“Never stop believing in the greatness that lies in you.” Now that is certainly a statement you would expect to hear from a motivational or inspirational speaker, which is the title that many people like to give me.

As a coach, I focus on long-term growth and sustainability over long periods of time. I believe I have a deep opportunity and responsibility to help somebody be their best. But before somebody has the ability to be their best, they have to choose to be their best.

What is your big goal or vision for 2018? And when I say “big goal,” I’m talking about a goal that makes you uncomfortable but will lead to new action. Ask yourself this question: If you set a big goal that pushes you and challenges you, what will happen to you if you fall short? The times I have fallen short in my life have often led to me figuring out the real strength that I had in me and my real opportunity to grow long-term. Challenge yourself this year. Do not protect yourself. With a clear vision and plan, you can take daily action that you have never experienced before, which leads to long-term growth and sustainability.

To give you an example of this long-term thinking in practice, a client of mine, Kunal, uses peak performance, vision and mindset strategies to day trade full-time, run a seven-figure online business and launch his new cryptocurrency online business. Not a bad resume for an individual who at one point in time just started with a vision! But vision is not enough unless you choose to execute.

In my time working with him, Kunal has also embraced mental toughness training and connects daily to his purpose statement and “I am” statements (statements of belief and affirmation). He recognizes the importance of exercise and diet, makes time for intellectual and spiritual learning and keeps a journal of weekly and monthly goals. As you can see, he is a powerful example of vision setting and intentional behavior on a daily basis, and when he works with his clients, he sees it as much bigger than each individual trade. He often says, “You’re not trading chart patterns, you’re trading your hopes and dreams.”

So now, you’ve just written down your big goal. What are the actions that will give you the greatest probability of hitting that goal? Are you focused on the daily processes (the things you can control personally, professionally and in your service to others to win one day at a time based on your effort, not your results)?

Greatness has a cost, regardless of the field you are in. And the question is, are you willing to put in the work the greatness requires?

One more question I have for you: Are you staying connected to your purpose and the real passion and desire to be your best? When you stay connected to a purpose that is bigger than you, believe in a big vision and recognize that your effort on a daily basis is what winning is all about, that is when we have our greatest opportunity for growth. In 2018 and beyond, challenge yourself to think bigger. Consider the power of vision and intentionality on a daily basis. What if you become more intentional and trust what greatness lies inside of you?

About The Author:

Ben Newman Companies. Performance Coach, Speaker and Author for Fortune 500 Companies, Entrepreneurs, and Professional & NCAA athletes.