Take The Bloody Shot

DETERMINATION STARTS BY DECIDING RIGHT NOW.
In the James Bond movie, Skyfall (2012), the opening scene had 007 fighting the villain on top of a moving train that was about to head into a tunnel. Bond’s partner Eve was about a hundred yards away on a ledge with a semi-automatic rifle aimed towards Bond and the villain. Eve didn’t have a clear shot and communicated that fact to MI6 (the British Military Intelligence Agency). As the train edged closer to the tunnel, M ordered Eve to “Take the bloody shot!” She took it and missed the villain, though she inadvertently hit Bond knocking him off the train and into the river below.

That scene made an impression on me. So much so, that often you can hear me yelling at my daughter to take the bloody shot after she snatches a rebound under her own basket and passes the ball out to a teammate instead of turning to the basket and shooting the ball herself.

In a rival playoff game last year she found herself all alone beyond the 3-point line and shot the ball and made it. Her team won by two points. I hadn’t said a word, but during the post-game interview, I overheard her saying excitedly, “I just decided to take the bloody shot!”

Determination starts with a decision. When you have a goal, whether or not you’re determined will be the deciding factor if you achieve that goal or not because there are elements designed to derail you from your goal. You must have determination—it is the key to on the job success because without it you will become distracted, discouraged, or derailed, and most likeky will never reach your desired goal.

Determination is acknowledging where you are today and then taking the required steps to get to your Point B. At GudeJob we call it “Assess-N-Step,” where you make an honest appraisal of where you are today and then taking the next step to move you towards your Point B. Indeed, the more you can assess-n-step the more positive fuel it can add to your determination.

I must take the time to do an honest assessment when I am now in relation to where I want to be at my Point B. Assessments help me to do a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) that helps me to keep focused.

For example, I was asked to do Project Management for a government project in the central coast in California. After looking at the strength of the project (the pay), and looking at what I had to give up in return (living out of a suitcase for two months without the family), and seeing what else the project might lead to (another government project), and then looking at what I would miss out on by taking the project (another contractor getting the FBI-Apple gig), I decided to forego the Project Management opportunity and focus on the contract that I wanted. I was determined, but I first had to decide right then and there to do the SWOT analysis so that I could remain focused.

Many goals and decisions don’t require a full bown SWOT analysis but rather an idea of what you really want. Start by deciding what you want; and then decide how bad you want it; and then decide that you want it bad enough to stay focused until you get it—that’s determination, and that’s the difference between having a goal and fantasizing about a dream. What you want is determination.

Okay, so you’re determined, what then? Working out your determination means the next thing that you do is to take action. Take the next step, do the next thing, complete the next task. And you know, your next task starts today, right now. Even if the next thing on your To Do list is huge, take a small bite out of it today and right now. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been between tasks, deciding to do it today and right now wipes away the past inactivity. You are back on track but only if you decide to do it today and right now.

So what are you waiting for? Stop reading this article and go do your stuff. Decide today and right now to remain determined towards your goal. You will be happy that you did.