Using 3x5 Cards to Achieve Your Goals By Josh Hinds

A common stumbling block I see standing in the way of most people otherwise reaching and achieving their goals is that they simply stop focusing on them or move on to other things.

Did you get that?

Notice it wasn't that they lacked the know how, but rather they lost focus.

If you've found yourself guilty of this (as most of us are at times) the following tip should be a welcome addition to your life -- and success journey.

I caution you not to downplay the simplicity of it. It works, and there are countless examples of high achievers who have put it into play in their lives and are reaping great rewards as a result.

3x5 cards keep you focused and on track as you work towards achieving your goals

First you need some 3x5 index cards. See, as promised nothing fancy.. Oh, and you need a writing pen.

Since as I always say, personal development is a hands on project, you have room to personalize this idea so that it works best for you. With that said, I'll explain how I use the 3x5 index cards goal-setting tool ... Again keep in mind you can certainly tweak any suggestions here as you see fit.

I would write down the particular goal. For example, lets say my personal goal is to write at least one new article a week.

I would write the following on my 3x5 index card:

"I write and complete one or more motivational articles a week. I receive nice notes from people that read my writing to let me know that they found the ideas helpful. This or something better is happening in my life now for the good of all concerned."

It's worth noting that I do adjust the wording according to the particular goal I am recording, but in all instances I like to include the last part which reads "This or something better is happening in my life now for the good of all concerned".

You certainly don't have to add that part, but for me, I find it helps to keep me focused on my larger objective of helping others.

Hopefully you noticed a few other things I like to include on my personal goal cards from the example above. In case you missed them they are...

I write in a present tense. I find this helps make the distinction in my mind between what I am doing (I.e. Being active and taking the real action necessary to see results) versus simply what I'd like to do.

Remember, we're on our way to making our goals a reality when we take the needed steps to achieving them, not simply hoping they'll happen on their own. Writing my goals in the present tense makes a difference.

Another thing I do is include a little supporting statement for my goal. In the example above I included "I receive nice notes from people that read my writing to let me know that they found the ideas helpful". I find that including a statement like this helps to give life to my goal -- and help highlight one of the reasons why it is worth taking the effort to work on the goal.

You might consider it written visualization. Just as visualizing an outcome in your mind helps to manifest your goals, so adding a little written visualization to your goal card will give some added emotion as you are reading and reviewing them.

The key to why keeping your goals written down on 3x5 index cards works is because they're easy to keep around. They can easily fit in your pocket, on your desk, or practically anywhere. Since it is easy to keep them nearby, it is also easy to review them often! And make no mistake... Reviewing your goals as often as possible is what makes all the difference.

Think of it like this... When it comes to goal achievement, out of sight and out of mind is a killer. And seeing as how our lives can move 90 to nothing it is far to easy to be sidetracked by any number of life's challenges.

So in summary, set regular times with yourself during your day to review your goal cards. Keep them in places where they won't be easily missed. While it is true this idea is a simple one, it is also true that it is easy to neglect taking action on it. While simple, it does work -- if you work the idea that is.

-- Here's to your success, Josh Hinds

Simple Ways to Super-Charge Your Goals and Make Them Work! By Chris Widener

Goals. Most people have a love-hate relationship with goals. They love them because they are such a great idea and a wonderful way to motivate us to achieve, as well as evaluate our progress, but hate them because for many, they more often than not go unattained and simply frustrate them. This isn't what goals should do!

So here are some simple ways to set goals so that we achieve them! After all, what good is a goal if it isn't something you achieve? Here are some simple steps you can take to make sure that you see change in your life this year.

Narrow your focus. That's right, start small. Pick two or three areas tops, that you want to work on. Too many people say to themselves, "I want to do this, and this, and this, and this..." and they end up doing nothing! Most of what you do throughout your day can be done without a lot of mental or emotional exertion, but change isn't one of them. So focus down to a couple. This way you can get some victory in these areas. Here are some areas to think about: Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Spiritual, Financial, and Relational. What areas need some work? Now, what one thing should be the first item on the change list? The others will come later, but for now, you should focus on two or three total.

Keep the long-term in mind, but set your sights on achieving your goals in the short-term. Do you want to lose 75 pounds? Good. Long-term you will. But for now, think short-term. Don't think about losing 75 pound by summer 2002. Think about losing 5 pounds by November 1st. This does two things. First, It makes it urgent. Instead of blowing it and saying, "Oh well, I still have 17 months to lose the 75 pounds" (because eventually that becomes 2 months to lose 75 pounds) your goal is only a few weeks out. This is better in terms of reaching your goal. Secondly, as you reach these shorter goals, it gives you regular victories instead of regular progress. Progress feels good, but achieving a goal is awesome!

Reward yourself when you achieve the goal. When you lose the 5 pounds by November 1st, go get yourself a grande whole-milk mocha. But just one! Then get back to your goal for December 1st. This puts a little fun back into the process of self-control and self-discipline. You will look forward to the reward and when the going gets tough, you will say, "two more weeks, two more pounds, then..."

That's it. I truly believe that it can be that simple for you.

This adds some ideas to the above article.

1. Don't bite off more than you can chew. Instead of saying, "I am going to quit my three pack a day habit cold turkey," say "I am going to drop to a pack and a half a day." You can always make new resolutions when you have achieved the first ones. Give yourself small victories a little at a time. Instead of saying "I am going to lose 75 pounds," say "I am going to lose 20 pounds."

2. Be specific in your timeline. Don't just say, "I am going to lose 20 pounds." Say, "I am going to lose 20 pounds by April 1st." This way, when you start to be tempted in the ice cream aisle in the middle of November, you can say, "Nope, only 10 more pounds to go in a month and a half and I am not going to blow it."

3. Post your resolutions where you will see them every day. This will keep the resolution in the front of your mind at all times. Instead of forgetting that you are trying to lose weight and ordering a big, thick porterhouse, you will have been reminded earlier that day that you need to go with something a little more on the lighter side. It will help your will beat your desire.

4. Find an encouraging person, who you respect, to keep you accountable. This person should ask you, at an interval established by the both of you, how it is going. They must be the encouraging type, though. If you are blowing it, they can say, "Well, that's okay, get back to it tomorrow." If you are doing well, they can say, "Awesome job. I'll talk to you next week." You will look forward to their weekly encouragement.

5. Find a partner. That's right, someone who is trying to accomplish the same thing (or something different if need be). Just make sure that they really want to change, or they will end up just bellyaching about how hard it is and you will both fall into the abyss.

6. Write down a list of all of the benefits that will come if you accomplish this. If it is losing weight it might be something like this: Feel better, better self-esteem, longer life, clothes are more comfortable, no more time spent sewing on popped buttons, wife says you look 22 again, etc. If it is quitting smoking, it may look like this: Better breath, no more brown fingers, no more wrinkles on my face, no more red eyes, no more smelly clothes, longer life, wife don't make me spend two hours a day on the back porch, etc. This will help you see what you will get from accomplishing your resolution.

7. Plan a reward if you accomplish your resolution. It can be anything from small to large. If you drop the twenty pounds, go out for dinner and dessert. Then get back to lose the next 20. If it is quitting smoking, go on a mini-vacation. Whatever you do, reward yourself. Or let a spouse or a friend pick the reward. Then splurge and enjoy!
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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 there.

