If you’re CLEAR on what you want, you can FOCUS on it everyday. This is message 425 and day #79 in the 98-day 8-C Challenge and this message is dedicated to Chris Lesner. Happy birthday Chris and congratulations on the successful launch of Chris’s new podcast “Servant Leadership Podcast” and amazing first guest Horst Schulze, founder of the Ritz-Carlton.

You can focus on the goal or focus on the steps that you have to take to reach your goal. You’ve probably heard of vision boards, where you create a collage of what you’re working toward. I think they’re a waste of time personally. I’ve mentioned Russell Simmons’ quote before about focusing on the prize or the path, “I know some people say ‘Keep your eyes on the prize,’ but I disagree. When your eyes are stuck on the prize, you’re going to keep stumbling and crashing into things. If you really want to get ahead, you’ve got to keep your eyes focused on the path.”

This is the difference between lag measures and lead measures. Lag is the end result. Use health as an example. People make a certain weight a goal. Well that is a lag measure, because reaching that is the end of the process, it lags at the end. However, what are the things that lead up to that? Lead measures are the steps. They are the daily disciplines like exercise and diet that lead to a change in weight.

If you’re clear on what you want, you can focus on it everyday. What are the steps you can focus on TODAY to reach your goals? Focus on the path, not the prize. Create CLARITY on the steps necessary to lead you to your prize TODAY!