Goal Setting Tips and Advice

Q-Goals and the Art of Getting Things Done By Joe Tye

2008-06-25T18:41:00.000-07:00

In a previous article I wrote, I shared my notion that you should keep your Really Big Dream to yourself and perhaps a few very close friends or family members who are certain to support it, but that you should share your shorter term goals (the ones you must fulfill en route to realizing the Big Dream) with a much wider audience.

Q-Goals is the term I give to 90-day goals, because three months (one quarter) is a short enough time span as to not be too overwhelming, but long enough to allow meaningful progress to be accomplished.

Q- Goals are the bridge between your Big Goals and your daily to-do list. Today, I'll share six steps from my formula for setting and achieving Q-Goals (and my thanks to my friends at Auto-Owners Insurance, who have helped me think in new ways about setting and achieving Big Goals).

Think Big, Start Small: This principle applies not only to goals and dreams themselves, but also to the process of setting and achieving those goals and dreams. Get into the habit of working with Q-goals by beginning with goals that you are certain you can achieve. As you develop the discipline, you will find yourself almost automatically raising the bar and increasing the scope of what you expect of yourself each succeeding quarter.

Write and review: Write your Q-Goals down and post them where you will see them every day, many times during the day. Put a copy on the bathroom mirror, keep a copy in your wallet, put a copy on the seat of your car. If you read every book that's ever been written on the setting and achieving of goals, they'll all have their own different approaches, but every single one will insist on this one universal principle - write them down.

Correlate activities and goals: Every morning, or better yet every night before you go to bed, review your to-do list for the next day in juxtaposition with your Q-Goals listing. For each item on your to-do list, ask yourself whether and how it will help you achieve a Q- Goal. Most of will fall into the trap of the Pareto Principle (the 80-20 rule) and at least eight out of ten to-do activities will have nothing whatsoever do to with achieving our Q-Goals.

Highlighting those Q-Goal relevant to-do items and committing your time to them first thing in your day will be one of the most important things you can do to assure their achievement.

Create an Accountability Board: Ask a small number of people you know, trust and respect to help you hold yourself accountable for achieving your Q- Goals. For example, you might send the members of your Board a short written progress report at the end of each month.

Not only will this be a source of motivation for you to do the things necessary to be proud of what you say in that report, over time you will find that the members of your Advisory Board begin to share ideas, contacts and resources that can help you achieve your Big Goals.

Make it emotional: Dave Ramsey, author of The Total Money Makeover, says that the people who are most certain to achieve their goal of getting out of debt are those who attack the problem with incredible emotional intensity.

This is true not only for financial goals - it's true for achieving almost anything that is worthwhile but difficult. You can perhaps set goals with left brain logic, but to achieve them requires the inspiration of right brain passion (as I often say in my speaking engagements, the left brain counts but the right brain matters).

Celebrate: Celebrate the achievement of your Q-Goals in some appropriate way. If you only hit 90% of your target, celebrate anyway. Chances are that without having harnessed yourself to those Q-Goals, you would have achieved far less. So celebrate - then write down your Q-Goals for the next quarter.
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Joe Tye is president of Paradox 21 Inc., which provides corporate training and culture change initiatives based on a proprietary curriculum of The Twelve Core Action Values of Personal Leadership Effectiveness. He is also the author of several books and audio programs on personal, career, and business success, and a popular motivational speaker. Visit www.JoeTye.com.

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On Advertising Your Goals By Joe Tye

2008-06-13T11:32:00.000-07:00

Experts on the art and science of goal setting seem to be of two minds when it comes to whether or not you should tell others what those goals are.

Some will advise you to put your goals up on a billboard for the world to see, as a way of holding yourself accountable and attracting necessary help and resources into your circle.

Others will tell you that dreams are fragile, and sharing them with others runs the risk of nay-saying dream-stealers killing your dreams while still in the cradle.

Here's my take: keep your really big goals - the ones that could change the world, or at least your corner of the world, to yourself.

By definition, really big dreams are not realistic (nor should they be), so don't run the risk of allowing the ridicule of tiny-dreamers to diminish your enthusiasm for your big dreams. On the other hand, I think it's a good idea to share your interim goals with an appropriate circle of friends and supporters.
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Joe Tye is president of Paradox 21 Inc., which provides corporate training and culture change initiatives based on a proprietary curriculum of The Twelve Core Action Values of Personal Leadership Effectiveness. He is also the author of several books and audio programs on personal, career, and business success, and a popular motivational speaker. Visit www.JoeTye.com.

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Say Yes! to Goals -- By Bryan Flanagan

2008-06-10T00:37:00.000-07:00

Here are some random thoughts on goals and goal setting. I hope you can use them to inspire you to set and attain your goals this year.

* You seldom hit anything unless you shoot at it.

* It is useless to carry the ball until you know where the goal line is located.

* There is no sense aiming for a goal when you have no arrow in your bow.

* If you don’t plan your future, someone else will.

* Failure is not missing the goal. Failure is aiming too low.

* A genius is the person who shoots at something no one else sees and hits it.

* If you don’t know where you are going, you may miss it when you get there!

* Your life can’t go according to plan if you have no plan.

* People are like thumbtacks. They are useful if they have a good head and are pointed in the right direction.

* Success has little to do with speed but much to do with direction.
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Bryan Flanagan is a nationally renowned speaker, author and sales trainer. A performance consultant and coach for dozens of corporations, Bryan knows and communicates the techniques that help people become better performers! Visit him at www.FlanaganTraining.com.

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The Rules of Goal Setting By Helaine Iris

2008-04-30T09:43:00.003-07:00

Answer this question for yourself right now: Are you happy and attaining the things you've envisioned for your business and life? If so, congratulations, you're doing something right - if not keep reading.

There are certainly many factors and circumstances that determine whether you get what you want out of life or not. Some of them you don't have control over, some of them you do.

Goal setting - more specifically, learning HOW to reach your goals can be the most useful skill you can learn in order to maximize what you can
control and get what you want.

Goal setting is simply an organized and intentional personal planning process. This is the definition of a goal: The purpose toward which an
endeavor is directed.

Here's yet another way of saying that: Goals are the objectives you are moving toward achieving. Having defined goals will be essential to setting direction and providing a focus point for you to follow as you are building your business. A friend of mine often says, "If you don't set goals, you probably won't reach them".

It's important to understand the difference between making decisions and setting goals. Making decisions is where you start, but making a decision is not the same as setting a goal. Setting goals is putting action to your decisions. And action is the only way I know to get things done.

Outcome vs. Action
There are two types of goals - outcome goals and action goals. An outcome goal is an objective that is focused on accomplishing a specific task, such as earning a certain amount of money each year. Action goals are objectives that are focused on your commitment to take a certain action each day, such as showing up to work at 8:30.

Both types of goals are important, and it's imperative that you combine both outcome and activity based objectives in your planning. Your outcome goals will compel you to shoot for the stars, and will help you clearly define what you want to achieve. Activity based goals will allow you to feel a sense of accomplishment each day, and condition successful patterns of behavior.

Goal Anatomy
When setting goals it's important for them to be specific, measurable, attainable and in alignment with your values. This is where it can get tricky. You'll want to find a mindful balance between setting realistic goals you know are achievable, yet not letting fear limit or stifle unlimited possibility.

Call To Action Activity
Commit to not only setting a goal today but following through with creating the action plan necessary to achieve it. Start by writing down what you want. Next, list all the tasks you need to accomplish to meet that goal. Be sure to include the timeline you intend to follow.

In addition include any resources needed to accomplish the task. Finally, write a short narrative on WHY you want to reach the goal, what benefit will it provide you? And, how is reaching this goal consistent with your values and overall vision for your life?

This process works ONLY if you do it rather than just think about it. I challenge you - learn the rules of goal setting, take action today and I guarantee, you will get what you want.