Do Your Goals Match Your Passions? By Josh Hinds

Making sure our goals are properly aligned with our passions only makes sense. If you have the wish to move up the corporate ladder, start your own business, or just about any other worthwhile endeavor you're going to make things a lot easier on yourself if you're working on things that get you personally excited and make you feel alive when you're working on them (i.e. following your passions).

We hear this a lot I know... But have you ever stopped to ask yourself why this is?

Hopefully this will help...

A simple rule of thumb is to do the things that you'd do even if you weren't getting paid to do them. Napoleon Hill, author of Think And Grow Rich often referred to this as doing more then you get paid for. In fact, he regarded this as a key to success. If the idea was good enough for Mr. Hill, I can assure you, it's good enough for me :-)

The simple reality is that most any level of lasting achievement takes effort (even the over-night successes we sometimes hear about rarely happen exactly over night). Often it means going above and beyond the call of duty. Going and doing just a bit more then may be expected of you in your job description.

Foregoing something in return for the results you're sure you'll reap later on. Even if others might not see you as exerting quite as much effort as they are (I get this all the time since I "just sit at a computer all day and work from home"... ha ha). Even so, you're putting forth effort.

I can tell you I can't imagine how much I'd dread getting up each and everyday if what I was doing wasn't aligned with something I also have a strong passion for. Believe me, it's a feeling worth implementing into your own life.

In summary, I believe that following our inner passion allows us to sit in a more natural path with regards to achieving our personal dreams and desires. Why is that? I believe it is because instead of counting the hours till we get off and can work on other projects, we'll be more excited about the task at hand.

Which I believe in turn is a lot more likely to equate to more productive results. Wouldn't you agree? Not to mention, we're destined to have a whole lot more fun day to day (and I believe derive more lasting meaning in our lives)... To your success, Josh Hinds

2 Goal Affirmations You Should NEVER EVER Use! By Gordon Bryan

Right then, affirmations. In fact, GOAL affirmations.

Listen, it's no good rolling your eyes and saying 'Here we go', I can see you from here!

Actually, here's a good exercise: If I ask you, right now, to go and fetch me your written list of goals, could you?
Yes? That's good!
No? That's bad!

And if not, put any cynicism aside for a while and read on...

A goal affirmation is where you have a statement or goal written down, and you read them to yourself at regular intervals, usually morning and night. You also have one or two of them as your 'mission statement', which you can reel off at any time.

Do they work? Well, yes they do, actually.

How do they work? Blimey, what do you think I am, a psychologist?

Basically it's to do with a big battle between the conscious and the subconscious minds. Oooh it's a big bust up I can tell you, it's like 'Lord of the Rings' on acid.

The subconscious mind will believe what it is told by the conscious mind, and unfortunately our conscious minds are programmed by society to not fulfill our full potential.

Paradoxically though, the subconscious mind will not believe certain things... This is important, and bearing that in mind, you need to be very careful about how you word the affirmations.

Personality affirmations need to be in the present tense. Materialistic affirmations need to be in the future tense, and time specific.

Ok, you know me, I don't like messing around, here's examples...

GOOD - If you say 'I am a strong and worthy person', your subconscious mind believes it, and will act accordingly.

BAD - If you tell it that 'by Dec 31st I will be a strong and worthy person', oh dear oh dear.

This is no good, in fact it is damaging, because firstly you don't suddenly cross a finish line and become strong and worthy, and secondly it is telling your subconscious that at present you are NOT strong and worthy, and it will act accordingly!

GOOD - 'By Dec 31st 2003, I will have doubled my yearly income'. Your subconscious will accept this as feasible, and will work towards it, and direct you correctly, waking you in the night with 'Eureka!' moments.

BAD - 'I have a million pounds in my account.' The subconscious will recognize this as simply not true, and will merrily ignore it.

You might as well say the moon is made of cheese in your affirmations for all the good it will do you.

There! 4 examples, short and sweet, and I hope you can see the differences. It's only little changes, but they can have drastic effect on your success.

Using affirmations which are worded wrongly will sabotage all your efforts.

Use them correctly and outloud, and you will get so much of what you want, you will have to pinch yourself to believe it!

Er, what was that - OUTLOUD???

Oh yes, you need to say them outloud. You may think it's silly, and sure enough you will feel absolutely ridiculous the first few times you do it, but I am telling you here and now, it works, it is a psychological trick on yourself, and is another essential piece of the big jigsaw. Or a Rubik's cube if you like.

Yes, that's it, imagine affirmations as completing the blue side of a Rubik's cube. Hhhm, I know I'm going off on one of my wanders here, but bear with me. Self improvement, goal achievement, wealth creation, the 3 things I feel passionate about, it's all a big learning process.

2 steps forward, 1 step back, and then suddenly it all clicks, and then like me, you'll be fit to burst, and shouting it from the rooftops!

So be careful you don’t use incorrectly worded affirmations!

(c) Copyright Gordon Bryan
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Gordon Bryan's book, 'Transform Your Life in 21 Days! has been described as 'a must read', 'awesome', and 'a true gem'. If you liked this article, see the book for yourself here.

Goal Setting Basics - 3 Steps Plus 1 -- By Allen Williams

Goal setting seems to be one of the most misunderstood, and overly complicated areas of self-improvement. And, well, frankly, it shouldn't be.

Once you understand the difference between goals and tasks, you really only need follow the three basic steps outlined below, and then add in the magic ingredient, to be well on your way to achieving the things that you desire.

1. First you need to define the goal in as specific terms as possible.

"I want to be thin" or "I want to be rich" are just too broad and don't allow for measurable, quantifiable outcomes.

Set the goal as a specific outcome.

For our examples that could be as simple as "I will lose 20 pounds" or "I will earn $10,000 a month."

Could be better, but it's a much better start than before.

2. Determine 'why' you want to achieve this goal. While all 3 steps in this process are important, this step is the key that determines whether or not you persist in working towards and attaining your goal.

Your reasons for attaining the goal need to be very clear as well. They also must be focused on you. You can say, "I want to do this for my family" and that's all well and good, but in the end, the truth is you should be doing this for _you_ and not for someone else.

After all, why do you really want to do those things for your family? Right. So you will feel better about yourself, so they will feel better about you.

So, make "you" the biggest part of the "why" and you'll see an immediate increase in the desire to attain your specific goals.

3. Make your plan.

How will you achieve this goal? If it's a weightloss goal, you may consider a specific diet, or a change in your normal eating habits. You might be thinking of an exercise program, or a combination of both (which will work best, by the way).

Again, be specific. How much exercise? What kinds of exercise? How often? Where? Will you exercise alone?

The more detailed your plan of action is the greater your chances for success.

This includes setting a time limit for achieving your goals as well. "Someday" just isn't going to motivate you and will more often than not lead to that demon procrastination having its way.

Set the plan of action, set a definite time limit, and check your progress as you work towards the goal. You may need to re-evaluate your plan, ie add more exercise time, tighten up your diet plans, or increase the number of times or length of time you are exercising in order to stay on track.

So the three steps:

1. Define the goal
2. Determine the 'why'
3. Set the plan

And that's it.

Almost.

The last part, that magic part, that missing piece I mentioned before?

Action.

You must act on your plan. You must follow through on reviewing the process and progress and then re-evaluate if necessary, making changes that will further you along on the path to your desired outcome.

