Throughout the 8th-11th centuries Viking warriors would sail across the treacherous North Sea in their famous longships and raid the coastal towns of Europe looking for loot and plunder. These remarkable journeys took them from their homelands in modern day Scandinavia to as far afield as Iceland and Greenland in the northern reaches of the Atlantic ocean. Not bad for an age with no computers, compasses or global satellites.
Quite how they navigated their way across the turbulent seas is a topic open to debate but records suggest a combination of sun, stars, sights and smells coupled with hard-won knowledge handed down from previous generations allowed them to successfully find their way.
One thing we can be sure of is that plain sailing it was not. Cloud cover, thick fog and violent winds would likely wreak havoc on their primitive navigation systems resulting in a series of directional corrections before they could eventually find land.
While the Vikings used this pattern of setting a course, assessing progress and making corrections to reach terra firma, we can use the same formula to reach our own goals.
Want to lose some inches off your waist? The first thing you need is a plan of action as it’s unlikely to happen by chance. With a plan in place, let’s say walk for 30 minutes per day and replace soft drinks with water it's time to take action.
After a period of time elapses assess your progress to see if your plan is taking you in the right direction. Losing inches? Great, carry on with the plan. No change? Its time to make some corrections.
Was the plan inadequate or did you simply not stick to it? Once the necessary corrections have been identified you have an updated plan and it's time to repeat the process.
- Set a course
- Take action
- Assess progress
- Make corrections
- Repeat
Using this formula (plus some patience) it is hard not to be successful with your goals.