It's YOUR life... imagine the possibilities!
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Helaine Iris is a Life and Business Coach, who has been featured in numerous publications, including "O" The Oprah Magazine. She helps entrepreneurs and professionals accelerate their success, while achieving a more complete and fulfilling personal life. She combines a broad range of professional experience in her work, including management positions in the education, training, retail and international non-profit sectors. For a free consultation, contact her at 603-363.4252 to discuss how she can help you accelerate your own success. You may also visit her website, www.pathofpurpose.com, for additional information, or email your questions to helaine@pathofpurpose.com.

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Are your goals Learnable? Bob Garvey

2008-04-01T17:15:00.000-07:00

It surprises a lot of people to learn that 95% of all thought is at the subconscious level. This is a good thing. Do you know what you would do if your subconscious decided to take the day off?

Chances are that you would lie in bed all day long staring at those little dangly things at the end of your feet. Sometime in the evening, you would proudly exclaim, “Ohhhh! I remember! Those are my toes!” and then it would be time for bed.

Your subconscious being in charge is a good thing! Everything you and I have ever learned is stored in the subconscious. For this reason, one of the most powerful goal setting strategies you can use is to make your goals learnable, repeating them over and over again.

Learnable goals enable you to gain new skills and insights and eventually store them in your subconscious, making them a habit.

By definition, anything that you do without much conscious thought, ie. subconsciously, is a habit. Learnable goals help create positive habits. If you want to become healthier, set a learnable goal of walking for 20 minutes each and every day.

If you want to become more organized, set a learnable goal of 30 minutes of planning each day. As you do these activities, they will get easier and easier, eventually using only a fraction of the energy initially required.

The more positive habits you build, the quicker and easier you move toward your overall goals!

Yours on Purpose,

Bob Garvey
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Bob Garvey is a completely ordinary person who believes Purpose matters! And he’s out to convince you that it matters as well. For more advice and helpful tips on goal setting, download a complimentary copy of Bob’s new book, Purpose Takes Guts! at PurposefulGoalSetting.com.

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Team Goal Setting - Support for Achieving Your Goals By Josh Hinds

2008-03-27T02:21:00.000-07:00

Ask the question, "should I keep my goals to myself or share them with others?" and one things for sure -- you're going to hear more than your share of differing opinions.

Yet for the most part, the answers will come down to one of these two responses...

Some folks will say, keep your goals to yourself to avoid those people who might otherwise attempt to discourage you. There are yet others who suggest telling everyone and their brother about your intended goals. As if doing so were similar to the old story where the decision was made to burn the ship the soldiers arrived on, so they would have no choice but to be victorious in battle.

I would guess that one could make a case either for or against the ideas I just mentioned. It's not my intention to do either in this particular writing. What I am going to do is share a concept you may have not even considered yet. That being -- brining a group of people (that is, 1 or more) who can get together for the purpose of supporting one another in the pursuit of setting, and more importantly achieving their intended goals.

We'll call this... drum roll please...

Team Goal Setting

While I'll admit it could be as simple as sharing your goals with others, and setting up times where you all call each other to follow up and track each others progress -- if we were to leave it at that, where would the fun be? Besides, in this day and age, there's way to much handy, dandy technology we can put to good use. So with that in mind I'll offer up some ideas to make your adventures in Team Goal Setting not just more enjoyable -- but more rewarding too.

Collaboration Tools. There are any number of web sites and resources out there which make collaboration not only easy, but dare I say an enjoyable experience.

Here are a few of them (it's by no means an exhaustive list) if you have a preferred method, or want to suggest one that you think will work equally well, by all means feel free to do so in the comments section below.

Examples of Team Goal Setting -- Tools You Can Use

Google Docs is one solution that comes to mind. Implementing the Team Goal Setting approach using it could be fairly straight forward.

For example: You create a simple google doc (that's google's word processor by the way -- it's accessible via the web, and you can even share you're google docs with others if you'd like) where you list your goals, along with your name of course, so it's clear which goals belong to who among your chosen "team" of people who will be supporting each other on the team goal setting adventure. Each of you could either add your own goals to the google doc, or for that matter you could each create your own specific document with your goals written on each persons unique doc (i.e. document).

To take it a step further each person can leave comments, both track and leave notes of encouragement, etc. next to each particular persons goals. If you happened to choose to create separate documents for each individual person, the same applies, you would just be commenting individually on each particular persons doc, rather than having everyone's goals in the one file.

While I've used the example of Google Docs to put into place the idea of team goal setting, that's really only one of the countless number of web based resources which you could choose to use which would accomplish what we're talking about.

Another way to foster collaboration and garner support in a team environment with your goal setting would be to use a site like, stixy.com -- they explain it as an "online bulletin board" where you can share it with the people you choose. What's interesting is that at the time of my writing this, you could upload files created on your particular computer (or obviously created on the machines of others who you gave permission to collaborate with), you could also include photos, create notes, and to-do lists. My description isn't doing service as to what all you can accomplish by using a service like Stixy, but I think it gives at least a good glimpse into the possibilities.

To help, allow me to paint the following picture for you -- one in which you might find using stixy.com (or a similar service) helpful if you wanted to give Team Goal Setting a go.

You could create a specific place where you give permission to a select group of people, from there both you and the people you have allowed access could go about sharing goals, and supporting each other. Alternatively, you might opt to simply allow others to view your goals, but not create or alter what you've got written there. That's handled through the controls/settings which are pretty easy to get a handle on. Also, as mentioned there's an easy option you can choose which will give you a unique URL that you can use to share your stixy board (that's what they call it, not me :-))

Microblogging -- twitter and the like

If you're not familiar with microblogging, think services like twitter, or pownce just to name a few. Twitter for example, asks the question: "What are you doing" -- and then gives you 140 characters to type whatever that happens to be. Of course, people use twitter and services like it to answer (and communicate) in ways far beyond simply answering what they happen to be doing in the moment.

That being said, it's a good lead in for how you can use the microblogging type services in your team goal-setting. One scenario that comes to mind is you share your goal, or goals as the case may be, and from there a dialogue can unfold which creates support of your groups goals. This might approach might not be as ideal (due to the fact that most people have public microblogging accounts). However, if the idea of your goals being public isn't an issue for you, this may very well work well for you.

Those are just a few ideas that come to mind. Again, ultimately it will be up to you to decide if something along these lines is for you or not. That's the beauty of personal development -- what works for one person, may not for another and vice versa. That being the case, if you don't try new things, you're guaranteed to miss out on something that might otherwise work for you. In summary, give the idea a try, if it's for you, wonderful, if not, by all means kick it to the curb, with the confidence of knowing that you've identified something that didn't work for you, but very well could have -- or as Thomas Edison might suggest to you, provided he were still around to do so -- you've not "failed" at all, but rather simply found something that didn't work, and in doing so you're now ever closer to finding something that will.

That's all for now...

Happy goal-setting ... and remember

It's your life, LIVE BIG! Josh Hinds :-)

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(c) All rights reserved.

Vision Boards and the Four Step Success Formula By Barbara Pellegrino

2008-03-19T22:22:00.000-07:00

When I was invited to speak to 120 high school teenagers and share with them the basic principles of Treasure mapping, Vision boards, effective goal setting and understanding the law of attraction, I must admit I was a little anxious.

How would I get the message across succinctly, clearly and powerfully? What was the best way to to inspire, motivate and activate these young adults, to set goals, understand and believe they can achieve their dreams?

After careful consideration, I decided, I could teach them through a powerful and simple 4 step formula:

1. Goal: Know what you want.

The clearest way to get this point across, was to ask the kids if they ever went into a restaurant and ask for food because they were hungry. They laughed. They knew that when you order food, you order specifically what you want! Right? Who goes into a restaurant and says "I'm really hungry, just give me anything.." But how many of us ask that of the Universe! I am lonely I want someone to love, I need a job, any job... but when we aren't specific in requesting what we want, we are actually leaving it to other people to decide what we receive. and then we blame them for not fulfilling our needs, wants and desires. Its not their fault, if you don't ask specifically for what you want!