Action. Massive action is nice, but most of us just don't have it in us, or we lose steam too quickly to stay after it.

Action, consistent and constant, will be the magic that brings you the results you desire.
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Allen Williams is a professional educator, speaker and writer. Get a free subscription to the PowerMeUp Newsletter and Goal Setting and Getting Course with a bonus book for a limited time at: www.PowerMeUp.com Personal and Professional Growth

Goal Setting Secrets from a Three-Time Olympian -- Ruben Gonzalez

What would your life be like if failure was not an option? Would you like to perform at your peak more often? What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

Four years after making a decision to begin training for the Olympics, I made my dream come true. I competed in the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics in the luge. I went on to compete in the 1992 Albertville Olympics and I just competed in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics at the age of 39.

How does someone who did not even take up the sport of luge until he was 22 become a Three-Time Olympian? As I tell thousands of people in my speeches, I’m not a big shot. I’m just a little shot that keeps on shooting. I’m proof that ordinary people can aspire to achieve extraordinary things if they will just follow a few simple steps.

Aspire to Achieve: Four Steps to Success *
Step 1: Choose a goal
Step 2: See yourself succeeding at your goal.
Step 3: Choose a quality that will help you reach your goal.
Step 4: Create a new habit that will help you achieve your goal.

Step 1: Choose a goal

What changes would you like to make in your life that excite you just by thinking about them? What would you love to do? Where do you want to be 10 years from now? What is your dream?

Ever since I was in the third grade I wanted to be an Olympic Athlete. I respected the Olympians because they were an example of what I believed in - they are willing to commit to a goal, willing to risk adversity in the pursuit of it, willing to fail and at the same time keep trying until they succeeded. But it was not until I was in college and saw Scott Hamilton compete in the Sarajevo games that I actually made the decision to train for the Olympics.

But just thinking about your goal is not enough. If you want to reach your goal, you need to make it real - write it down!. Don’t worry how you will make your dream come true at first. Magic happens when you put your goals down on paper. Writing it down is the first step in turning a dream you might achieve into a goal you will achieve.

In 1960, Harvard Business School did a study of their graduates 20 years after they had graduated. They found the top 3% moneymakers made as much money as the other 97% put together. The only difference between the two groups was the top 3% had always written and regularly read their goals. As a result, everything they did on a day-to-day basis was focused on reaching their goals.

When Tiger Woods was a young boy, he wrote down on a 3x5 card that he intended to break all of Jack Nicklaus’ records. Tiger read his card every night. Jack Nicklaus agrees that Tiger in on track to make it happen.

The most effective way to write your goals down is to take a 3x5 card and on one side write:

"I intend to (state your goal). by (date)."

On the other side of your card write why.

"I intend to accomplish this because "(state your reasons)"

Write at least three reasons why you will do it. The more reasons the more you increase your belief.

Read your card first thing in the morning EVERY DAY to stay focused on the objective. Then read your card EVERY NIGHT before turning out the lights so your subconscious can work all night on ways to make it happen.

Step 2: See yourself succeeding at your goal.

Several times a day close your eyes and for a couple of minutes vividly imagine what it’s going to feel like when you achieve your goal. Really get into it. Feel it as if it were really happening – right now!. Get excited! Your subconscious does not know the difference between imagining it and it really happening. By doing this, you become passionate about your desire, your belief becomes unshakeable and you become unstoppable.

I constantly imagined what it was going to be like when I walked into the Olympic Stadium at the Opening Ceremonies. I imagined it in great detail. I could see the crowds waving at me. I could see the flags and the balloons. I could hear the roar of the crowd, the fireworks, the Olympic Hymn. I could feel the cold wind blowing snow onto my cheeks. I could feel the tears of joy streaming down my face. I could feel the goose bumps running up my back and over my shoulders. I thought about it all the time, while jogging, while lifting weights, even in the shower. It was my dream - but it became my goal! And when I finally entered the Olympic arena, it was just the same -only 100 times better.

Seeing yourself succeeding is an important step because imagining yourself succeeding will keep you from quitting when the going gets tough – and it will!

Seeing yourself succeeding is fun! You can feel the excitement of reaching your objective – before you get there. You will feel victorious. You will feel great. But don’t wait until you get there to practice feeling successful – imagine being successful now!

Step 3: Choose a quality that will help you reach your goal.

Have you ever looked at someone and wished you could be like them? Everyone has at one time or another. The good news is that if you notice a quality in someone else, you have some of that quality in yourself. You just need to develop it further. "It takes one to know one". Any quality you admire in someone else is a quality you have – you just need to practice it!

So step number three in reaching your goal is to choose the main quality you think you will need to reach your goal. Is it Boldness? Creativity? Enthusiasm? Patience? Leadership?.. ..

In my case it was Perseverance. To get good at the luge, I knew I was going to have to endure many crashes and injuries and simply refuse to give up. So I made a decision to become perseverant. To never quit. Someone has said, "The main difference between a success and a failure is that the success tried one more time." I decided to persevere in trying one more time.

Step 4: Create a new habit that will help you achieve your goal.

Good habits usually don’t just happen. You need to develop a specific plan for creating a new habit. It’s simply a matter of choosing an action that helps develop your quality, deciding when to practice that habit, knowing that you are going to have to repeat it many times and then give yourself a reminder.

Since perseverance was the most important quality I needed to have to reach my goal, I needed to find ways to develop my perseverance. I had to get good at "not quitting". So I decided to become an expert on perseverance. I read books about people who had faced great challenges and refused to give up. I got inspired that if they could – I could!

I made a decision that no matter how bad a crash I had, I would get back on the my sled. I had a picture of a luge athlete riding a sled. I used that picture to remind me to get back on my sled.

My action step, my habit, was going to be getting back on the my sled, after every crash, no matter what. I practiced getting on my sled more than most. I did it when I didn’t want to. I did it when it hurt. This was the habit I was going to develop.

Sometimes, after a painful crash, I’d have to work at it. I would have to walk up and down the track for a long time telling reminding myself things like "I’m a winner. I’m going to the Olympics. I never quit. I’m getting back on the my sled. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. No matter how bad it gets, I’m going to make it if I don’t quit! I never give up!". I thought of that picture of the Olympian on a luge sled. Eventually, I'd get to the point where I could walk up to the coach and say "Coach, I’m ready to get back on the my sled.".

And it worked! On the road to the Olympics, many athletes much faster than me, much more talented than me, chose to quit along the way. How do you think they felt when they watched the Olympics on TV? The price of getting your dream is big but the pain of regret is hundreds of times bigger.

Create a habit, something you do every day, to develop that quality you need to reach your goal.

You can do it. No matter what your dream is, you can make it happen if you follow these four simple steps: 1) Choose a goal, 2) see yourself succeeding, 3) choose a quality, and 4) create a habit to develop your quality. Commit to these four steps.

The difference between people is there are those who are interested and there are those who are committed. A key to success in life is going from being just interested to being fully committed. Once you are committed you will produce results. At the point of commitment, you mentally "burn all the bridges" and you do whatever it takes to make it happen. THAT’S when you become unstoppable!

Commit to these four steps and you too will make your dreams come true!

