Compete in Your Game. Stay Focused on Your Goals. ©

Every day we are presented with advertisements, articles, TV infomercials, and people who are constantly telling us what we should be doing with our lives. Last year I experienced an incident that reminded me to stay focused on my goals, not on the daily distractions around me.

I was on the highway driving about 60 mph. I wanted to move into the next lane. I put on my turn signals.

As I looked over my left shoulder, a car already in that lane started to speed up; the driver didn't want me to slide over. What?! I punched the accelerator! He did too! I looked ahead. I looked at him. I looked ahead. And for a moment I thought I could squeeze my car in before he closed the gap. Then I let him go.

As he went zooming past me with the smirk of victory on his face, I thought, "I did it again! I let someone else bait me into a competition I had no intention of entering!" I didn't wake up that morning saying, "I'm going to save 47 seconds today on my drive to work by racing in and out of lanes faster than any other driver." But the important question is, "What did I say to myself that morning?"

Most of us hear the alarm clock, drag out of bed, take a shower, grab a cup of coffee, say goodbye to our family, and head out of the house each morning. Our life goals are rarely fresh in our mind. Our strategic plan for the life we want to lead is at best in a folder somewhere, and at worst, not even on our mind.

With no plan in hand, we are vulnerable to competition with everyone. We are easily triggered by an aggressive driver, a competitive colleague at work, or a demanding boss. When we're not clear about what we're committed to, we feel challenged from all sides.

So how do we stop entering the ring with everyone? We get clear on what we care about. We ask ourselves, "What do I really want to achieve?" Then we write it down. Most people only daydream about success; few people write down what it looks like. Even fewer people read what they write.

What if you took two minutes each morning to remind yourself of your life goals? What if you updated your goals whenever a new opportunity, or a new possibility arose? What if you kept your written goals with you at all times? The answer is clear: You'll never forget what's important to you.

The late positive psychology researcher Rick Snyder from the University of Kansas is best known for his extensive work on the subject of "hope." Snyder discovered in his research, "There are three elements to hope: (1) setting clear goals that you value; (2) thinking about how you can achieve those goals; (3) raising motivations to use those routes."

When we focus on the game we want to win, we are more likely to set goals that will help us succeed. In turn, we become hopeful about our prospects to achieve these goals, and our positive energy will increase as a result. We don't have the time, nor the interest to worry about all the other games we could be in.

So let the jack rabbit racers dart in and out of traffic on their way to work. You'll be too busy thinking about the good life you have, and the goals you have for making your life even better. Enjoy your drive!

David J. Pollay is an internationally sought after speaker and teacher, a syndicated columnist, and is the founder and president of The Momentum Project. Mr. Pollay holds a Master's Degree in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and an Economics Degree from Yale University. Email him your thoughts and stories at david@themomentumproject.com.