Set your goals high, and don't stop till you get there.

The warrior-athlete Bo Jackson, whose strength and speed made him a legend in two realms of sport, gave to us this timeless command: “Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.” These words are no idle boast but a battle-cry of perseverance. They remind us that the worth of a life is not measured in half-hearted attempts or timid dreams, but in the relentless pursuit of lofty visions. To set your goals high is to declare to the world and to yourself that you were not made for mediocrity—you were made to reach for summits unseen.

To dream small is to dishonor the gifts within. The eagle does not choose low branches; it chooses the heights of the mountain to rest. So too, man must set his gaze not upon the dust but upon the peaks of greatness. Bo Jackson himself rose from humble beginnings in Alabama, enduring poverty and hardship, yet he placed his goals among the stars. He became not only a football champion but a baseball hero—achieving what many said was impossible. His life embodied the truth that high aims, when pursued with ferocity, lead to victories that echo through time.

History gives us other testaments to this wisdom. Think of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, the first men to stand atop Mount Everest. For centuries, that mountain mocked mankind, swallowing expeditions in snow and ice. Many declared it an impossible goal, too high for human strength. Yet Hillary and Norgay refused to lower their sights. They set their goals high, and through preparation, courage, and unyielding will, they planted their feet where no man had stood before. Their triumph became the triumph of all humanity: proof that no peak is too great if one refuses to stop until it is reached.

But Bo Jackson’s words also warn us: it is not enough to set goals; one must not stop until they are fulfilled. The path to greatness is littered with those who started bravely but abandoned their climb when storms rose. The dream is won not by those who begin, but by those who endure. The mountain rewards not the first step, but the last. Persistence is the true measure of the warrior’s heart.

This teaching pierces into the daily struggles of our lives. The student who dares to aim for mastery in his craft must not relent when lessons grow difficult. The parent who longs to raise noble children must not falter when fatigue presses down. The dreamer who envisions building a business, writing a book, or healing the sick must hold fast through failure, rejection, and delay. To stop before the goal is to surrender victory into the hands of defeat.

The lesson for us is clear: dare to dream higher than comfort allows, and when the climb grows steep, refuse to yield. Ask yourself: what is the mountain that calls me? What is the vision that burns in my heart? Then vow not to stop until your feet stand upon its summit. High goals test the soul, but they also awaken the strength within that you never knew was there.

Practical wisdom flows like water from this truth: write your goals where your eyes can see them each day. Break them into steps, and take those steps faithfully. When failure comes, rise again. When weariness grips you, rest, but do not quit. When others mock your high aims, let their laughter be the wind beneath your wings. Every day, remind yourself that the journey is not complete until the goal is won.

So let Bo Jackson’s words thunder in your heart: “Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.” Let them steel your will when the climb is steep, let them ignite your fire when doubt surrounds you, and let them carry you through storms and setbacks. For the heights were made for those who dare to reach, and destiny crowns only those who refuse to stop until they arrive.