* The four steps listed above were developed by MindOH! (www.mindoh.com), a character education company that creates interactive computer modules for middle and high school students. They are presented in MindOH!’s "Aspire to Achieve" Life Skill module.
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Ruben Gonzalez, a Peak Performance expert, speaks at conferences, conventions, corporations, churches and schools on what it takes to succeed in life. Learn more at www.StartWinningMore.com

What Happens When We Don’t Make It? by Michael Angier

We all like to read about successes. We’re encouraged by the achievement of others and inspired to hear about how they overcame difficult odds. But what happens when things don't go as planned? What happens when we just don't make it?

Successful people don’t reach all their goals. In fact, they miss more than they make.

The fear of missing the mark is one of the reasons we don't set some goals in the first place. We don't want to fall short and we don't want anyone to know we didn't make it. We don’t want to FAIL.

I’d like to share some thoughts about a goal I didn't reach. My goal at the beginning of the year was to lose 32 pounds by May 21st. I lost only 14.

There are many other goals over the past few months that WERE met--and even exceeded--but this one was one of the most important. It was also one over which I had the greatest control. It is me and me alone who determines what goes into my mouth and how often and how much I exercise.

It was a doable and believable goal. I had a target date. I had a workable plan and it was a worthy goal. So what happened? There were a number of factors that contributed to coming up short, and I’m still evaluating them.

The important thing to realize, however, is that I didn’t actually fail. What happened was I missed my target date. Am I discouraged? A little. Am I disappointed? Yes. But I can’t change what is. I have to survey the results, the LACK of results and look closely at my plan and how I'll improve upon it.

Am I still committed to it? Yes, indeed. Am I resetting a target date? You bet. And that’s what’s important--not giving up. Until I realized that I had missed the target date instead of failed in the process of achieving my goal, I WAS discouraged. I was focusing on failure instead of the progress I’d made.

The truth is, I’m stronger and healthier now than I was in January. Losing 14 pounds isn’t bad. It’s not great, but it’s better than being where I was--or worse--GAINING weight.

If I can burn 14 pounds of fat in 18 weeks, I can do at least as well over the next 18 weeks--probably better. Beating myself up for not reaching my goal has no payoff. It can’t help. I get letters all the time from people disheartened because they're not making the progress they think they should. They’re discouraged because they didn’t succeed. The truth is, achieving big goals is rarely easy.

What IS easy is to focus on our shortfalls. It's easy to talk to ourselves in negative, counterproductive language: "I'll never make it." "I just can't get it right." "Why don't I ever win."

Perhaps we’re deceived by stories of "overnight" successes. We don’t see the setbacks and obstacles that were part of the success. But perseverance almost always wins out. I’m reminded that an oak tree is just a little nut that held its ground. If it were easy, we wouldn't’t have the satisfaction that comes with the winning. If we didn’t have to change in order to reach the goal, we wouldn’t grow. The pain of discipline is only
temporary. The glory of achievement lasts much longer.

I’m going to hang in there. I’m going to start over. And I’m going to do it. How about you? Do you let the fear of "failure" keep you from setting big goals? Will you keep on keeping on? What goal do you have that needs a recommitment? What will you overcome in order to achieve it? How are you willing to change?
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Copyright Success Networks International. Part of Success Net's mission is to position you for success. Free subscriptions, eCourses, memberships, eBooks and SuccessMark Cards available at the Success Net Site.

Get Your Goals - Guaranteed By Chris Widener

“Goals” is a topic that many people talk about, both in a positive as well as a negative sense. Some people are goal maniacs and others think they are a waste of time. Me? I am somewhat different. I just care about one thing – results. Goals: write ‘em down; don’t write ‘em down, I don’t care. Just get them! Achieve them! Live them! That is the only thing that should matter about goals, right?

If the only thing that matters is that we achieve our goals, then let’s talk about ways that will guarantee that we get our goals! There is such a way… and here it is:

First, be realistic.
Too many people get hyped up by people promising them the world and they set goals that simply aren’t realistic. Then they are disappointed and then decide that “goals” are bad. But wait a minute. Don’t I teach that anybody can achieve anything? Sort of. We have to be realistic.

The best example is that a seven-foot center who plays basketball will never be a world champion jockey. A person who is five feet, two inches could be, given time. This is the difference between a realistic goal and one that isn’t. Take some time and set a realistic goal or goals. This will make your goals guaranteed from the get go!

Second, memorize your goals.
Set them in stone in your mind. Know what they are. Prioritize them in order of importance and memorize them so that if anyone asked you, “What are you top seven goals?” you could answer immediately. This will embed the goals and the desired outcomes into your mind, which is the seed of action.

Visualize your goals.
Some people are really into this. Some people think it is total hooey. I am in the middle. I do not think that there is anything “magical” about the visualization process, but I do think that taking some time to regularly envision your dream and goals is a great thing. It deepens your desire to get your goals. It puts you into a frame of mind where you operate in a peak state. So, don’t overdo it, but don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater either. Put your goals deep into your mind by visualizing them periodically.

Set time frames.
Don’t let your goal be, “I want to lose twenty pounds.” Instead, let it be, “I want to lose twenty pounds in four months.” Again, a reminder to be realistic. But you can do wonders for your goal setting if you break your goals and put time frames on them. This gives it a sense of urgency. It makes it some thing you are working “toward” rather than working “on.” In fact, I would suggest setting long-range time frames, mid-range time frames, and short-range time frames.

Spend time and money on your goals.
Realize that any goal worth achieving is worth spending your resources, specifically time and money, on. Buy books, go to seminars, join associations, hire a coach, etc. Whatever you need to do to get your goals! Spending time and money will seed your dreams and you will reap the end result far beyond what you put into it. Big dreams have big costs, but even little dreams have a cost associated with them so count the cost.

Surround yourself with people who can propel you to your goals.
Never underestimate the power of the people around you to either drag you down or lift you up. Poisonous people can destroy your goal by systematically draining you of your passion and desire and replacing it with total pessimism! Passionate and positive people can invigorate you with renewed energy and a mind set on the dream. Get around people who will energize you!

Act on your goals each and every day.
Even if it is just a small step, it will leave you closer to your goal each and every day. If you have a savings goal, set aside even one dollar a day. Take a jar and empty your change into it at the end of each day. If you want to write a book, write each day, if even just two paragraphs! Small, step-by-step actions will produce the goal – guaranteed!

Be persistent!
I have long said that if the three most important words in real estate are “location,” “location,” “location,” then the three most important words in getting what you desire are “persistence,” “persistence,” “persistence.” In fact, be tenaciously persistent. Be ruthlessly persistent. Look, there will be all sorts of barriers and obstacles you will have to overcome if you want to achieve your dream. Dreams don’t just roll over and die. You have to attack them! Go for it and don’t give up! They can, and will, be yours!

Can you get your goals – guaranteed? You bet you can. And you will, if you put into practice the above principles.

If you…

Be realistic.
Memorize your goals.
Visualize your goals.
Set time frames.
Spend time and money on your goals.
Surround yourself with positive people.
Act on your goals every day and…
Be persistent.

You can get your goals – guaranteed!
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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.

Set Your Goals, Change Your Life & Celebrate! By Zig Ziglar

Studies tell us that only 3% of people in the USA set goals, and they are among the wealthiest people in the nation! Worldwide the percentage is probably lower. Why so low? There are several reasons, but the one that concerns us the most at Ziglar Training Systems is lack of know-how. When we ask people why they don't set goals they often say, "I don't know how."

