Goal Setting: Pops Proves Its Never Too Late

Pops first set the goal in high school, but when he graduated he thought he wasnt mature enough to pursue it so he enlisted in the U.S. Army.

He dreamed about it as a member of the 82nd Airborne as he became an Army Ranger. Later, in the first Gulf War, he thought about his goal again, as he also did during his service in the Kosovo conflict. For 20 years, through his Army career, a war, marriage and six children, Pops kept the dream and the goal alive.

Never mind that he was considered far too old to pursue his dream, Pops just couldnt let go.

When he retired from the Army at 39, he decided it was finally time to do something about the goal hed set so many years before. He moved his family to Columbia, South Carolina and enrolled as a freshman at the University of South Carolina.

No, he wasnt considered too old for that. Many others, much older, have pursued college degrees for the first time. What Tim Pops Frisby did was even more special. At an age when even most professional players have hung up there helmets, he began working out with the South Carolina Gamecocks football team during the winter. Working out with players half his age, all of whom were young enough to be his son, he competed for a position on a Division One major College Football Team.

It was a goal that Pops had lived with for a long time and he began to realize it when coaches invited him back for fall drills. When South Carolina kicked off their season against the University of Georgia, Tim Frisby was on the sidelines wearing Gamecock jersey number 89. On September 25th, against Troy, the legendary Lou Holtz, head coach at South Carolina, sent Pops into the game for its final four plays. I have a lot of respect for the guy, Holtz said. A Ranger, 20 years in the Army, six kids. He loves this team. I thought it would be good to get him in. Im sorry we could not throw it to him. But knowing the way that Pops Frisby makes his dreams come true, thats just a matter of time.

Frisby, who turns 40 in February, has been featured on ESPNs College GameDay. ABCs Good Morning America, CNN, the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times are all planning stories.

Incidentally, the father of six between the ages of six months and 16, also maintains a 3.88 (out of a possible 4.0) grade point average.

Still think its too late for your dream? Goal setting and goal starting is a process that can start at any age and at any time. Theres no need to wait until January 1st to set or start a goal. Goal setting and goal starting doesnt have to take place at the first of the month, or even the first of the week. I once started on a big goal at midnight on the 24th of the month.

Tim Frisby accomplished his goal and realized his dream for two simple reasons: he never let time take his dream away, and when the time finally came, he took action. It worked for Pops -- and itll work for you too!

© 2004 Vic Johnson

Vic Johnson is a popular motivational speaker, author and Internet Infopreneur who has created some of the most visited personal development sites on the Web. His flagship site http://www.AsAManThinketh.net has given away over 200,000 eBook copies of James Allen's classic. He is co-author of "Goals 2004," which is found at http://www.Goals2005.com

Vic Johnson
Goal Setting: Pops Proves Its Never Too Late

Other Articles:

Ten Commandments of Goal Setting
Setting goals is risky business. Depending on how you set your goals, they can elevate you or they can devastate you. And you want to know a secret? Not everyone who succeeds in life sets goals. [ pausing for the ooohs and aaaahs ] Like any...
Goal Setting - Get Exactly What You Want!
I am writing you from the quaint sea town of New Bern, NC where my wife and I are catching some much needed R&R. Lately many of our students have been telling us that their biggest goal is to leave their current 9 to 5 J-O-B and start investing...
Setting Flexible Goals
There is an old way of goal setting and a new way of goal setting! The old way of goal-setting involved setting yor goals, preparing a list of sub-goals, and then carefully checking them off one after another (as and when they were being...
Setting Realistic Goals for Weight Loss
There are many reasons for people who are overweight or obese to lose weight. To live longer. To look better. To have more energy. To feel better. No matter what the reason, successful weight loss and healthy, sustained weight management depend on...