Did you know, most people don't have what they want because:

1) They don't know what they want.

2) They no longer believe its possible or

3) They don't believe they deserve to have it.

2. Clear Picture: Your powerful creative mind works in pictures.

Creating a Treasure Map/Vision board is an incredibly powerful tool for getting what you want. Your powerful subconscious mind only works in pictures, sounds, smells, tastes and feelings and will do whatever it can to bring YOU, your most predominant thoughts, feelings and belief systems, but it only relates to sensory information. So if you have a goal make sure you have a clear PICTURE, not only written goals. If you write "picnic" and try to list all the details of a great picnic and your subconscious mind still remembers and references, the picnics at the beach with sand in the potato salad, soggy sandwiches, bugs, flies and no bathrooms? What sort of results do you think you will get?

And then we wonder why we don't get our goals, or the law of attraction isn't working. It is working, but its attracting the pictures that are already in your "old filing system" instead of what you think you currently want.

With a Treasure map/ Vision board your subconscious mind will change its course and bring you what is on your map, not what is stored in its memory banks. You will overwrite the old non supportive programs. Your past will no longer automatically create your future.

3. Beliefs: "You'll see it when you believe it" - Wayne Dyer

Your belief systems give you exactly what you believe you deserve. If you want to know what you really believe, look at your life. Your subconscious mind always gives you exactly what you believe.

If you want something other than what you currently have, you will need to reprogram your subconscious mind. The most efficient way to to this is to:

1) Create a Treasure Map/vision board with the goals, dreams and desires you want.

2) Look at it and celebrate it for 30 days. Like attracts like. What you see in your mind and feel in your body you will soon see and experience in your life. Always visualize your desired result as if it has already been accomplished.

3) Now, you have programed your subconscious mind and it will bring you your new beliefs.

4. Action to Success: "NEVER, NEVER, Never Give up!" - Winston Churchill

This very famous phrase needs to be updated. Nowadays, we understand how the mind and brain work and we know that we must give our subconscious mind, the command stated in the positive. We have to state what we want, not what we don't want.

Your subconscious mind doesn't hear /see the qualifying word, (never, cant, don't) and only moves in a forward direction. Can you see a picture of "never give up?" No, in order to do so, your mind will see the picture of giving up before you can imagine NOT giving up. The better more effective and powerful way to say "never give up", is to say:

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS KEEP GOING UNTIL YOU SUCCEED.

So many people start out enthusiastically towards their goals, but soon give up, when the going gets a little tough and again, they blame the situations, circumstances and anything, except the fact that they just Gave Up! If you take action and persist and continue till you succeed, you will find the journey to your goals, dreams and desires will be shorter and easier. The difference between a winner and a loser is, a loser falls down once and stays down. The winner falls seven times and gets up eight.

You know what you want, you have a Treasure map, a clear picture of your goal, you believe IT IS possible and all you have to do is keep going and persist until you succeed.

Enjoy this 4 step formula and share it with your FAMILY AND FRIENDS today.

© 2008 Barbara Pellegrino - All Rights Reserved.
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From the reefs of Australia to the rainbows of Hawaii Barbara is a renowned speaker, trainer, author and coach. She presents her workshop, Treasure Mapping Your Way to Success, in Hawaii. Mainland USA and Internationally. She is renowned for teaching people HOW to make their dreams come true using, Practical, Powerful, Proven techniques for rapid and successful manifesting. Visit Barbara Pellegrino at www.VisionBoards.net.

Sponsor: Learn more about having inspirational speaker Josh Hinds appear at your next seminar, event, or company meeting (Josh is your host here at GoalsSuccess.com).

Why Does Accountability Help You to Reach Your Goals? By Cheri Alguire

2008-02-19T18:15:00.000-08:00

We have all heard the word "Accountability" used around goal setting, but why? Is it really that big of a deal? Can't we just do it on our own?

Think back to all the goals you've ever made - from the simple ones to the large ones. Which goals were achieved and which weren't? Make a list of at least ten goals you can think of, writing "MET" or "NOT MET" next to each one. This visual exercise may help you understand at least one of the reasons why the NOT MET goals were - well, not met.

My guess is your MET goals were accomplished with the help of at least one other person. A friend, spouse, parent, or colleague who was in on your goal, perhaps because it was a goal they shared with you, or perhaps only because they were interested in you and how you were handling it.

Regardless, every time you bring another person into a goal, you have a better chance at realizing that goal. Without accountability, most people are likely to forget why it was so important to them, quit progressing toward it, or simply decide it's not worth the hassle.

However, with accountability - meaning you know exactly what you want, when you want it, and there is at least ONE other person who has the same knowledge - guess what, you will more than likely continue toward the finish line.

While humans are really good at admitting defeat to themselves, they are far less able to admit defeat to another person. It's actually (in most cases) easier for them to keep working toward their goal just so they DON'T have to admit they "gave up" to another person.

Accountability works for the following reasons:

* Shared Intention - When you share your intention with others, it becomes more real to you, which raises the stakes.

* Responsibility - By confiding in another person, you're claiming responsibility to the goal you want to pursue. This creates a more focused outlook as you pursue your goal.

* Ownership - Own your goals by bringing another person or persons into the loop. When you take control by placing ownership on your goal - success is far easier reached.

* Commitment - Simply by communicating your plan with others forces you, like little else does, to commit. You know they'll be asking about your progress, checking in to see how things are going, and they'll be very interested in the entire process. You almost have no choice but to commit at this stage!

So who can help you keep accountable to your goals so you can move them from the UNMET to the MET category? Do you need an accountability partner? Do you really own your goals by bringing another person into the loop? Who is that person going to be? Just make sure it is someone who will really stretch you, and won't hold you back to their level. It can be a friend, colleague or professional coach. Whoever it is, make sure they will REALLY hold you accountable to setting and moving those goals to the "MET" category!
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Business and Life Coach Cheri Alguire has partnered with hundreds of Real Estate Professionals and Small Business Owners to help them become more successful in business and in life. Coach Cheri specializes in Coaching and Training for Small Business Owners, Working Mothers, Real Estate Agents and Managers. You can learn more at NextLevelServices.net and CoachCheri.com.

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Goal-Setting: What You Can Learn From Hockey By Catherine Pulsifer

2008-02-19T18:02:00.001-08:00

For those interested in goal setting and how to realize your dream, there is plenty to learn from watching hockey players. So what makes watching hockey players compatible with realizing your own dreams?

There's no question that the ultimate task of hockey players is to score enough goals to beat the opposing team. But, how is this accomplished?

First of all, you can't even begin to win a game of hockey unless you first define your goal. In this sense, as I've said before, the ultimate goal is to score goals so you can beat the other opposing players. Having said that, does it automatically follow that players simply get on the ice and just shoot the puck? The answer is, no.

Once the ultimate goal is set, a multitude of actions must take place. In it's simplest form, the first action that must be taken is to learn how to skate. This is similar to your own goal setting in that there is more to realizing your ultimate success than just to have set a goal.

You must begin by taking action so that each necessary skill is learned before you can move forward. For example, if your ultimate goal is to start your own business so that you can live independently of never reporting to a boss again and to make sufficient income to support yourself and your family, it is not enough to simply state this goal.

What actions you need to take, or skills you need to learn will depend on your background, previous experience, if any, or whether you have a mentor (coach, as in hockey) that can help guide you to profitability.

Once you have set your goal, you also need to have an absolutely burning desire to accomplish your dream. This means that no matter the odds, obstacles, or misfires you have, you'll never give up. It also means that you will do whatever it takes, no matter how hard or how long.

Hockey players constantly strive to win. They skate and skate and skate. If they miss a hockey goal once, they just keep trying and trying over and over again.

No matter what the odds, no matter how many times they've been knocked to the ice, no matter how many obstacles are placed in their way, no matter how many times they've been slammed into the boards, they keep coming back to realize their goal.

