Robert Blackwell was deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor for strategic planning under President George W. Bush and I once read a quote of his that struck a chord with me as a coach. "Aspirations aren't strategy."

Anybody can talk about winning and goals and it is good to aspire. But to achieve goals you have to have a strategy - a series of actions to achieve that goal. What is going to be done. By whom? When? Where? How? Be purposeful with your planning in practice and keep you eye on not only the goal but the necessary strategy to achieve the goal.