Isn't that remarkable? We send children to school for 12 years in America before they graduate from high school. Many of them go on to trade schools, colleges and universities. We teach them many important disciplines including history, economics, literature, science, and so forth, but we miss one critically important skill: goal setting. We award them their degrees, pat them on their backs, and send them into the world full of wisdom, but ill-prepared, almost always, to design and pursue the lives they really want.

And all that's required to change this deficiency is a single semester, even half a semester, devoted to teaching goal setting. It doesn't seem likely that we're going to change the American educational system any time soon, or the world's educational system, but that's not going to stop us from teaching you how to set goals.

The letters and phone calls that we receive at Ziglar Training Systems are social proof that our goal setting programs work. We know that goal setting will help you change your life for the better, it will help you get what you really want from life. And when you do, that's reason for all of us to celebrate!

So for the next several weeks we are going to help you set goals. Whether you're already a goal setter, you used to set goals and quit, or you've never set goals, these lessons will help you build a better life. They'll also help those you share them with, so don't be shy about forwarding this information!

Lesson 1. Dream! Let your imagination run wild while you fill up a blank sheet of paper with everything you want to be, do or have. Many adults have lost their ability to dream and that's unfortunate. By dreaming you instill hope for your future, and with hope there's possibility. So your assignment this week is to dream. During this next week devote at least two private sessions to dreaming. We want you to create a Dream List filled with ideas. Your list should include at least 25 dreams about what you want to be, do or have.

Lesson 2. After you complete your list, wait 24 to 48 hours and read each item on your list and answer the question: Why? If you can't verbalize in one sentence why you want to be, do or have this dream, then it's not a dream and it won' become a goal. Cross it off your list.

Lesson 3: Ask the following five questions of every dream on the Dream List you created last week.

1. Is it really MY goal?
2. Is it morally right and fair to everyone concerned?
3. Is it consistent with my other goals?
4. Can I emotionally commit myself to finish this goal?
5. Can I "see" myself reaching this goal?
6. You must answer "yes" to all five questions for each goal, or cross that goal off your list.

Here are some points to ponder: Is it really MY goal or is it a goal someone else wants me to pursue? Is it the right thing to do? Will achieving this goal distract from achieving other goals? Goals are often difficult to achieve. Are you sure you can make the commitment to pursue this goal and see it through? If you can't "see" yourself reaching this goal, you probably won't.

Take time during this week to think about the questions above and answer them. Once you're finished, your Dream List will probably be a bit shorter than when you started out. That's okay because you're now closer to identifying the goals that you really will pursue and can achieve.

Lesson 4:

Ask the following seven questions of every dream that remains on your Dream List (or goals list).

Will reaching this goal . . .
1. make me happier?
2. make me healthier?
3. make me more prosperous?
4. win me more friends?
5. give me peace of mind?
6. make me more secure?
7. improve my relationships with others?

If you can't answer Yes to at least one of these questions for each goal, eliminate that goal from your list. Be sure to consider your family when you answer these questions. And do not confuse pleasure with happiness!

Here we go with Lesson 5:

After asking the questions posted in Lesson 4 you will have eliminated some of your goals. Actually, they were not goals, just thoughts or desires at this point, so you're better off without them.

Separate your remaining list of goals into one of three categories: Short-range (one month or less to achieve this goal), Intermediate (one month to one year to achieve this goal), or Long-range (one year or more to achieve this goal).

This lesson will help you quickly determine whether or not you have a balanced perspective between what needs to be done now, versus your dreams for the future.

Remember: Some goals must be BIG to make you stretch and grow to your full potential. Some goals must be long-range to keep you on track and greatly reduce the possibility of short-range frustrations. Some goals must be small and daily to keep you disciplined. Some goals must be ongoing. Some goals (i.e., weight loss, sales success, education, etc.) may require analysis and consultation to determine where you are before you can set the goals. Most goals should be specific. A "nice home" is not as good as a "3,000 square-foot, Tudor- style home with four bedrooms, three full baths, and two living spaces."

Here we go with the final lesson:

After tracking your first few goals on the General Goals Procedure Chart you are likely to have many additional goals that remain to be charted. Take time now to chart those goals.

Be sure to work each goal through the process of the chart. Be selective. You may not be able to work on all of your goals at one time! Don't over do it. If you only have time to complete one or two goals for the remainder of this year, don't apologize. Do a little bit more than you can, but do not overextend your time to the point that you don't complete any of your goals. Do not get frustrated by the process! Work the system and it will work for you. We can fill a book with the number of letters that Zig receives about the effectiveness of his simple goal-setting program. Trust the system.

Once you have charted your goals and plotted the activities that you intend to do to fulfill your goals, pat yourself on the back! You have just spent more time planning your future than most of your friends, relatives or associates will ever invest! Good for you.
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Zig Ziglar offers a weekly newsletter filled with more of his inspiring stories as well as practical ideas to help you in the areas of sales, marketing, customer service, and related topics. You can subscribe to the Zig Ziglar Newsletter by going to www.zigziglar.com.

P.S. Check-out the Zig Ziglar Product Blowout Package
Take advantage of Zig's 4 Best-Selling packages (including Family, Sales, Motivation and Christian Motivation Packages), all 4 at tremendous savings! Learn more about the Zig Ziglar Product Blowout Package.

How To Choose The Right Goals To Focus On

How To Choose The Right Goals To Focus On
By Christos Varsamis

Sometimes setting goals alone is not the only problem that you must face. Sometimes, choosing the right goals to begin with is harder.

Basically, you can choose to work any goal that you feel is necessary for your health, stability and happiness.

Goal setting is nothing more than a formal process for personal planning. By setting goals on a routine basis you decide what you want to achieve, and then move in a step-by-step manner towards the achievement of these goals.

The process of setting goals and targets allows you to choose where you want to go in life. By knowing exactly what you want to achieve, you know what you have to concentrate on to do it. You also know what nothing more than a distraction is.

Goal setting is a standard technique used by professional athletes, successful business people and high achievers in all fields. It gives you long term vision and provides you with short term motivation.

It helps to focus your attention and knowledge which helps you to organize your resources. By setting sharp and clearly defined goals, you can measure and take pride in the achievement of those goals. You can see forward progress in what might previously have seemed a long pointless effort.

By setting goals, you will also raise your self confidence, as you recognize your and ability to meet the goals that you have set. The process of achieving goals and seeing this achievement gives you confidence that you will be able to achieve higher and more difficult goals later on.

Goals are set on a number of different levels. In the first place, you decide what you want to do with your life and what large scale goals you want to achieve.

Second, you break these down into the smaller aims that you must hit so that you reach your overall lifetime goals.

Finally, once you have your plan, you start working towards achieving it.
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Christos Varsamis is the creator and publisher of the SettingLifeGoals.com

Develop Your Soul Goals!

Develop Your Soul Goals!
By Rod Moore

Occasionally when I talk with people about goals they seem to interpret the intention of goals as being to get more things. Naturally things are important but there is so much more to goal setting that I wish to share with you.

Of course it is important to have goals for new things ...

Perhaps your dream home by the ocean ...

Maybe a nice shiny new car to get you around in style ...

or even a new iPod to listen to your Goals Magic CD's on :)

It's great to set goals for new things, but not for the things themselves, rather what they will make of you to get them.