There is much more to learn from observing hockey players that could take an entire book to write. But, right now it is enough for you to learn the fundamentals so that you set yourself in constant motion not being knocked off your game from obstacles that you are sure to encounter.

If you have a burning desire, an unquenchable appetite to succeed, you will continue to do whatever it takes to accomplish your goal.
__________
Catherine Pulsifer is one of the editors of Goal Setting 4 Success, a motivational site dedicated to your success by setting goals.

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Seven Reasons Why Goals Matter By Kevin Eikenberry

2008-01-30T15:23:00.000-08:00

Joanna was a great employee. She cared about her work. She worked hard. And she really wanted to succeed. But after a couple years of hard work and long hours, she felt like she really was just spinning her wheels because she wasn't making the progress – personally or professionally – that she had hoped she would by now.

She talked to Tom, a person she considered a friend and mentor, and shared her feelings. Tom asked her about her goals.

Joanna paused, feeling a bit tentative. Then she shared some general comments about what she hoped to achieve in her work and how she hoped her work would contribute to her life.

Tom listened carefully, but she could sense he was waiting for more. And he was. Then Tom quietly suggested that Joanna’s goals weren't clear enough, and he encouraged her to set some more specific goals for the future. That action, he said, would be a way for her to both improve her results and lead to higher personal satisfaction.

Joanna walked away from that conversation resolved to set some goals. She bought a book on goal setting and read it cover to cover. The concepts in the book made sense, and she decided on the weekend she would set goals using the approach the book suggested.

But the weekend came and went, as did the whole next week. Then the next weekend passed, along with the weekend after that – and Joanna still hadn’t set any goals. She rationalized that she was just too busy. She was working too hard, and she didn't have time to stop and set her goals; besides she already knew what she wanted to accomplish.

Six months later she visited with Tom again. He asked how her goal setting had gone and about the successes he suspected she was having since they last talked. She replied with a mix of sheepishness and defiance that she didn't have time for goal setting, that she knew what she wanted to achieve, and that it would take too long to follow a goal setting process. She knew she just needed to get to work.

Again Tom listened closely and while he didn't pass judgment, he did tell Joanna that when she was really ready to make greater progress, goal setting would be the answer. Joanna asked him why goal setting was so important, and he gave her The Seven Reasons Goal Setting Matters:

1. Goals create accomplishment instead of activity. Most of us are extremely busy – running from meeting to meeting and task to task focused primarily on how to be more productive and get more accomplished in our day. But when our focus is on the tasks and the busyness we lose track of any accomplishment – in effect we are focusing only on the activity itself. Goals help us look beyond the activity and get clear on what we really want to accomplish.

2. Goals give us direction. You wouldn't get in your car to go on a trip without knowing your destination. A destination provides purpose for our effort. A destination gives us a reason for our efforts. A destination gives us a way to track our progress and keeps us on track.

3. Goals capitalize on the brain’s amazing powers. Our brains are problem-solving, goal-achieving machines. Our brains operate best when they are seeking a solution to a problem. When we have a goal, our mind sees it as a problem to be solved and gets to work (with or without our conscious influence) on achieving the goal.

4. Goals make life easier. If nothing else, reasons one, two and three improve our productivity. They help work smarter no matter what the work is. And when we work smarter, our life gets a whole lot easier. Who doesn't want to do things that make life easier?

5. Goals help us go faster. When we know our destination we can get to it more rapidly. Yes, any goal setting process requires some planning time, but that time will be repaid many times over.

6. Goals create satisfaction. How do you feel when you achieve something you care about? How do you feel when you don't know if you're making progress? Goals create satisfaction by giving us the targets to shoot for and therefore the sense of accomplishment when we know we have reached them.

7. Goals create confidence. There’s hardly any greater confidence booster than achieving something you have specifically set out to do. Setting goals and accomplishing them gives us the confidence to set even greater goals; stretching ourselves to greater performance in the future.

Joanna left lunch thinking about the seven reasons Tom had just shared with her and again determined to make goal setting a part of her immediate future. Only time will tell if she takes advantage of the many benefits goals setting would bring.

But more important than Joanna’s story, is yours.

Do you set goals? If so, are they ambitious enough and are they focused on the great accomplishments that await you? If you don’t have any real goals right now, at least consider these seven reasons and the advice they suggest.

Set some goals. You can start small, but at least start. A brighter future awaits.

(c) Kevin Eikenbery Group - All Rights Reserved
_________________
Kevin Eikenberry is a leadership expert and the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services.

Goal Achievement Program: WHAT IF YOU HAD THE SAME MINUTE-BY-MINUTE THOUGHTS AS THE SUPER SUCCESSFUL?
Mike Brescia has developed the ultimate mental conditioning programs that can help anyone wipe out intense fears and enjoy huge successes in all areas of life. Learn more about these powerful programs here.

The Journey to Your Goals By Kevin Eikenberry

2008-01-30T15:02:00.000-08:00

On a recent cross country flight I looked out over the Rocky Mountains from 30,000 feet and saw hundreds of paths sort of heading towards the summits of the various peaks.

I write “sort of” because looking at these zigzagging paths made it very clear why they are called switchbacks. Those switchbacks occupied my thinking for most of the rest of the flight to Oakland and have been on my mind often since.

It occurred to me that those switchback paths are much like the paths we often take towards our largest, most important goals. We’re definitely on a path, but it doesn’t always seem direct or in a straight line. Through my reflection I have found five messages about goal setting – and goal attainment – in the switchback paths.

1. The need for a clearly defined goal. If you are on a mountain path, the goal is pretty clear. You are there because you want to get to the top. In your daily routine how often do you strive to make your goals that clear and obvious?

From the 30,000 perspective you probably can see yourself progressing towards your goal, but sometimes on the path it’s hard to see. Keeping your goal clearly in front of you is critical to your attitude and aids in maintaining your persistence and belief.

2. Switchbacks allow you to get started. Have you ever faced a mountain of a goal and the steps towards it seemed hard, steep and full of risks? While boldness is important, often at the beginning of a journey, you just need to get started; to build some momentum and confidence. Taking a winding path may not be the most direct route, but it’s one of the best ways to insure a successful start, and finish.

3. Keep your head up. Not only do you need to clearly define your goal, but you must always keep it in sight as well. In any journey, whether walking or moving towards a goal, you must keep your head up – to be alert to dangers and diversions and to keep the goal in sight. Even if the switchbacks make it seem – even momentarily – if you are moving away from it.

4. Switchbacks allow for ongoing progress. I’ve hinted at this already, but it bears repeating – the path of the switchback allows for ongoing progress. The path allows for steady consistent progress – which is critical to reaching any goal of importance.

5. Watch for shortcuts. The well worn path is a valuable one to have, but there may be opportunities to skip a switchback. The serious hiker and goal achiever is always looking for a short cut – a path that might be a bit more difficult, but may cut significant time off of the journey.

Yes, moving towards your goals is a journey, but you must always have the destination in mind. If someone dropped a rope from a helicopter, and your goal was to get to the top of the mountain, be willing to grab on! We must keep moving forward, but always be looking for the big opportunity to shorten our path and reach our goals more quickly.

Obviously, this is written from the perspective of reaching individual goals, and hopefully that perspective has been valuable. However, thinking of these five points is just as important (if not more important) for you as a leader or as part of a team that is trying to reach important and perhaps big goals.

Keeping your focus and enthusiasm for goals as an individual is hard, but keeping a team or organization on track and excited often presents an even larger challenge. Keep these lessons in mind and put them to use for yourself or your team and they will aid you on your path.

(c) Kevin Eikenbery Group - All Rights Reserved
_________________
Kevin Eikenberry is a leadership expert and the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services.

* Read more goal setting articles from Kevin Eikenberry ...
- Goal Believing is the First Step to Goal Achieving
- The Antidote for Unsuccessful New Year's Resolutions

Sponsor: Looking for an Inspirational Speaker? Josh Hinds, your host here at GoalsSuccess.com is available to motivate and inspire your group or organization. Learn more about having Josh Hinds speak at your meeting or seminar here.

