Goal Setting – Why You Should Listen To Mama!

Autumn 2011, and I heard a new song for the first time. It reminded me of an artist from years ago, and as I tracked down her music for another listen, it occurred to me that I had never written about the goal setting lesson of my favourite song of hers. So, read on to find why I say you should listen to Mama…!

When I say listen to Mama, I don’t mean listen to your own Mama. That would be silly, wouldn’t it! I don’t know you, or her. No, I’m talking about Mama Cass, one of the 1960s group The Mamas And Papas.

Cass Elliot was born Ellen Cohen, and I like to mention artist’s real names, because it drives home that the lesson I’m drawing is a personal one. You can easily look up her story, I’m not covering it here, because I actually want to focus on one of her solo records.

It’s called ‘Make Your Own Kind Of Music’, and you can see her performing it here:

Written by the pop writing powerhouse duo of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, the lyrics shouted out to me as soon as I first heard them. Well, not shouted obviously, but you know what I mean. Elliot’s voice was what I call ‘soaring’, she could hit floating high notes that send a wave of feelgood factor.

I probably first got into that song, ooh, 30 years ago, and the words are powerful. Some might call it clichéd sugar coated 1960s hippy nonsense, but when it comes to goal setting, following the idea of the song can make or break your ambition…

The lyric says that other people will try and tell you what you can and cannot do. This might be because they don’t know any better, or as the song goes, “it hangs them up to see someone like you.” Peer pressure jealousy is so often the reason that people do not set the goals they know they really want.

You may worry that following your passion or dream will alienate friends, will take you out of your current social circle. Well, the news is that yes, it probably will! This is part of the process.

If keeping your current social group is more important than your goal, then accept that decision. If, however, you realise that your goal is more important than pleasing your friends, then accept that changes will happen.

The chorus of the song says to “make your own kind of music, sing your own kind of song, even if nobody else sings along”. The lesson there is to be yourself. Do not live with someone else’s life choices. Be prepared to be an individual.

The song says you’re going to be lonely, that it may be rough going. That’s true with a lot of goals, you may come across many hurdles, feel that you are on your own and going nowhere. That’s no reason not to set the goals you really want, it’s part of the package!

Some goals are easier to achieve than others, not all of them are uphill struggles. Some goals will indeed be tough to achieve though, and it comes down to belief in yourself and the goal, plus a willingness to pay the price it takes to get there.

In fact, it’s often the case that just making the initial decision to do your own thing is the hardest part, that once you set out it’s not as hard as you thought it would be.

So, when it comes to your plans and your future, remember what Cass Elliot sang. Don’t forget to make your *own* kind of music, don’t forget to listen to Mama!

Don’t forget to grab my free 8 Step Goal Achievement Formula via the link at the top of the page!

‘Til Next Time,
Health & Happiness,
Gordon

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