How Tom Achieved His Goal

"Shoes keep people healthy, happy and thriving." Can Tom break the cycle of poverty? His goal was to collect 500 shoes for an organization called Soles 4 Souls. In the end, he not only achieved his goal, but exceeded it.

Source: soles4souls.org

Soles 4 Souls is a Global nonprofit charity organization to end poverty. Americans throw away more than 70 pounds of textiles per person per year. They collect shoes, which go to children and adults in developing countries. The shoes allow many children to go to school and receive education. For many children in some developing countries they are unable to walk to school due to the sewage in the streets, which can lead to infection if walking barefoot. Infections could include hookworm, threadworm, "jiggers," and podoconiosis. For adults, Soles 4 Souls will hire them to sells shoes providing a source of income for them. The organization originally started after Hurricane Katrina, but grew past it and now focuses on shoes for developing countries.

As I interviewed Tom about his goal and about how he achieved his goal, I learned that for him, achieving his goal was seemingly easier than my goal of going to the gym always seems to be. The major piece that made it seemingly so easy was the support. He tons of support from volunteers and from his parents. Also, knowing the impact it would make to collect these shoes was a major driving factor in what lead to his success. It answers the question, "why am I doing this?" This is often a question that arises when times are tough and you may think of quitting. However, knowing it was all for a great cause and would be truly making an impact on people's lives kept Tom on track to achieve his goal.

Source: soles4souls.org

The final piece that made a major impact on Tom's ability to achieve his goal was a solid plan. Right from the beginning he knew where he was headed and how he planned to get there. There was no room to fail, it was not part of the plan. This kept his on tract and allowed him to achieve his goal and go so much further. In the end he collected 1,051 shoes in three months, which is more than double what his original goal was.

The biggest takeaways from Tom's story is support, cause, and a solid plan. Support from family and friends can go a long way when it comes to achieving a goal. It can help one keep a positive mindset even when times get tough. Having a cause, or reason for achieving your goal, can motivate you to truly want to achieve your goal. Maybe it is not only about yourself, but your goal makes a difference in something bigger than yourself. Finally, a solid plan can keep you on track because you know what you have to do and when to do it. You see how you are achieving your goal; all you have to do is do it.