Lifetime Goals or... The Bucket List By Chris Widener

2008-01-16T11:28:00.000-08:00

My wife and I went and saw The Bucket List starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman the other night. "The Bucket List" is a reference to a list of things you want to do before you "kick the bucket." It is a funny way of putting something that I have had for years.

You know, your life will be over someday, so you may as well make a list of things you want to do before it is over. I actually have a leather journal that sits on my desk that contains 100 things I want to do before my journey on this old earth ends.

Here are a few of the things I have written down, randomly selected: take a tour of the northeast during the autumn change of colors, white water raft in Colorado, pay for a disadvantaged young man or woman to go to college, sell 1,000,000 copies of one book, parachute from an airplane, collect a piece of memorabilia from each U.S. President, and go to the Grand Ole Opry. Plus ninety three others.

Have you thought about what things you want to do in your lifetime? What about even for the next year? I want to encourage you to give some thought this week about what you want to do while you are here. What kind of relationships do you want to have? How much money do you want to make? What career do you want to have? What places do you want to visit? How do you want to help other people? Take some time and jot them down.

Go ahead and make your own "Bucket List." Then get to work on accomplishing the items you list!

The sooner you know where you want to go in life, the sooner you can get there!
___________
Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, and succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams. Visit his web site and take advantage of the many resources available -- while you're there be sure to take advantage of his newsletters.

* Read more goal-setting tips from Chris Widener ...
- Simple Ways to Super-Charge Your Goals and Make Them Work!
- Get Your Goals - Guaranteed
- Make Greatness Your Goal

*brought to you by GoalsSuccess.com

5 Core Attributes: Achieve Your Goals By David Breslow

2008-01-11T22:34:00.000-08:00

For the last 20 years, I've consulted with or coached people in business, sports, the acting profession and the private sector. It is clear that there are 5 core attributes that remain the foundation for helping anyone reach their potential.

While many people tend to look at mastering mechanics, confidence, optimism and so on…the 5 Core Attributes are at the core of everything we do.

The 5 Core Attributes are:

1. A Burning Desire - Is your desire a mild desire, a hope, a wish or a burning desire to get what you want? It doesn’t matter what skill or experience level you are.

A burning desire is necessary to make the changes you want. Whether it's break 100 or 80 or to improve your game in any way… a burning desire is necessary to make it happen. You don’t have to be a pro or even a low handicapper. A burning desire is a key attribute for any change for anyone.

2. Clarity of Intention - Those who achieve their dreams are clear on what their intentions are. They know what they want and don't waiver in their intention to create it. They know how to provide a specific answer to the question, "What do you really want?"

Not only are they clear on their desire but they are also able to envision it clearly. They SEE it happening in their mind's eye even before it actually does happen and negativity, doubt or any other form of interference are seen as speed bumps along the way… but never deter them!

3. Talent - It may surprise some people that talent is third on the list but talent alone is not the most important factor in achieving your potential. Look around you. Is the most talented person always achieving their dreams? No. Relying on talent alone is a mistake.

While talent is important, champions in any arena understand that talent will only take them so far. Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Tom Brady and so many more...understand that talent without mastery of the inner game will limit their success. It is the inner game that dictates the outer game.

4. Resilience - Resilience has 2 components to it. One is the ability to ABSORB and the other is the ability to BOUNCE BACK. You can absorb rejection, disappointments and setbacks because you see them as something of value for you rather than something to react negatively to.

Resilient people are able to accept reality better than others. This does not mean they like or ignore it, but they do accept it and therefore are able to bounce back from it more effectively. They have learned that there is wisdom to be gained and they are better for it!

5. Persistence - People who achieve their desires are persistent in doing things that create the outcomes they want. This does not mean persistently doing ineffective things…it means being persistent in a productive way. They use their burning desire, clear intention, talent and ability to bounce back to step up and fulfill their dreams. They dust themselves off, smile; take a breath and say, "I'm going after this again. The difference is; this time I'm wiser and have learned through experience." Here is one of my favorite quotes that highlights these attributes:

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent." -- Calvin Coolidge

Of course… I’d add that how you persist at something is important as well.
___________
David Breslow is a National Speaker, Author and Performance Coach. His clients include Professionals in Sports and Business. He brings a fresh, direct, no-nonsense approach to maximizing Human Performance Potential increasing focus, energy, productivity and reducing stress every day. To learn more visit: www.TheFlowZone.net or email: david@theflowzone.net

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Break Through Almost Any Obstacle By Christopher Guerriero

2008-01-11T01:43:00.000-08:00

Advice on Achieving Health & Fitness Related Goals

I've spoken time and time again about the importance of visualizing yourself (every day) having already achieved your goal body, and actually seeing yourself enjoying life in your new body.

Those of you who do this without fail reach their goals, those who don’t… struggle!

But let’s take this to the next level…
If you’re having any troubles with your daily visualizations, then rather than sitting there trying to focus on your vision, “Write” your vision out on paper (or on the computer). Write out your desire every day for 30 days. Write it out without using any negative language, and write it out knowing that you’re achieving your goal.

This will have an amazing affect on your life. Visualizing yourself having already achieved your goal body sometimes just isn’t enough. Try writing your visualizations out, fresh, every day for a month. Then you’ll see why I start every day doing this in my life.

Think that’s a lot of work?

Then think of it this way - it’s an investment which will pay you greater dividends than any stock, bond, or business venture, because it’s going to improve your body - which, in turn, will improve EVERY aspect of your life.
_____________
Christopher Guerriero, is the founder of the National Metabolic & Longevity Research Center and a best-selling author, speaker, and coach to millions. He is creator of the award-winning 'Maximize Your Metabolism' system. To learn more about this step-by-step program and to see for yourself the positive benefits it can have on your life click here.

*brought to you by GoalsSuccess.com

Will Your Resolutions Soon be a Forgotten Promise? By Kathleen Gage

2008-01-05T01:24:00.000-08:00

This time of year many people write down goals of what they want to accomplish in the coming year. The sad truth is it is often a very futile exercise in setting and breaking goals. Few people stick to the goals or resolutions they were so committed to at the beginning of the year. Occasionally, you find someone who is serious about what they are doing and does stick with their goals.

Over the last year, I have had the opportunity to work with a gentleman who has been setting (and achieving) goals for years. He actually began a formal process of setting goals at the beginning of each year over 30 years ago. As a result, he enjoys a life few will experience and many only dream of.

One goal he had at the beginning of 2007 was to write a book. His purpose in writing the book was to document the very processes, practices and strategies that have allowed him to be in the top 3% of revenue generators in his industry while maintaining a life of balance and contribution. .

In his book, "What Can a Dentist Teach You About Business, Life and Success? Discover Secrets To Achieving Total Succes!" Dr. Joe Capista writes, "Many people strive for their dream of success, but often miss the one element they absolutely must have in order to achieve their outcome - balance. I speak from the experience of having achieved a very high level of outward success by the time I was in my late twenties, yet my life was far from what could be considered one of Total Success.

Having grown up in an average blue-collar neighborhood my early definition of success was all about how much I could achieve financially. Because of this early measure of success by the time I was in my late twenties, I really felt as if I had arrived. I was making great money, driving a fancy car and living in a big house. Everything I based success on, I had. The harsh reality was, my life was in turmoil. Although I had a level of success, I didn't have TOTAL SUCCESS.

How many people base success on the outward measures, but if you were to look deeper it would be evident there is much that is missing? What I now know in my mid-fifties is that true success consists of more than what we can achieve financially or materially.

Succeeding only on the material level can often leave other areas of a person's life completely out of balance. Even though outwardly they appear to "have it all" their life is in turmoil and their lifestyle is killing them. They lack inner-peace and balance.

The fact is, every aspect of life is connected. In order to have Total Success, it is necessary to have balance in all areas of life.

