+1 #5: 3:59.4

At this point, most of us know that Roger Bannister was the first person to break the 4-minute mile. Very smart people of his era said that it was impossible. Period. End of story. He, of course, wasn’t so sure.

 

But here’s what’s awesome: Do you know how Roger trained to do the impossible? 

 

Hint: He broke down his goal into bite-sized pieces.

 

Here’s how: First, he trained until he could run a quarter mile in a minute. (Nice job!) Then he trained until he could run half a mile in two minutes. (Well done!) Then he trained until he could run three-quarters of a mile in three minutes. (Sweet!) Then he trained until he thought he could run the full mile in less than four minutes.

 

And, voila!! 

 

On May 6, 1954 at Iffley Road Track in Oxford, England, the time keeper looked down and saw these magic numbers: 3:59.4.

 

Roger achieved the impossible by breaking his “impossible” goal into little bite-size, do-able pieces—which is always a very good idea. (As Henry Ford once said, “Nothing is particularly hard if you break it into enough small pieces.”)

 

How about you?

 

What’s your jumbo-big exciting goal? You know, the thing you would do if you weren't afraid?

 

Yah. That one. 

 

Write it down in a few words. 

 

Now, let's chunk it down and give you your next bite-size doable target.

 

What's the very next micro-goal you need to hit en route to that big goal?! The thing that, once you achieve, will make it possible to hit the next target?

 

Got it? Awesome. 

 

Now… What’s your next baby step?

 

And, most importantly: Is now a good time to take it?