Making a Priority of Your Goals and a Habit of Intensity

Men in their 40s and beyond must make their goals a priority and then work to pursue them with a habit of intensity.

 It isn’t easy to do. When we were young and had few responsibilities, we could do what we wanted. If you are like most men in their 40s, you have a lot on your shoulders—a full time job, a partner and kids, a need to spend time with friends and networking, possibly supporting charities and contributing to the community. If you have hobbies, that takes even more time. The demands on your schedule are endless, but time is not.

 Setting Your Priorities

By the time you hit middle age, you probably know what you want out of life. The demands on your time, however, can turn those goals into distant wishes. Turning that around means owning the clock. After your family and your job, your goals need to become a non-negotiable priority. If you let yourself say, “well, not today” or  “something came up” and then skip time you meant to set aside for your goal, you will not get results. Your dreams will never be more than wishes.

 Adopting the Habit of Intensity

Making your goals a priority is only the first step. When you own the clock, you make the time you put into working on them deliver the maximum benefit per minute. That means intensity. Intensity is in every one of us. You might have to peel back the layers to discover your competitive streak and your motivation to achieve top performance, but it is worth the effort. If you have ten minutes or an hour, bring 199% to each minute.

 So ask yourself: Why am I doing this? What am I feeling? What am I chasing? Commit to that and go for it. Go for it every time. Turn intensity into a habit.

 The Virtuous Cycle of Success Momentum

When you start, you may not feel you are doing your best. You might get distracted or slack off.  But tomorrow you’ll be better. And next week, you might up the intensity. What is happening is you are tapping into virtuous cycles. You work out. You feel better. You get better. You work out harder. Or you truly concentrate on your task. You power through blocks and distractions. You check off a work step or a milestone. Whether your goal is physical or mental, it’s very much like the runner’s high. You experience the feeling and then want to keep chasing that feeling. There’s a momentum to it; a success momentum. You get to a place that people call the “flow.” It becomes more than a habit, but an essential part of your life. 

 Getting What You Want out of Life

You don’t have to slow down in your 40s. In fact, your well-being depends on doing the opposite. I know from experience that wishing won’t get you there. I am in my 40s. I’ve got a family and a demanding job. I got a lot of everything except time, yet I am in the best shape of my life and am staying on track with my goals. I do it by making my priorities non-negotiable. And I unleash max intensity. Easy to say—but how do you do it? Read my next blog on the right mental mindset.