The Secret to Goal Setting, What I Know Now After Interviewing Gerry Duffy The Goal Getter
Mark Kelly AI Keynote Speaker
AI Leader | Chief Customer Officer at Alldus | Founder of AI Ireland | Author & Keynote Speaker on AI Innovation
Read Time Two Minutes
I was referred to Gerry from a friend that worked with him to improve my friend's work and fitness performance. My friend was very complimentary of Gerry's ability to motivate, improve performance and recommend I speak with Gerry for the podcast. On the back of this recommendation I reached out to Gerry and was delighted to meet up and interview him for What I Know Now.
For those that don't know Gerry, he is a professional Speaker in the area of Personal Development. Works with companies such as Facebook, Google, Standard Life, Norvartis Pharmaceuticals etc. Gerry also runs his own seminars and workshops. Gerry has an unconventional background, he was a chain smoker, 50 lbs over weight and straight D student before transforming himself to becoming an elite athlete running 32 marathons in 32 days and motivational speaker for the largest corporations in Ireland and abroad.
In the podcast which can be found here we discuss:
- Gerry’s Journey to date
- Why a photo with Gerry’s childhood hero in 1995 made Gerry take action
- Small changes you can make in your life that will make huge differences to your health and well-being
- How running woke Gerry up and the value of setting goals to enable you to live a fulfilled life
- Why respecting your goals and serving apprenticeships will allow you to achieve your goals
- What failing a recent exam taught Gerry
- You never “have to do” anything “you get to” – never forget it
- The power of writing things down and how that turns a wish into a goal
- The importance of exercise as a core pillar to your life
- Setting standards to achieve the best possible version of yourself
- The Importance of celebrating milestones
- The steps / journey that culminated in Gerry becoming a best selling Author
- Surround yourself with people that elevate you
- Gerry’s favourite Quote by Jim Rohn: “Work harder on yourself than you do on your job.”
I have listened to the podcast several times since our meeting and I have learned a lot from meeting Gerry. A few things have resonated with me since I met with Gerry, here are three:
- Gerry has a long term approach to his goal setting. Gerry respects the goal and consequently serves apprenticeships via smaller milestones over a long period of time in order to achieve his goals. An example of Gerry's long term approach -"I want to be running marathons in my 80's" consequently I need to be looking after my body now to allow me to do that.
- Gerry acknowledges he doesn't have a super human ability to achieve goals but he has a hunger and enthusiasm that is 3:1 of the average person to achieving his goals. Gerry used this approach to becoming a best selling author.
- Gerry is on a journey to become the best possible version of himself and is passionate about paying this forward to others he meets.
Gerry mentioned to me that in his late 20's he had an intervention, he felt alive for the first time, when I heard it at the time, it didn't really strike accord with me. However recently I had a similar moment it what I could only describe an euphoric high, where I got this feeling that I was a live and that life isn't a dress rehearsal so you better make the most of it. It got me thinking about my legacy and what am I doing that is truly leaving a mark on the world for a better place. The experience has given me a new spring in my step and a sharper focus to achieving my goals.
I have consequently set some new family, personal and business goals. In order to achieve them I am looking to apply some of Gerry's techniques and also use the following framework.
- I have set up new standards of excellence that I want to live by. I have made certain things non negotiable.
- I am committed to throwing away any limiting beliefs that I once had in the past.
- I have changed my strategy and have sought some advice from several mentor's to help me on this journey.
I will keep you posted how I am getting along.
Finally I ask every guest to recommend me their favourite book, its a difficult question as people usually have a few they would recommend. Gerry recommended How To Stop Worrying And Start Living by Dale Carnegie. I just finished it and I must say its excellent. It will go into my top 10 books of all time. Some very simple messages but I have found it to be a very interesting read and gives a great perspective on peoples mindset and view point when it comes to overcoming challenges and fears.
I recently attended Pendulum and saw world class speakers give talks about performance, leadership and achieving the extraordinary results. I don't think it will be long before Gerry is up on that stage sharing his message.
The podcast can be found here.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Please leave a like if you found this post interesting.
Take care,
Mark
An interesting and useful post. While reading it an unexpected thought crossed my mind that sparked a general query about setting goals and the vast goal setting knowledge base available online. Goal setting has been discussed and promoted for a long time, and encouraging setting goals now foundational in many areas of life. It will be unusual for an individual not to have come across goal setting early in life through education or work. A quick internet search (e.g. https://bit.ly/1rATBgJ, https://bit.ly/1Xf6qtj) will reveal the enormous knowledge base around setting goals. The challenges and problems associated with goal setting have been extensively explored, giving rise to different tools, techniques and frameworks. In relation to this knowledge, it is likely that issues and approaches in your post are a restatement of what is already extensively explored and readily accessible - this is intended as an possible observation rather than a criticism. With the digitally aware generation, used to ‘Googling’, it doesn’t seem like reminders are needed. At the first thought of goal setting, a search gives instant access to the knowledge base. I find it difficult, if not impossible, to argue with sharing information and experience, but the question of why we feel the need to continue to promote what is already known and available on line crossed my mind. Every new post will be borne of each authors experience but the advice seems to be the same that given in thousands, if not millions, of other posts about setting goals. With the topic of goal setting so well explored and information instantly available, I wondered why we feel the need to expand the vast knowledge base with the same knowledge, if you see what I mean. Assuming that the above makes any sense (I am thinking aloud here), the restatement would seem to be telling us something. I’d be interested in any ideas, views or challenges in relation to what this might be?