We all want to achieve our goals, but most of us go about it the wrong way.
We think success comes from doing more, so we take bigger actions, set tighter deadlines, and push ourselves to stay busier. It’s what we’ve been taught our whole lives: work harder, push through, and the results will follow.
But last week, while leading a workshop with a group of leaders, I was reminded that achievement doesn’t start with action at all.
We were exploring how attention shapes performance and I shared a framework I call The Achievement Engine. I wish you were there because you could see the lightbulbs go off in the room. It’s simple, but it changes everything once you really see it.
Here’s how it works:
Attention drives Assumptions.
Assumptions drive Actions.
Actions drive Achievements.
Most of us already know that if we want to accomplish something, we have to take action. But our actions alone don’t determine our success. Something deeper influences what we choose to do and how we do it. So the real question becomes: what’s driving our actions?
Most people focus only on the last two pieces (action and achievement). They get fixated on the outer game, where strategy, effort, and execution seem to matter most. But what really determines success happens on the inside. Our achievements flow from the quiet space where your attention and assumptions live.
Your attention decides what you notice. What you notice shapes what you believe. Those beliefs guide your choices, and your choices drive your results.
If your attention is scattered, your actions will be too. You can stay busy without ever moving forward. You can do a lot and still not do what matters.
That’s what I mean by the inner game.
It’s easy to think achievement begins with action, but real progress starts much earlier. It starts with awareness.
If you want to reach your goals, start by paying attention to your attention.
Notice where it goes. What catches it. What drains it. And what truly deserves it.
This week, try something simple: choose one goal that really matters to you. Then pause and ask yourself, “Where is my attention right now?”
Is it on the obstacles or the opportunities?
Am I paying attention to the noise or the signal?
Do I notice what’s missing or what’s meaningful?
That single act of noticing changes everything, because when your attention shifts, your assumptions shift. When your assumptions shift, your actions follow. And once your actions align with what truly matters, your achievements begin to take care of themselves.
That’s how real success happens, and you deserve success!
