Accomplishment or What Might Have Been?

Some intentions turn into accomplishments and some drift to What Might Have Been.  What guides intentions one way or the other?

Yesterday, I remembered one guide when my guitar teacher asked me to perform publicly three weeks from now:  a time-limited goal, with accountability.  I have practiced the song I am to play, on average, five minutes every two weeks for the last three months.  My goal has been to play the song eventually and sooner rather than later.  Yesterday, “eventually” became three weeks from now.  And, with this goal change, I scheduled a daily practice of at least 10 minutes.  This is the power of a goal that has a near-future deadline…combined with accountability.  My guitar teacher is counting on me and there will be an audience…my guitar-playing just got real.

Where can you add a near-future deadline plus true accountability to shift an intention toward accomplishment and away from What Might Have Been?