Goals That Refuse To Die
Two things change our lives: chance and our goals. I'l show you how to set goals that turn chance into your favor.
"Are you a science student?" The question pierced through Karachi's oppressive heat in July 1994, catching me off guard as I navigated my way home. The voice belonged to a young man, his mid-30s etched with the marks of hard labor, clinging desperately to a telephone pole, drenched in sweat. A line-man, working for the telecoms company.
"Yes," I replied, eager to continue my journey home. It was 41 degrees Celsius. All shops were closed until evening. No cats. No dogs. Just me and the guy hanging from pole.
"Do yourself a favor. Stay away from MS in Physics." His words, steeped in regret, resonated with an eerie truth. Irony laughed in my face; I was just returning from my Physics exam.
That day, walking down my street, his words mingled with the heat, creating a turbulent storm in my mind. Despite the sweltering weather, I felt a cold sweat.
In the midst of this storm lived my second cousin. An year later, he and five neighbors were tragically killed, a stark reminder of the violence that haunted my part of the town, a hotbed for political gangs and lost dreams.
Reaching home, panic and determination set in. I slept for 15 hours, waking with a resolve that would change my life's trajectory:
I would break into America's tech scene by 2002.
The journey wasn't easy. I dedicated myself to my studies, bypassing social gatherings, focusing on grades. A glimmer of hope appeared with financial aid from the Illinois Institute of Technology, but it wasn't enough.
Here's the twist: When you set a goal with conviction, it works behind the scenes. In 2002, amidst the dot-com bubble's collapse, when others were retreating, I arrived in America on an H1B visa.
I was living my American dream.
Over three decades, I refined my goal-setting approach:
I became a Principal Engineer at Yahoo in just 10 years.
I earned my MS in Software Management from Carnegie Mellon.
I led large engineering teams at renowned tech companies in the Fortune 50.
Two years ago, I pivoted to full-time coaching, applying these goal-setting principles.
The results speak for themselves. In 2023:
22 engineers secured high-paying roles.
8 moved into leadership positions.
My coaching calendar is booked out six months.
For effective goal setting, consider these pillars:
1. Set an Anchor, Not the Path
Don't limit yourself to what's visible.
Aim for the summit, even when the path is unclear. When I set my sights on America, no streets in Karachi led there.
It was about carving a new path, not following the beaten one.
2. Beware of Familiar Traps
The temptation to follow others or choose the convenient option is strong.
Resist it. Your path to success is unique.
My path from Karachi to Silicon Valley was uncharted but driven by a relentless pursuit of my tech dreams.
3. Visualize with Intensity
Make your goals so vivid, they're almost tangible.
I didn't just see myself working in tech; I pictured driving down California’s coast in a convertible, the tangible symbol of my success and freedom, much like the thrilling rides in Knight Rider.
Feel it, smell it, live it in your mind.
4. Confront Your Reality
My reality in Karachi was harsh, but it became the fuel for my ambition, not a deterrent.
Your current challenges aren't roadblocks; they're the tension in the slingshot propelling you forward.
Recognize them, own them, use them.
5. Consult Your Future Self
Look back from the future and chart your path.
This backward visioning helps in creating a practical and achievable roadmap to your goals.
Looking back:
My time in Karachi, though jam packed with turbulence, gave me the perfect ground to develop my skills. The undergraduate time at FASTICS with exceptional learning and life long friends is the highlight of my early life.
In Summary:
Your goals should excite you, push you, and drive you towards a future you can't wait to live.
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"Goals should excite us" yes !!!
Exactly, one way to achieve that is ""reverse engineering"" and starting from our core values
"I want to be the kind of person that X, Y, Z"
And each opportunity can be judged according to those values so we don't sabotage ourselves with exact planning and perfection seeking
And also one thing: we should always enjoy the ride, no matter the destination. We all achieve goals that "should've make us happy", but nothing made us happier than the climb toward the goal
Great article, thanks !
It's pretty interesting how we can sabotage ourselves if we try to define with too much detail the path of our goals
It's like people would have asked for "faster horses" and not a car. We can't imagine what we don't know