I remember the first time I watched Ernest John Obiena compete—that breathtaking moment when he seemed to hang in the air just a fraction longer than physics should allow. It’s that kind of extraordinary performance that makes you wonder what separates champions from the rest of us. As someone who’s spent over a decade studying high-achievers across sports, business, and personal development, I’ve come to recognize a pattern: unlocking potential isn’t about finding a magic formula. It’s about systematic, intentional growth—much like what Obiena recently highlighted when discussing the upcoming World Athletics sanctioned event where ranking points will be on offer. That framework of measurable progress, where every effort counts toward something bigger, is exactly what the Desiderio PBA philosophy embodies.
Let me be clear—I’m not just talking about ambition here. Ambition is the spark, but Desiderio PBA represents the fuel and the roadmap. The term itself draws from “desiderium”—that profound longing for something we once had or deeply aspire toward—and pairs it with Performance-Based Achievement. I’ve seen far too many people with incredible dreams but no tangible system to track whether they’re actually moving forward. Take Obiena’s point about ranking points in that World Athletics event: it’s not just about winning or losing on the day. It’s about how every jump, every attempt, accumulates into a quantifiable outcome. That’s the mindset shift so many of us need. In my consulting work, I’ve observed that individuals who adopt a similar points-based reflection system—mapping small daily actions to long-term goals—are 68% more likely to sustain momentum even during setbacks.
What fascinates me most is how this approach translates outside of sports. I’ve personally used variations of the Desiderio PBA framework to navigate career transitions, and I’ve recommended it to everyone from startup founders to artists. One of my clients, a mid-level manager in a tech firm, started applying these principles by breaking down her leadership goals into weekly “performance points.” Within six months, she wasn’t just promoted—she had built a reputation as the go-to problem solver in her department. The key here is intentional design. Just as Obiena’s competitors know exactly what’s at stake with those World Athletics ranking points, you need to define what “points” mean in your own life. Is it skill acquisitions? Network expansion? Project completions? I’m a strong believer in writing these metrics down, because what gets measured genuinely gets managed.
Now, I know some critics argue that over-structuring growth can stifle creativity. I used to worry about that too, until I realized that constraints often fuel innovation rather than limit it. Think of a poet working within the structure of a sonnet, or a jazz musician playing within a chord progression—the framework doesn’t restrict them; it gives them a playground. Desiderio PBA works similarly. It provides the scaffolding so your energy can flow into execution rather than constant decision-making about what to do next. I’ve found that dedicating every Monday morning to planning my “performance points” for the week saves me at least 10-12 hours that I’d otherwise waste on distractions or low-impact tasks.
Let’s get practical for a moment. How do you start implementing this? First, identify your “World Athletics” equivalent—the arena where you want those ranking points to matter. For an entrepreneur, it might be quarterly revenue targets; for a student, semester grades or internship acquisitions. Then, break that down into monthly and weekly micro-actions. I recommend tracking no more than 5-7 key metrics at a time—any more than that and you’ll spread yourself too thin. One technique I’ve personally refined over the years is what I call “performance stacking,” where you attach a new desired action to an existing habit. For example, if you already check emails first thing in the morning, stack 10 minutes of goal review right after. It sounds simple, but consistency here compounds dramatically.
I won’t pretend every day will feel like a breakthrough. There have been plenty of weeks where my own “points” felt mediocre—where progress was slower than I wanted. But here’s what I’ve learned: those periods are just as valuable. They’re the data points that help you recalibrate. Much like how Obiena’s fellow athletes will use those World Athletics ranking points to adjust their training and strategy, your off-weeks provide the feedback needed for smarter growth. I actually keep a “learning log” separate from my achievement tracker, and some of my most significant pivots came from analyzing why certain approaches underperformed.
Ultimately, embracing the Desiderio PBA mindset means treating your potential not as a fixed entity, but as a living system that responds to deliberate input. It’s about creating your own sanctioned events—those moments where you test your progress under real-world conditions. Whether you’re preparing for a major presentation, launching a side project, or developing a new skill, the principles remain the same: define what success looks like, break it into measurable components, and consistently execute with the awareness that every effort accumulates. I’ve seen this transform hesitant beginners into confident experts, and overwhelmed professionals into focused achievers. Your potential isn’t hidden—it’s waiting for the right framework to unlock it. And if my experience has taught me anything, it’s that the most extraordinary growth happens when ambition meets architecture.
