WHAT IS YOUR TRAJECTORY?
Champions aren’t born. They’re built. That’s the foundational belief at Champions 101 - that if you want to become someone worthy of winning in any important area of life, then there’s some work that needs to be done. That mindset highlights the critical role growth and improvement play in your pursuit of success, and the responsibility you have to keep getting better. It diminishes the value of where you are, and increases the importance of where you’re headed.
Trajectory is defined as the path or course something or someone follows over time. I want to encourage you today to stop and consider your trajectory. In the important areas of your life, are you moving in the right direction? Calculating your trajectory is determined partly by where you are, but is mostly focused on where you're headed. If you’re reading along here as a quantum physicist, then you probably already know the formula for calculating trajectory:
Y = x tan 𝛳 - gx2 / 2v2 cos2 𝛳
If want a more practical formula for determining where exactly it is that you're headed, try this:
Your trajectory = V + F + C
V = Your VISION. Knowing that you’re headed in the right direction starts with clarifying a vision for where exactly you want to end up. The famous author and speaker Stephen Covey emphasized that highly successful people “begin with the end in mind.” Of course, the idea of winning is alluring for each of us, and if that’s what you want, then it’s worth clarifying what exactly "you, the champion" looks like. What physical qualities or attributes does that version of you possess? What mental or emotional characteristics does that version embody? What behaviors does that version exhibit, and what skills has that version developed? Clarifying your vision - zeroing in on what exactly you at your best looks like - is an important place to start.
F = Your FOCUS. Painting that clear picture is important because it reveals not only where you want to go, but also the humbling reality of where you currently are. It highlights the gap that exists between here and there, and if you’re willing to look for them, it uncovers some areas of weakness that need to be addressed. Ultimately, it sharpens your focus on where you have to get better. If that's your goal - to get better - then you can’t work on just anything. You have to focus on the right things. The more you do that - the more you focus on what really matters - the more you move in the right direction.
C = Your COMMITMENT. The last piece of the trajectory equation is commitment. In short, commitment is your willingness to do what winning requires. The hard truth is that becoming someone worthy of winning in any important area isn’t easy, and sometimes you just won’t feel like putting in the work. But commitment isn’t about how you feel. In fact, your level of commitment is often defined by the choices you make and the action you take, in spite of how you feel. When you show up to get better every day - no matter what - you maximize your growth and development.
That's the formula. Your trajectory = V + F + C. Vision ensures that you’re aiming in the right direction. Focus keeps your attention on the most important stuff. And commitment helps you maximize your opportunity today. Together, they put you on the most productive path forward.
It would be nice of course if reaching your desired destination was quick and convenient. Unfortunately, the process of growth and improvement never is. Even with a clear vision, a sharpened focus, and a full commitment, your effort today produces just a barely perceptible step in the right direction. But over time those steps start adding up, and help to make you more worthy of winning than you've ever been.
So keep clarifying what your very best looks like. Keep uncovering where you need to get better, and stay focused on what really matters. Keep showing up every day, even when - and maybe especially when - you don’t feel like it, and keep trusting that you're headed in the right direction. You're on your way to becoming a champion.