So often we say to ourselves, "I'm only going to work this hard for a little while. When I achieve a higher level of success then I will slow down." The reality is, if we are merely driven by outward measures of success, we may never slow down until life slows us down through illness, broken marriages, lost friendships, or any number of ways we are forced to slow down. Often we are forced to slow down long enough to look at our life and admit what we have achieved is only the hope of success and not what success is meant to be.

To achieve a life of success you must have balance physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially and in your relationships.

The reality is the more balanced your life becomes, the more success you can create. The more balance you have the more you will realize what you are capable of and how connected everything is.

All aspects of life are connected at a very deep level. Once you come to realize this you can no longer address one area without addressing another. Once you know this, you cannot longer go back to an old way of thinking, acting and believing. Everything will shift."

A quick look around will show us how correct Dr. Joe Capista is with what he writes. How many people live a life in which they enjoy inner peace and tranquility? Sadly, less than we may imagine. As you set your goals for the coming year, think about what you need to do to achieve a life that reflects the deepest meaning of success; one in which you feel good about your life personally and professionally and you have a deep sense of peace and tranquility.
____________
Kathleen Gage works with speakers, trainers, authors and consultants who want to turn their expertise into money-making products and services. Access Gage's free eBook, The Truth About Making Money on the Internet by visiting StreetSmartsMarketing.com.

*brought you by GoalsSuccess.com

Goal Setting Qoutes to Think About

2008-01-03T18:57:00.000-08:00

Here are a few quotes which deal with Goal-Setting. Each offers some good food for thought...

“Success is steady progress toward one's personal goals” -- Jim Rohn

"Goals provide the energy source that powers our lives. One of the best ways we can get the most from the energy we have is to focus it. That is what goals can do for us: concentrate our energy. " -- Denis Waitley

"Crystallize your goals. Make a plan for achieving them and set yourself a deadline. Then, with supreme confidence, determination and disregard for obstacles and other people's criticisms, carry out your plan." -- Paul Meyer

"Man is a goal seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goals." -- Aristotle

"To achieve happiness, we should make certain that we are never without an important goal." -- Earl Nightingale

"Your goals are the road maps that guide you and show you what is possible for your life." -- Les Brown

"A goal properly set is halfway reached." -- Zig Ziglar

“If you go to work on your goals, your goals will go to work on you. If you go to work on your plan, your plan will go to work on you. Whatever good things we build end up building us.” -- Jim Rohn

"If you want to reach a goal, you must "see the reaching" in your own mind before you actually arrive at your goal." -- Zig Ziglar

That's all for now... Yours in goal-setting, Josh Hinds :-)

Btw. If you have a favorite quote which deals with goal-setting consider sharing it in the comments section.

Goal Setting Secrets -- Measure It By James Robbins

2008-01-01T12:52:00.000-08:00

The literature, which supports the effectiveness of proper goal setting, is overwhelming. I must emphasize however the words 'proper goal setting.'

The small percentage of people who do set goals, do so incorrectly which is why over half of the people who make New Year's Resolutions abandoned them after three months.

One of the biggest problems for people is that they fail to set measurable goals. Take for example the following list of some of the most popular goals set by people.

• Spend more time with family.
• Get in shape
• Have more fun

These are all great ideas but they are not goals. Remember when you went to the family reunion and someone had set up the volleyball net. Slowly more and more people made their way over to the court while you rallied and played around.

After a period of time, rallying gets boring and inevitably someone says, "let's play for real." Suddenly the game changes. Now you have people getting in their ready stance, positioning becomes important, people start diving for balls and arguing whose ball that was that just landed in between them.

What changed to make people behave differently? The ball is the same, the court is the same, even the people are the same. What changed was the fact that now you are measuring. Now as you count points, effort matters. At the end of the game there will be a winner and a loser.

The principle is true for all areas of life. If you really want to change something then you must measure it. Another way to look at this is whatever you measure, you focus on, and what you focus on you change.

Lets take a look again at the goal 'Spend more time with family.' How are we going to measure this? How will we know when we have reached the desired amount of time to deem 'successful'?

We need to break this down and ask ourselves, what does this goal look like? I once had a goal resembling 'Spend more time with family.' My family helped me out by defining it for me. This is what they said:

• Stay off the computer between 5:00pm and 8:00pm
• Take my wife on a date every other week.
• Once a week have a one-on-one with one of the kids.

Now I had something I could measure. At the end of a few months I could even give you a percentage of how I had done. My family was not looking for perfection here but improvement.

If I could show my family that 80% of the time I had done what they had asked, they would certainly determine that to be successful.

What about 'Get in shape' what does that look like? Last I checked 'round' was a shape but I don't think that's the shape you are talking about. If this is one of your goals you have to break this down into something you can measure. Is it a certain weight you want to reach, inches you want to lose, a cholesterol number you want to get to, a blood pressure reading you want to lower?

After you have defined what 'Shape' is then you have to set some measurable goals that are going to get you there. They might be things like exercise for 45 minutes three times a week, or stick to my meal plan everyday, or cut out all junk food.

Now let's take a look at the last goal to 'Have more fun.' Again, how will you know when you have reached this? Last time I checked there was no such thing as a Fun-Meter, which you could hook yourself up to and get a reading.

First of all what activities are fun for you? Once you determine that then set some goals to do those activities more often. Lets say hanging out with friends is what really gets you jazzed, then set some goals for times with friends every month.

You might want to set aside two Saturdays each month for entertaining guests and designate one weeknight as movie night where you go and check out the latest movies.

The secret is to make your goals measurable otherwise they are not really goals at all but rather good intentions. But if you take the time to find a way to measure your goals and create the supporting steps to help get you there, in no time at all you will experience incredible success in your life.
____________
Do you want to make massive progress on your goals and dreams? Take the Summit Challenge; the online goal setting game guaranteed to help you reach your peak potential. In addition to creating the Summit Challenge James Robbins also delivers keynotes on personal excellence and leadership issues such as employee retention and creating engaging workplaces. To find out more about the Summit Challenge, visit www.OnToTheSummit.com.

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Seven Realistic Ways to Achieve Your New Year's Goals By Robert Moment

2008-01-01T12:36:00.000-08:00

Have you ever completed every goal compiled on your new year's resolution list? Learn to set realistic goals and know your self-worth -- what a better way to start the New Year.

The next time you find yourself measuring your success by reviewing a balance sheet or looking at the dollar signs on your bank statement, consider the following statement, "Your self-worth is more important than your net worth." You'll be much more motivated in the coming year if you understand your self-worth, which is so much more valuable than just your net worth.

One is simply a number; the other is what opens the door to opportunities and can lead to amazing success. Stay self-motivated by knowing your self-worth.

There are seven realistic ways to achieve your New Year's goals that will contribute to your self-worth and your potential for success in life:

1. Practice conditioning your mind with positive thoughts.

It's tempting to get discouraged during times of stress, but you can train yourself to look at things positively. With practice, you can learn to look at even the worst situations as opportunities. Become aware of your negative thoughts as they happen, and replace them with a more positive spin - you'll find that it soon becomes second nature.

2. Exercise to stay energized.

Your physical, mental, and emotional health are dependent upon one another. A bit of exercise each day will improve your energy levels and your mental clarity - both vital to staying motivated.

3. Avoid negative people.

True, no matter what we do, there will be negative people who enter our lives every now and then. But that doesn't mean we need to surround ourselves with them! Negativity is contagious. Have you ever noticed how being in a room with happy people brings a smile to your face?

Negative people can bring you down in the same way and sap your energy. Minimize your time with them, and remind yourself that their bad attitudes don't necessarily have to be yours.

4. Surround yourself with motivated, goal-oriented people.

Make sure your team is a positive one and focus your time and energy on people who bring a motivated, animated influence to your environment. Creativity and optimism are just as contagious as negativity - they feed off of each other. The encouragement and support you'll get from like-minded, goal-oriented people will spur you on to greater achievements.

