sensory details—what you'll see, hear, feel, and even smell as you make progress. This vividness makes the future pull you toward it with gravitational force, turning your aspirations into a beacon that guides every decision and action you take today.

2. Embrace the Goggins Mindset for Exponential Effort: David Goggins advocates for a mentality that doesn't shy away from pain or discomfort but sees them as indicators of growth. Apply this to your vision by asking yourself, "What's the most challenging aspect of my ONE Thing, and how can I confront it head-on?" This mindset shift turns daunting obstacles into milestones of progress, pushing you to exert effort beyond what you thought was possible and accelerating your journey. WARNING: - just like stepping into some kind of sci-fi time travel portal - your pride, your preconceptions, your mind, your relationships and your body will all experience varying degrees of pain and discomfort by accelerating into the future.

3. Implement the CREW Model Principles: Use the Courage to Risk, Recognition of Progress, Expanding Horizons, and Wisdom through Mentorship as lenses to view your future. For instance, have the courage to set ambitious targets, recognize and celebrate every small win to maintain momentum, constantly look for ways to expand your capabilities and understanding, and seek wisdom from those who have walked the path before. This holistic approach ensures that you're not just moving forward, but you're also deepening and enriching your journey.

4. Reverse Engineer from Future to Present: Starting with your vivid vision of the future, work backward to identify the critical milestones and actions that will lead you there. This process, often used by visionaries and successful leaders, creates a step-by-step roadmap that feels more achievable because you're connecting the dots from the future to your current situation. By applying this Future Filter, each step you complete will reinforce your belief in the vision, making your ONE Thing an inevitable outcome of your efforts.

5. Invoke the Power of Future You: Regularly engage in reflective exercises where you visualize having a conversation with Future You who has already achieved the ONE Thing. Ask for advice, insights, and warnings. This imaginative exercise not only provides motivation but also insights that you may not have considered from your present perspective. It's a powerful method to align your current actions with the future outcomes you desire, making your path clearer and more directed.

Integrating these approaches will not only help in jumpstarting your ONE Thing but also ensure that you're equipped with a resilient and growth-oriented mindset. As you move forward, remember that every effort counts, every setback is a lesson, and every milestone is a cause for celebration. Your future is not just a destination but a compelling narrative of transformation and achievement. Let's make it a remarkable one!