One of the most important things you learn in racing is to look where you want to go.

Why is this so important?

Wherever you’re looking, whatever you’re focused on, your actions and reactions will naturally move you in that direction.

Think about it this way…You’re driving down the highway and see a gorgeous sunset to your right. You turn your head to look and the car starts to move to the right, in the direction you’re looking.

Now think of the car as your business/brand/life. The destination you’re headed is your next goal (starting your business, spending more quality time with family, developing your brand, travelling more, etc.).

If you look down the road, toward your goals, the path to achieve them becomes clearer. You know what direction you need to go and what actions you need to take to get there. However, if you look to the side or too close in front, your vision narrows and everything feels like it’s coming at you in a rush. You no longer see the path and your movements become tense and impulsive as you try to keep up.

Looking where you want to go expands your perspective.

You now see the path you must take to get from where you are to where you want to be. You can act in the now while intentionally preparing for the future. With every action you take, you see how it shifts your path compared to your goal. Your reactions then adjust and redirect to keep you going the right direction. You see what’s coming next and know what to expect.

When you look where you want to go, the present becomes less overwhelming.

You’re aware of what’s happening around you, but everything slows down to a much more manageable pace. Instead of feeling like you can’t keep up, you feel like you have time to react. You’re aware of everything happening in the present, but also aware of and able to prepare for what’s coming up next.

When you’re transfixed on where you DON’T want to go, you end up going that way.

Your actions continuously move you in the direction you’re focused. Maybe it’s out of fear; maybe it’s out of uncertainty or doubt. As hard as you try to move a different direction, you continue progressing toward the place you want to avoid. Until you look where you want to go, your actions will continue working in the direction you’re focused.

Looking where you want to go is one of the most difficult lessons to apply, both in racing and in life. Don’t worry, I’m not leaving you stranded!

Here are three tools I use to look where I want to go and achieve goals:

1. Practice Daily Gratitude: Gain perspective on where you want to go.

If you follow me on Instagram, then you may know that I started keeping a daily gratitude journal in August. In the middle of a crazy travel schedule and unsure how to keep up, I found setting aside a few moments each morning to practice gratitude helped me regain perspective and focus on the things that truly matter.

This new practice quickly began to transform my mindset and attitude for the better. As I focused on the big picture, the little stresses and worries of my day seemed to vanish. They didn’t matter and there was no point in letting them linger.

When you practice gratitude, your focus zooms out. You gain the space and perspective to see how incredibly blessed you are, in health, in basic needs, in opportunities.

Practicing gratitude acts as a continuous reminder that I have every opportunity, endless resources, and that I am perfectly capable of whatever I want to achieve. It reminds me that, no matter the situation or circumstance, I’m in control of my own actions and reactions. I can choose to let overwhelm get the best of me, or, I can choose to see the goodness in every situation.

Keeping a daily gratitude journal helps me to recognize the things that are most important. This allows me to continuously adjust my focus and look where I want to go.

Start your daily gratitude practice:

• Think of just ONE thing you are grateful for every day and write down WHY you are grateful for it.
• Try to do this at the same time every day to help make it part of your routine. I like to do this first thing in the morning to set my tone for the day, but anytime is a good time!

2. Set Goals: You can’t look where you want to go if you don’t know where to look!

I set goals ALL THE TIME, for my day, my week, my year, 5 years, even just my morning. Goals help me continuously know where I’m headed and gauge whether or not I’m on track. Plus, every time I reach a goal, I feel more motivated and ready to keep the momentum going.

When we make goals, we’re able to measure our success. Doing so allows us to make strategic decisions that will help us grow and serve others better in the future!

Our goals point us to where we’re going and direct us along the path to achieve them. It’s easy to look where you want to go when you know where to look!

” When you set a goal you naturally direct your attention toward a next step and, as a result, lead yourself in the right direction which forces your actions—your behaviors—to follow. It’s a cheesy saying but I’ll say it anyway: whatever the mind believes, the body achieves. The body follows the mind.” – Jeff Boss

Not sure where to start? Here’s a simple breakdown:

• Think about where you want to be five years from now.
• Where do you need to be one year from now to know you are on track to achieve your five-year goal?
• What can you do in the next three months to start working toward your one-year benchmark?
• What’s ONE thing you can do today to take the first step?

3. Visualize: Practice arriving at the destination.

Visualizing is simply picturing what you want to happen. In racing, we use visualization to gain extra “practice” without the expense of actually driving a car. What’s crazy is, it actually works! When I visualize before driving on track, I find I perform much better from the start.

Visualizing allows my mind to gain experience before physically doing anything.

The same holds true for our lives and our businesses. Visualizing helps us see that our dreams and goals are achievable, and it helps us prepare to step into them.

“With a clear vision of what’s important to you, you’ll experience a newfound sense of determination and optimism that will make you more effective in everything that you do.” – John De Mott

To start visualizing, try the following exercise:

• Imagine you have achieved your five year goal stated above and then some. You feel fulfilled in all aspects of your life.
• What does your life look like, professionally, personally, socially? What are you doing? How does it feel?
• Let your mind incorporate as many details as possible as you visualize your life in five years.

Have you tried any of these tools to look where you want to go? What works best for you to stay focused on your goals?