Aspirations are abstract desires, like wanting your kids to succeed in school. Outcomes are more measurable, like getting straight As second semester. Both of these are great places to start the process of Behavior Design. But aspirations and outcomes are not behaviors. Here’s an easy way to differentiate behaviors from aspirations and outcomes: A behavior is something you can do right now or at another specific point in time.

Set your ambitions, even if you are uncertain about what they should be. The better ambitions have to do with the development of character and ability, rather than status and power.

Just start with what you have, and do it. Dreams begin from where you start. Even though ideas could be overwhelming and vague, unless you start with what you have and where you are, you may never clinch your aspirations.

The better ambitions have to do with the development of character and ability, rather than status and power. Status you can lose. You carry character with you wherever you go, and it allows you to prevail against adversity.

What you want to achieve, start with you.

In contrast, you can’t achieve an aspiration or outcome at any given moment. You cannot suddenly get better sleep. You cannot lose twelve pounds at dinner tonight. You can only achieve aspirations and outcomes over time if you execute the right specific behaviors.

Your aspirations are your possibilities.

For lofty goals, measure your progress from where you started rather than where you need to finish.

Our aspirations are our possibilities.

the starting point of all achievement is desire

The starting point of all achievement is DESIRE.

Your ambition should be to get as much life out of living as you possibly can, as much enjoyment, as much interest, as much experience, as much understanding. Not simply to be what is generally called “a success.

Desire is the starting point of all achievement.

Ambition is useful when it's pointed at something you want.

If it isn't, you'll spend decades chasing, growing, and outpacing.

You'll be busy, and you may even look successful, but you'll never actually win.