But there is another type of goal which I want to challenge you to think about and begin to set. It's soul goals! Now I know you are wondering ... what are soul goals and how do they apply to me and my life? Great question, so come with me and discover why you will soon be applying them in your life.

Soul goals are those goals that are larger than you! They are goals that impact on other people and on the world around you. They are goals that you invest your heart and soul into without any expectation of return. Soul goals are what gives life its passion, purpose & meaning! Think of Martin Luther King Jnr ... his whole life was dedicated to the pursuit of his soul goals! In the end he gave his life for his soul goals. It takes a mighty goal and a might man to give your life to.

What about Mother Theresa? She passionately pursued her soul goals of taking care of those who were not empowered to look after themselves. Now I'm not suggesting that you will want to pursue grand goals that have a profound impact on the world around you ... rather, that you look deep inside yourself and find something that you have a passion to contribute to the world.

What is it that you feel a sense of desire to do something about? What cause can you see yourself adding value to? What community, national or global projects are calling you to them and resonating with you? All of us need soul goals that we can invest our hearts, our minds and our souls into. We all need to feel a connection with something larger than ourselves. Its inherent in our souls to want to give without expectation of return.

As you search for your soul goals now, open your mind and heart to the infinite possibilities to match your unique skills, wisdom, specialized knowledge, compassion, assets, contacts, networks, creativity, and genius to. As you read these words knowing what you know about your incredible untapped capacity you can find a way to apply it in some way for the greater good.

Seek out your soul goals! Set your soul goals! Share your soul goals! Pursue your soul goals! Grow your soul goals! Encourage others to adopt soul goals! Here is a noble thought ... for every five goals I set for me I have one soul goal to help thee! Soul goals are paying back your debt of gratitude for the good fortune you have to be able to pursue your personal or business goals.

So add a little soul into your goals!
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Rod Moore is the author of "47 Keys to Unleashing the Magic in Goals!" -- a comprehensive resource on goal setting and achieving all your goals.

Successful Goal Setting Tips

Successful Goal Setting Tips
By Debbie Allen
(c) All Rights Reserved

Assure Victory with Simple and Short-Term Goals

Always have some goals that are easy to reach. Simple goals and short-term goals will motivate you as you achieve them and keep you headed toward larger goals.

Make Yourself Stretch with Long-Term Goals

Long-term goals are usually two years or longer. These goals set the stage for your plan of success. They challenge you, expand your growth and help to keep you focused.

Share Your Goals with Affirmations

Speaking your goals out loud in the form of affirmations will not only help to feed your own sub-conscious mind, it will also allow others to support your efforts too. You are more likely to achieve your goals if your friends, business associates and family know about them. Only share your goals with people who encourage your growth and success and avoid negative forces.

It always amazes me how many goals I achieve by sharing them with others. My friends, family, business associates and even my audience attendees help me to stay on track and keep me moving toward my goals with continuous positive encouragement.

If you have a tendency to disappoint yourself before disappointing others, you may not feel comfortable sharing your goals. Yet, most people who don’t share their goals often don’t really believe that they can accomplish them. This negative self-doubt feeds your sub-conscious mind and begins to sabotage your results. To avoid this, move away from any negative self-talk and start sharing more often.

Prioritize, Yet Be Flexible

It is best to decide which goals are most important for you to achieve. Date your goals accordingly in the areas that will reap you the largest return on your investment of time and money. Ask yourself, is this task moving me toward my goals faster or holding me back from reaching my peak potential?

Be open and flexible to changes around you. Due to unforeseen circumstances, you may need to adjust the due date of your goal or reevaluate and cancel it altogether. Often, the goals that receive the most attention are most likely the goals that will change frequently too.

Understand Why You Want to Achieve Your Goal

Why do you really want to achieve your long-term goal? What will it do for you or how will it change your life?

Clarify the root of why you want to achieve your goals. Is it to earn respect from others or to create a better lifestyle for your family? Will your goal have a profound impact on your life or others?

Don’t let your ego get in the way of setting big goals. Honest evaluation of why you want to achieve your goals will bring valuable insight and newly discovered personal development. The more you understand why you want something, the more motivated you will be to keep working at accomplishing your goals.

Don’t Give Up

You will get discouraged from time to time and may even start to doubt yourself. That is just human nature. You will also get busy, side-tracked, and may have a tendency to procrastinate. But don’t’ stop! Keep moving toward your goals – one step at a time.

The reason many people do not set goals is the fear of failure. Yet the only true failure is to not attempt to try new things and to set new goals. If you don’t try, you’ll never reap the rewards. If you try and only partly succeed, you still are a success, and you will have achieved more than you’ve got right now.

Get to work on your goals! Once you accomplish them you will discover more confidence and feel more empowered. That is your special gift to yourself in the New Year.
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Debbie Allen is an international professional speaker who has presented to thousands of people in nine countries around the world. She is a well-known self promotional marketing expert and author of four books. Her expertise has been featured in Entrepreneur, Selling Power and dozens of other national and international publications. Her award winning book, Confessions of Shameless Self Promoters has been published in five countries. Download a free chapter of this insightful book, sign up for your free online newsletters, and listen and/or view Debbie’s dynamic presentations at www.DebbieAllen.com

Make Greatness Your Goal

Make Greatness Your Goal!
By Chris Widener

If greatness is your goal, whether in your business life, your personal relationships or your own personal growth, here are some guidelines to get you on your way. Greatness is possible! You can achieve the goals you set for yourself and you can make a difference in your own life and those who live and work around you! Set greatness as your goal! Here’s how:

Identify greatness for yourself. While there are some basic generalities that most people would consider great, there are broader definitions of greatness, ones that each individual sets for him or herself. For example, most people would consider Mother Theresa great while only some would consider Donald Trump great.

Helping humanity is a broad generality while building a real estate fortune isn’t. So what you need to first do is ask, “What does greatness look like for this company, organization, family or for myself?” From there you can develop values and a mission statement etc. But if you don’t first identify it, you’ll never reach it.

Maximize targeted end results. As Covey says, “begin with the end in mind.” What end results do you want. Be specific. Come up with all of them. Maximize them. Leave no stone uncovered. Set out for yourself all of the goals or end results you must hit in order to reach greatness. Write them down, memorize them and distribute them broadly (if doing this for a group). Maximize your targeted end results!

Make distinction your endeavor. What is the endeavor of the great? Usually it is to distinguish themselves from the average. They seek to rise above the rest by the quality of their product or service. Everything goes toward the goal of making themselves distinct from the run of the mill. That is their mission. And in doing so, they make themselves great!

Map your effort thoroughly. The three most important words in real estate are “location, location, location.” In reaching a goal, the three most important words are “plan, plan, plan.” Okay, “execute” and “persevere” work too, but go with me here! Too many people wish they would achieve something but never write down a plan for getting there.

When I want to go on a long trip I don’t just wish to get there. I plan on how to get there. I get a map, I figure out distances, times etc. Map out your goal thoroughly. This will help you achieve greatness.

Regularly take time for regeneration. Achieving greatness is hard! You will care more, work harder, and take more lumps and setbacks than the rest. So you will need to take time to regenerate so you can fight again another day. Your body needs rest. Your mind needs rest. Your emotions need rest. Your spirit needs rest.