5. Be flexible.

There is always more to learn and there will often be changes in circumstances that need to be faced head-on. If you can remain flexible, you'll be able to adapt to unexpected changes and turn them into opportunities. Keeping your mind open to alternative thoughts, perspectives, and ideas will open doors and reduce your own stress.

Considering as many opportunities and new ideas as possible is the kind of flexibility that will improve your self-worth by leading you down more paths that can lead to success.

6. Stretch yourself past your limits.

Don't overexert or overextend yourself - that will only drain your energy. Instead, stretch yourself. Stretching yourself means trying as hard as you can and then giving a little bit more. This way, you won't ever hold yourself back and you'll know that you can be very proud of every accomplishment because you gave your all.

7. Stop trying to be perfect.

Nobody is perfect, so stop trying so hard. Begin the New Year by allowing yourself the luxury of imperfection. Giving up on achieving perfection gives you permission to focus on a much more realistic and admirable goal - reaching your own personal best and being comfortable and happy in your own skin.

Perfection is the worst enemy of success. Consider completion to be your goal - not perfection. This way you can let go and move on to the next project without festering about endlessly trying to put the final "perfect" touches on each project you finish.

The New Year is a wonderful chance to achieve success with these seven simple steps. Each one will improve your outlook on life and help you deal with the many ups and downs of life. Envision the life you intend to live by taking the right approach to staying self-motivated and you'll have a stellar and successful new year!
________
Robert Moment is an innovative small business coach and author of Invisible Profits: The Power of Exceptional Customer Service. Robert specializes in teaching small business owners actionable how to marketing ideas and strategies that generate profitable results. Visit him at SmallBusinessMarketingIdeasStrategies.com and sign-up for a complimentary small business marketing plan.

Sponsor Message: WHAT IF YOU HAD THE SAME MINUTE-BY-MINUTE THOUGHTS AS THE SUPER SUCCESSFUL?
Mike Brescia has developed the ultimate mental conditioning programs that can help anyone wipe out intense fears and enjoy huge successes in all areas of life. Learn more about these powerful programs here...

The Antidote for Unsuccessful New Year's Resolutions By Kevin Eikenberry

2007-12-26T22:13:00.000-08:00

Many people spend some time at the end of the year working on the New Year. These people typically fall into two groups: those who use the end of the year as a way to be introspective and look back on the past year, and those who spend time looking forward; setting goals and planning the coming year.

Actually, there is a much larger third group - the group that intends to do one or the other of these things but ends up doing neither. Why this third group exists is the topic for another article, but reading this article can provide a path to help you if you find yourself stuck in inactivity each December!

Each of the first two groups is doing something positive and helpful, but both are missing something. They are each doing half of the two step process for accelerating your success. Here are those two steps:

- Reflect
- Project

Either of these steps can be useful, however when you place both of them together, you create a powerful synergy. Let's look at each individually.

Reflection...

Reflection is key to capitalizing on your past experiences. Have you ever met someone who seems to make the same mistake repeatedly? This person isn't taking time to reflect on what worked (and what didn't) in their past experiences.

Reflection allows us to learn and grow from our past experiences. You can see why people like to do this at the end of the year - it gives them time to take stock of their year and look for the things they learned.

Doing this reflection successfully though is about more than collecting lessons; it is also about growing from those lessons. Effective reflection leads to an outcome - an intention for applying those lessons in the future, which leads to the second step.

Projection...

Projection is a process of looking forward. When people take time at the end of the year to look ahead and set some goals they are projecting. Projection is planning; thinking about the future, deciding what you want and then expecting success.

When we plan from a perspective of expected success, we plan more thoroughly. And when we plan more thoroughly, we improve our ability to execute on those plans.

As you can see this is a more engaging process than just creating a New Year's Resolution. The good news is that this more integrated approach gives you a much better chance of making your "resolutions" real.

How To Do It...

Now that you know the steps, you may be looking for more guidance on how to do them. While books could be written on specific details and tools, you'd likely rather be reflecting and projecting than reading an in-depth treatise on approaches. So let me make it simple.

Ask yourself questions - Ask yourself questions to reflect on the past year, on the lessons you learned and more.

Ask yourself questions to think about the coming year, what you want to achieve and how you can use the lessons of the past to reach those plans more rapidly.

Asking questions and answering them is one of the most powerful ways to help you reach any new goal or objective.

Only at the End of the Year?

I'm writing this in mid-December and this is definitely a time of year when this two-step approach is helpful. But you can use this approach any time you wish, or any time you are looking for a kick start on success.

Maybe . . .

- Once a quarter

- At your birthday

- At the start (or end) of a new job

- At the start (or end) of a big project

You can reflect and project anytime you want - in fact the more you think in terms of learning from your past and applying it to your future goals and plans, the more you accelerate your progress!

Like many other things in life, the more time you put into these processes the more valuable they will be, and yet simply working on a daily basis with this dual focus of reflection and projection can be helpful as well.
____________
Kevin Eikenberry is a leadership expert and the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company. To receive a free Special Report on leadership that includes resources, ideas, and advice go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/leadership.asp or call us at (317) 387-1424 or 888.LEARNER.

Read more goal-setting articles from Kevin Eikenberry ...

- Going Beyond Goal Setting
- Goal Believing is the First Step to Goal Achieving
- Seven Reasons People Don't Set Goals and How to Overcome Each of Them

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Achieve Your Goals Sooner by Implementing By Anne Bachrach

2007-12-18T01:06:00.000-08:00

A favorite saying that I've heard over the years is, "the solutions are often obvious once you get the questions right."

Here are a few questions to consider that might help you achieve your goals (maybe even sooner than you thought).

1. Is what I'm doing right now moving me toward my goals?

2. Does my behavior move me toward or away from my goals?

3. Of all the things I could be doing right now with my time, is this really the best thing I can do right now to move me toward my goals? (Or am I just rationalizing that this is moving me toward my goals because I am unwilling or unable to do what I know really needs to be done?)

4. Am I really serious about achieving my goals, or are my goals just something that would be nice to have?

5. Am I inspired to achieve my goals?

My advice: Do the things that move you toward your goals, and stop doing the things that don't move you toward your goals.

Some people say, "It's not that simple." Really? Are you sure? Because it's probably not that complicated!

Most days, most of the things you do should move you toward your goals. Nobody is suggesting that you be perfect. We just encourage you to consider the question, "What would happen if most of what I said and did moved me toward my goals?"

First of all, do you have goals?

Second of all, do you have some compelling reasons behind the goals to drive you to say and do the things that move you toward them? In other words, do you have some reasons to be serious about achieving your goals?

The more reasons you have for achieving your goals, the more likely you are to do the things the goals require to achieve them. Your goals are the tangible what ... and your values are the emotional why behind your goals.

If you are not moving as rapidly as you would like toward your goals, chances are that there is too large of a gap between your current behavior and the most-of-the-time behavior that the goals require to achieve them. Take advantage of the fact that you have the ability to change that. So ... just change that now!

Perfection is not required. Just get with the "Program" so you can achieve your goals for the reasons that are important to you. Have fun and enjoy the results!

© Anne Bachrach. All rights reserved.
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Anne M. Bachrach is President of A.M. Enterprises in San Diego, CA. Anne has 23 years of experience training and coaching. The objective is to do more business in less time through maximizing people's true potential, and ultimately leading them to an even better quality of life. For more information on our services and learning tools, call Anne at 858-456-0160, or e-mail anne@accountabilitycoach.com.

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Make Success Your Intention By Matthew Horne

2007-12-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

“We are hard-wired as human beings to stay the course towards the vision that consumes us.” - Matthew C. Horne (The Universe is Inviting You In)

Over the years, I’ve seen many people’s visions come and go, as they create goals with no intended end, leading to an aimless pursuit. As the New Year approaches, it is my intention to help you create a vision that surpasses your current standing, and to help you define the route to actualizing that vision.