I firmly believe that a person who rests well can do more in less time than the one works without setting aside time for regeneration. You may be able to reach goals without rest, but somewhere along the line, you will fall harder and longer if you aren’t regularly regenerating yourself. So take your vacation time this year!

Have a strict evaluation process. Every plan and goal needs an evaluation tool. And it should be a strict evaluation process. This is how you objectively decide whether or not you are proceeding toward your goal. If you have the right evaluation tool and you look six months into it and you aren’t hitting the goals, perhaps you need to change the goal or the way you are going after it. The evaluation process is not to be underestimated in its importance!

Take somebody else with you. True greatness is not individual. The one who becomes great spreads the reward of greatness around. Incorporate many people into the plan and let them eat of the fruit of success. I live in an area that has literally thousands of millionaires created by a company that had a vision of greatness. And while yes, they experience the reward, the rewards then go out many levels through the whole community, from businesses that support our community to non-profit groups, churches, and schools. True greatness blesses those many levels away.

Learn to party! Party? Yes! What good is greatness if you can’t enjoy it? And not just the final destination but also the entire journey. Be sure to stop along the way and relish in your movement. Celebrate small and large victories. This keeps the sprit high and the big mo rolling! Spend the money, buy the food and blow up the balloons – it’s time to celebrate!
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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.

Blogging Your Way to Goal Success

Blogging Your Way to Goal Success
By Ellesse Chow

If you have always been procrastinating on how to get started or going with your goals, try this interesting method. Write a blog.

“What? You are asking me to publicly declare my goals?” Before you start thinking that this is another fruitless suggestion, would it convince you if we are to tell you that famous professional life coaches such as Anthony Robbins actually encourage people “to make commitments to others who hold them to a higher standard” about their goals?

When you make public announcements to people you trust about your goals, the tendency is, you will do whatever it takes to achieve your wildest dreams so as not to disappoint them. You will be less likely to stray from your bottom-line.

“Alright, I am convinced of the benefits of announcing my goals. But why must I have a blog?” A blog gives you more advantages than what a verbal announcement can provide. It helps you to

(1) Expand the No. of People You Are Committed To

Imagine declaring your goals to the entire internet community! Being online and available 24 by 7, almost anyone who have access to your blog url would be able to share your joys and frustrations in the pursuit of your dreams. Even your loved ones working or studying overseas would be able to know your progress through the internet. Surely you would not want to let them down by procrastinating on your goal tasks?

(2) Focus and Review Your Goals

As you write about your goal progress in the blog, you are actually focusing and reviewing the targets and methods in your goal plan. Say for example, your goal is to lose 20 pounds in 6 months. After sticking to a non-fat diet for 3 months, you find that your weight loss remained stagnant upon reviewing your past blog records. At this time, it may be appropriate for you to change your approach towards achieving your goal.

You may want to add some exercise into your goal tasks, or change the timeline of your target. Sometimes, if you allow readers to add comments or suggestions to your blog, you might also receive an interesting tip or two from your friends or the public who have “been there, done that”.

(3) Obtain Constant Visualization of Success

By consistently visualizing that you are living your dreams, it is easier to encourage yourself to achieve much more with your goal. A blog provides that kind of opportunity for this consistent reflection. If you write your blog on a weekly or even daily basis, you are constantly reminding yourself of the potential success that you can achieve should you religiously work on the goals tasks in the action plan.

(4) Get a Constant Stream of Motivation

Most people derive a lot of satisfaction and momentum once they have realized that they have made a lot of progress in their goal endeavours. It will be exhilarating to know how close you are to achieving your goals. Is not it? If you have a blog, you can easily check your status just by reviewing your past records.

While checking, you may also come across a few words of encouragement left by your friends or the public on your blog. It is just like running a marathon race, with people constantly cheering you on the sides. Eventually you will be able to run pass the finishing line!

Start a blog today and write towards your goal success. You will be amazed at its results! See you at the finishing line.
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Ellesse Chow is the creator of Goal Setting College, a website that provides a 4 part Goal Setting Tutorial and other resources. Subscribe to its newsletter and get inspired by people who achieved their financial, personal goals today!

Goals are Damaging By John Di Lemme

Goals are Damaging
By John Di Lemme

Can you relate to setting goals and not achieving them? Have you ever been frustrated by trying to set goals when you know in your heart that you will never reach them? You even say to yourself, “Who am I kidding? I will never accomplish this goal.” That’s why I’m here to tell you that goals are truly damaging for your future, because you beat yourself up over never reaching those goals.

On the other hand, goals are very important. Don’t let me confuse you with this just read this carefully. Goals are imperative when you have a strong “Why” in place. Let’s parallel this to a ten-story glass building that is shiny and beautiful to the eye. It towers over the city and creates the skyline. Now let’s imagine that the building was built by a group of amateur carpenters in one day and had a poor foundation. It looked very nice, but wasn’t solid.

One day a little bird flew smack into that building, and guess what happened? That little, tiny sparrow knocked down that massive building that looked amazingly strong and powerful from the outside. Why? The foundation was pathetic, and there were no true roots to hold that building in place. No one paid the price for that building to hold its own in the real world despite how it looked to the average person.

Let’s tie that into your goals. Your “Why” is your foundation and your roots. Your “Why” must be stronger and bigger than you are right now! You must internalize your “Why” and know exactly “Why” you do what you do everyday to reach your goals. Too many people have set the goals of making a lot of money. Can you relate to that? Have you ever set the goal of making a certain amount of money in a month, and then at the end of the month you haven’t made a dime more?

Here’s the reason why. You must know “Why” you want to earn that amount of money for that month. It’s not the money that drives you…it’s your “Why”! What are you going to do with that money? Pay your car payment, donate it to your church, buy your child a new toy…“Why” have you set that financial goal for that month?

Another thing, you should never set a goal of “making” a certain amount of money in a month. Instead, after you know “Why” you are setting that financial goal, then set a goal of EARNING that money not MAKING that money. Remember, no one paid that price for that beautiful ten-story building, and it fell. You must be willing to pay the price and EARN your way to your goal.

Let’s go over this again. Goals are damaging to your future. If you don’t have your “Why” in place, then you have no foundation to support you as you head down your success path to completing that goal. Without that foundation, you will give up and be discouraged from ever setting goals for yourself again. It doesn’t matter what type of goal – physical, financial, social, etc. – you must know “Why” you are going pay the price to achieve that goal. If not, then that goal could damage your life instead of assisting you in ultimately achieving success that you’ve always dreamed about. Commit today to develop your “Why” before setting any more goals!

Let me share 3 questions with you that will help you “Find Your Why”.

1. If you did not have to worry about finances or going to your job on Monday morning, then what would you do?

2. If you had so much money that you had to give it away, what would you do with it? Who would you give it to and why?

3. Do you enjoy life? If so, why? If not, then why not? Remember, your past does not control you! Your future should drive you, because you see yourself successful!

After you develop your “Why” and set your goals, you will encounter obstacles and challenges like that little bird that hit that huge building. If your “Why” is strong enough, then unlike that building you will stand firm against whatever tries to stop you from achieving that goal. You will not be knocked down!

Remember, goals are damaging if you don’t have a foundational “Why” in place. I challenge you today to ask yourself those three questions, develop your “Why” and then set your goals.

Find Your Why,

John Di Lemme
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John Di Lemme was a 24-year-old stutterer working in his family art gallery that dreamed of becoming a world-renowned motivational speaker. Over a seven-year period of hardships, challenges and obstacles, John remained focused on his dream and ultimately built a massive marketing team of over 25,000 representatives. Visit his web site!

Creative Goal-Setting for Kids and Teens

Creative Goal-Setting for Kids and Teens
by Denis Waitley

An Indian guide who displayed uncanny skills in navigating the rugged regions of the Southwest was asked how he did it. "What is your secret of being an expert tracker and trail-blazer?" a visitor asked him.

The guide answered: "There is no secret. One must only possess the far vision and the near look. The first step is to determine where you want to go. Then you must be sure that each step you take is a step in that direction."

A dream is what you would like for life to be. A Goal is what you intend to make happen. A goal is the near look; what, specifically, you intend to do on a daily basis to get there.

No matter what their current ages, try to determine the sensory learning style of each of your children: visual, auditory, or kinesthetic. Visual learners understand and remember best what they see. Auditory learners prefer to hear and verbalize in order to comprehend.

Kinesthetic learners need to involve touch and movement into the processing of new concepts, and to learn by doing. All of these styles have some overlap because we all use hearing, seeing and doing. But keep these styles in mind when you stimulate your children's creative and goal-setting activities.

To build a pattern of positive expectations for your children, they need a way to keep score. Children know they are doing well when the task or project is well defined and the goals are clearly stated. How can a child experience the thrill of hitting the bull's eye, when he or she doesn't know what the target is? Kids need to see the end before they begin a task or they will lose interest.

When you are giving your child a task, such as cleaning her room, be specific in telling her what you want her to do and when you want it done and stick to it. By providing a clear and specific ending, your child can look forward to enjoying time with her friends when the task is completed.

Goals are the target of success! Who you see is who you'll be. What you set is what you get. Help your kids get the far vision, the dream. Help them get the near look, the steps and action plans that pave the road to their dreams. Participate in your children's games, problem-solving exercises, field trips and creative projects. Instead of telling them how things work, help them learn to discover the "hows" and "whys."

* Help your children dream about their future. Set the example by jotting down and cutting pictures out to describe family dreams. Assist them in defining their own goals and writing them down on index cards. Post the cards in their bedroom or on a board where they can see and review their goals daily.

* Help your kids prioritize their goals. Have them consider their goals in the order of their importance. Place beside each written goal, a proposed target date for the attainment of that goal.

* Help your child make plans. Unfortunately, many kids view problems as insurmountable mountains. Your role as parents is to help them view problems as opportunities. Teach them to go over, around, under or to bore a hole right through their roadblocks.

* Show children how to prepare a daily "to do" list. In the evening, help prepare a list of a few important things to do the following day. At the end of the day, help them review their progress. By using index cards, you can use a file box to store daily activity cards. Monthly, quarterly and yearly, let them go through the cards in the box, to see all they have accomplished through step-by-step actions.

* Help your kids to visualize, in advance, what the accomplishment of their goals looks and feels like. Bedtime is an ideal setting, where you can see in their imaginations where they want to be, what they want to do, and things they will have to work and save for to get.

* Build goals and evaluations around the school year. When you go over your child's report card, discuss the goals that he set for himself and how he is doing toward achieving those goals. Share with your child any comments teachers might have regarding his grades.

* Kids need rewards and behavior that gets rewarded gets repeated, especially if they understand that the reward is coming when the goal is accomplished. Rewards do not have to be strictly financial, but can be going out for an ice cream or whatever your child enjoys doing. By rewarding goal directed behavior, you are providing additional incentive to achieve almost any goal.
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Written by Denis Waitley. To receive the Denis Waitley's Weekly Ezine click here!
Copyright © Denis Waitley International. All rights reserved worldwide.

How To Achieve All Your Goals And Multiply Your Success

How To Achieve All Your Goals And Multiply Your Success
By Robin Sharma

Use Your Imagination. One of the most timeless laws of success holds that all things are created twice: first on the picture screen of one’s imagination and then in reality. Those people that create rich, fulfilling lives regularly flex their imaginations and visualize a better future. By constantly holding that vision in their mind’s eye and taking action to make it a reality, they overcome their circumstances and create the life of their dreams.

Create a 'Success Mastermind'. Just as five fingers can achieve more than one, getting together with a group of like minded achievers and pooling your knowledge and success strategies will bring you to your goals much faster. Set a time every week and meet with your success mastermind. Share your goals and dreams. Share your frustrations as well as techniques that have worked for you. Support each other.

Encourage each other. Celebrate even the smallest of successes as you advance confidently towards a better life.

Love Failure. Failure is the highway to success. Every successful person has faced endless failures and encountered adversity. However, rather than giving up and moving on to another easier pursuit, they persisted. They believed in themselves and in the importance of what they were doing. They had the wisdom to know that failure is an essential teacher. From failure, we grow wise. Failure teaches us how to win. Without failure, there would be no success.

Get a Coach. The Law of Duplication says that if you do the same things that someone else did, in the same way that they did them, you are certain to get the same results in your life. Whether you are trying to build a great business or grow a great family, get a mentor. Find someone who has 'been there, done that.' Why reinvent the wheel?

Use your mentors’ own experiences to shorten your learning curve. Learn from their mistakes and let their pasts serve you. Mentors need not be alive. Becoming a serious student of great people who have lived before us by reading their biographies and analyzing their personal habits will work just as well as any association with a living achiever.

Play the Numbers. Success is a numbers game. Smart salespeople will tell you that the average sale is closed on the fifth try and yet most people give up after the first.

Similarly, the more times you try to succeed, the closer you get to success. The more times you ask for something, the greater the probability that you will get it. Take more chances, seize more opportunities and take more action. Just as the farmer who plants more seeds reaps a richer harvest, you will attract much more success into your own life.

Work Hard. Successful people will tell you that the harder they work, the luckier they get. In this age of the quick fix, where people buy creams to slim their thighs and pop pills to lose weight, one timeless truth remains, hard work always produces its just rewards. No undertaking can ever be successful without patience and hard work. Have the character strength to put in the effort required to reach your dreams.

Remember, the harder you are on yourself, the easier life will be on you.

Have Written Goals. Goals that are not written down are impotent. By writing out your goals, they become embedded on your subconscious mind and crystallized in your consciousness. Write out your goals on 3X5 cards and post them next to your bed, on your bathroom mirror, on the dashboard in your car and next to your computer at the office. Never lose sight of your goals. Never let the busyness of the everyday allow you to forget about your life goals. By thinking about them constantly and acting on them daily, you will steadily create the brilliant life you know in your heart you deserve.

Master Your Moods. Just as you are not your thoughts, you are not your moods. Effective people don’t let their moods get in the way of their progress. If they feel tired, they keep on working. If they feel disappointed, they laugh it off and keep chasing the dream. If they grow fearful, they act on their fear. By overcoming their moods, the liberate their inner power and grow stronger by the day.

Quotable Quote by Robin Sharma: From failure, we grow wise. Failure teaches us how to win. Without failure, there would be no success.
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Robin S. Sharma, Professional Speaker on Leadership in Business/Life -- He is the bestselling Author of "Leadership Wisdom From The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari". Visit his website at RobinSharma.com.