It’s one thing to have a vision, and it’s another for your vision to have you. When a vision takes a hold of you, your entire being is consumed by it and nothing will stop you until your vision manifests.

Having a vision is just one key ingredient for success, but measures must always be taken in order to actualize that vision. It is within the scope of who you are to create your vision. This occurs when you take your creative resources that you’ve been endowed with; your faith, energy, and intention, and match it with the vision that’s inside of you.

Until you make your vision your intention, it will remain in the realm of want, as opposed to the realm of actualization. Although your Creator is the composer of events within your life, you still play an intricate role in creating those pictures that appear so vividly in your minds eye.

Never settle when it comes to your vision. Accept nothing but what rings true on the tablets of your heart. The universe responds to precedents. Every vision is accompanied by a level, and when your intention is to manifest on the level of your vision, you’ve established a precedent that must be honored, because this is the object of your intention.

Maybe you’ve heard it in more familiar terms, “According to your faith be it unto you.” The results in your life will never exceed the object of your intention. It is the inescapable essence of who you are as a creator, to create the object of your intention. We all emanate from the Creator, and possess His image and likeness. To view yourself in any other light is to veil the unchanging essence of whom you are.

To possess your Creator’s image and likeness, and not operate in it, is to nullify the reason for your existence. Your Creator would never endow you with His likeness if the purpose was not to operate in it and create just as He does, with an intended end that your intention will create.

In order to create like your Creator, you must first understand how He creates. This can be observed by understanding His thought processes behind us, His most precious creation. Every human being has an intended end and an eternal purpose. Our intended end was established before our physical beginning came to be.

To maximize the creative genius that’s inside of us, our vision, which we’ve been endowed with to carry out our eternal purpose, must be the parameters of the natural steps that we take towards our vision. Your goals should never create your vision; your vision should always create your goals.

As you create in this manner, you’ll create just as your Creator does, and suppress the fallible you, and awaken the eternal you, which is the perfect you.

This day, this week, this year, this lifetime, know that your success begins with a vision, and ends with the wherewithal to see the vision to completion.
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Matthew C. Horne is a motivational speaker and leading authority in maximizing human potential and self-development. He is also the president of Optimum Success International and author of "The Universe is Inviting You In", available at www.MatthewCHorne.com

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Does 30 Days Of Action Create New Habits? By Mario Wells

2007-12-06T21:09:00.000-08:00

Just because you will yourself to perform an action for 30 days, does not mean that you have created a habit. By definition, a habit is what guides your actions when you are not acting consciously, and therefore habits are domain of your subconscious mind.

Your subconscious is the collective programming that is an end result (the judgment) of all you have ever heard, said, felt, and experienced, and as such it is a very powerful force to try to overcome. In fact most people live life so unconsciously that who they are from day to day is more a product of habit, than of their conscious mind.

So when attempting to create new habits, if your subconscious believes there is no value to that new action, or that the rewards of not doing it are greater than doing it, when you stop being actively conscious, you will revert to your long established patterns of behavior.

Example: We all know that eating a healthy diet is good for you, but if your body has become habituated to filling your emotional needs through the changes in biochemistry caused by a high fat, high sugar diet, over the course of several decades, your subconscious mind will learn to cling to the rewards of high fat, sugary treats, rather than the discipline of eating well. Dieting is so hard, because you are fighting a battle against your habituated beliefs as well as your body chemistry.

The reason why most New Year's Resolutions fail is that people are so focused on the outcome that they fail to think about why they aren't already there. Doing is important, but until you examine your beliefs and habits, you will keep stumbling before the finish line.

How did you let yourself get 100 pounds overweight? It didn't happen overnight. How did you allow yourself to get months behind in your work? You must identify the habits that support what you do not want, if you want to progress consistently towards what you want.

The greatest challenge of our age is that we have all been taught to look externally for solutions to internal problems. What you experience outside of yourself is just a reflection of what is inside of yourself. The problem is not that it is hard to work without reading your emails, rather that some part of you values reading your emails (or doing anything or nothing) over doing your job.

You can make yourself not read emails, but the habit will remain dormant within you until you either confront the source of your compulsion, or you attach a different value to the task that you habitually avoid. Until you develop a stronger motivation to get things done, odds are you are only putting a band aid on your issue instead of resolving it.

Therefore, when people pursue 30 days of action to make a change, it isn't just the action you take that matters, but more importantly what you believe, think, and feel while committing that action that will determine whether you are creating a habit, or if you are just overriding the subconscious through an exercise in will power.
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Mario Wells is a motivational coach, speaker and writer whose life purpose is to encourage people to overcome the fears that limit them so that they can begin living the life they were born to lead. He is currently working on his first book and anticipates its completion by April 2008. Visit www.WakeUpLife.org for coaching challenges, inspirational quotes, motivational movies, and articles that will help to encourage you to begin living the life of your dreams. Your dream is waiting for you. What are you waiting for?

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Goal Achieving Made Easy By Sam Crowley

2007-12-04T03:09:00.000-08:00

How to Achieve Your Goals...

Chances are, you know of people that seem to be able to succeed at whatever they try their hand at. Other people seem to go from one thing to another without achieving anything of lasting value. For the most part, the keys to achieving goals are fairly straightforward, and can be successfully applied by anyone.

First, you will need to be willing to work towards your goal. This may take a great deal of time and energy. If you are willing to commit your resources to accomplishing something, it is also to your advantage to set goals in such a way that you are more likely to succeed. Motivation, focus, studying the successes of others, and accountability are key elements in achieving all of the things that you want in your life.

Motivation isn't something that you can make happen based on what you think is ideal. Rather, the most powerful forces are the ones that you truly feel right to the core. As the saying goes, if you want something badly enough, you will achieve it. On the other hand, if you do not have this strong feeling, or compulsion, chances are everything you do to achieve a goal will be wasted effort. Therefore, identifying what will motivate you and drive you forward is a key element in achieving your goals.

Once you know what you want, you will need to examine that goal and make sure it is clear and narrow in focus. As an example, if you want to be a writer, the best thing you can do is focus on one type of writing and keep trying until you succeed. On the other hand, if you try to write poetry and screenplays at the same time, chances are you will not achieve success in either genre. While trying different types of writing may broaden your focus, sticking with one will concentrate your efforts much more effectively.

Next, it is important to study people that have succeeded at achieving similar goals. Since they have gotten where they are, chances are they have also encountered the problems that you will come across, and have already figured out how to solve them. This can save you a great deal of time, as well as leave you with more energy to develop your unique message or talent. These people can also serve to motivate and inspire you to continue working at your goals.

For the most part, achieving goals does not happen in a vacuum. Your friends, family, and co-workers also play a key role in helping you achieve success, even if they do not directly take part in your activities. Frequently, the simple act of telling someone that you have a specific goal, or writing about it, helps solidify it in your mind. Once you say you have a goal, the accountability factor also helps drive you forward.

Today, the internet offers many tools to help you speak about your goals and support your achievement. Chances are, you may also find groups of other people that have a similar goal. The support you give and obtain from these people can make the entire goal achievement process one that rewards you with new friends, as well as the actual attainment of something beneficial to your life.

Regardless of whether you choose to write in a blog or in a private journal, making a list of your goals is crucial to developing personal accountability. If you place this list where you can see it often, it will serve as a reminder that you have things to accomplish. Recording the progress you are making is also vital to sustained effort. While you should not dwell on failures, documenting them can help prevent you from making the same mistake again.

Once you have a goal in mind, following through with tangible action can be a rewarding experience all by itself. Unfortunately, many people will put in enormous amounts of effort to achieve objectives, only to fail because they did not keep some very simple things in mind. When you set about achieving your goals from a position of motivation, focus, observation, and accountability, you will have a much greater chance of succeeding.
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Sam Crowley is a motivational speaker and author. Grab his $47 Champion Ebook for free at EverydayIsSaturday.com.

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