Idiots Guide to Goal Setting - 5 Steps to Success By Dr. Robert Eubanks

We've all read about personal goal setting. We've all tried it. According to the stats, most of the time we all fail.

I often used to slap hand to forehead and mutter through clinched teeth, Idiot! after realizing that I have, yet again failed to accomplish even the simplest of personal goals (much less the grand New Years goal). Over the years, though, I have managed to develop a cohesive method for curing this ailment (as well as curing the ever-present hand print on my forehead).

Making a positive use of the once negative pet name that I had for myself, I developed Idiots Guide to Goal Setting. Ready to cure the ever-present hand print on your forehead?

First, there is one pre-requisite before launching forth.

Before we even get out of the gate, we must first get beyond the list of things that should be our goals and first commit to making ourselves priority and believing that what WE want IS important! Too often we are convinced that what we should do for ourselves is what we want to do for ourselves. This is not the case.

Push aside the should thoughts and focus on what you passionately want for yourself. What are you willing to commit to and see through to the end?

In order for this commitment to be different from all of the others you must have a support system that will uphold you when the tide of daily life rigors begins to arrive once again.

This is the essential ingredient that most people don't include when they make a commitment to change. The following 5 steps are designed to help you create a resolution that is clear, specific, and planned out with the necessary support and accountability to make this swing at goal setting one for the records!

5 steps to success with goal setting

1. Keep It Simple!

There’s a temptation, to generate a list of everything you've ever wanted to change. Don’t fall for it! You’ll have better luck fulfilling one or two goals than you will with a list of fifty.

2. Be Specific

Let’s say your goal is to create a better balanced life between health, relationships, and work. Word this carefully. Try not to think of it as “I am going to balance my life.” That’s a tall glass of stress ready to be gulped! It forces you into thinking of the resolution as something you must do, not something you want to do.

Make it sound a little gentler: “I’m now going to explore different ways of balancing my life.” This also suggests more of a plan. You will fulfill the goal by experimenting with strategies for life balance.

The first phrasing sounds as if you’re going to force yourself to have a balanced life by sheer willpower.

3. Make the Plan

Once you know what your goal is, plan it out in clear steps. Your plan doesn’t have to be a complicated one. Start by answering the question, What is the first step I need to take toward accomplishing my goal?

For life balance, it might look like this:

   1. Work no more than 40 hours a week
   2. Walk 3 times a week
   3. Create a date night for significant relationships

4. Write it Down

Write down your goal and your plan of action. Stick it up on the fridge or in your office. Write in the activities in your day timer or wherever you know you’ll see it. That way you’ll have a constant reminder of the resolution.

5. Get Support! In order for this goal to be different from all of the others you have set, you must first have a support system that will uphold you when the tide of daily life rigors begins to rise. This is the essential ingredient that most people don't include when they make a commitment to change. All of the previous steps hinge on this one!

Personal (or Life) Coaching is a perfect example of such support. Accountability, guidance and clarity are the prime focuses of these practitioners. Coaching sessions are devoted completely to setting and accomplishing your goals. Unlike family and friends, a coach is objective, well trained and committed to seeing your goals come to fruition.

Regardless of the goals you set for yourself, what is most important is making yourself priority and committing to living the best life possible with the minimal amount of hand prints on your forehead!

© 2004 by Dr. Robert A. Eubanks
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Dr. Robert A. Eubanks is the founder of Bridge to Solutions Coaching. He coaches people around the country via telephone to improve organization, time management, goal setting and to create the best darn life possible! For a free 30 minute coaching session, e-mail bridgetosolutions@yahoo.com or visit www.bridgetosolutions.com.

You Are the Dream By Frank Gasiorowski

I put this in every email that I write, 'Live for your Dreams everyday and watch the Miracles happen in your life'. What we need to consider is that we are already a Dream and a Miracle. A Dream and a Miracle that has come true.

Give gratitude that we are the Dream and a Miracle. You are the Dream of your Creator and it may have been a Dream of someone dear to you also. Realize that you are a living Dream. Yes, YOU!

Now, when you think and visualize your Goals and Dreams for the last quarter of 2005, just remember the Miracle that you are already. You are a Miracle and your Dreams and Goals are given to you to better Humankind. That gift is your purpose. Everyone has this special gift (purpose) to give and only you can give it.

Don’t take this lightly, People are waiting for you to provide them with your gift. It is not only your right it is your mission. If you don’t provide others with your gift then you are being selfish and violating the natural law of giving and receiving. Without giving your gift, you will never truly receive what to yours to receive. That is a life of abundance not only for you but to those who receive the gift that you have to offer.

I know this is a strong statement. It is part of my gift to you. I must bring this to your immediate attention before you write your Q4 Dreams and Goals. You are the Dream. You are the Miracle. I did not know this until I was having Heart By-pass surgery. I did not know if I would wake-up after surgery. I thought, “Am I giving all that I have to offer my family and the world?”.

All of a sudden, I realized that I was just taking what life had to offer and that I was not giving what my Creator put me here for. I was to Give my gift without reservation. I must help others to accomplish there Dreams and Goals. Don’t wait until you are looking death in the face To realize that you are not just a by-stander but You must be a pro-active participant in life. That is what created, the “90DayGoals” system.

Each season of the year has a purpose and each 90 Day Goals period is a special purpose to you. In this fall season, we want to clean-up and prepare for the winter. Get rid of the old junk that accumulated for the last 3 quarters and stock-up resources for the final season of 2005.

Prepare your Goals for a new beginning. Cast off what did not work this year and get new material and nourishment to prepare your mind. Do what it takes to get you to your Goals. These new ideas may take the form of reading, Writing, journaling, seminars, teleconferences, workshops and coaching. I belong to a Mastermind group. This is a great way to create new ideas and to stay focused and accountable.
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Frank Gasiorowski or as his is known on the internet as "Mr. 90 Day Goals", has been teaching since 1973 and his current mission is to provide easy and effective ways for individuals to achieve their true potential through, 90DayGoals.com and TotalSelfMastery.com coaching programs.

Daily routine and focus - ideas

Daily routine and focus -- do the two really go together? ...lol (sometimes I wonder). On a more serious note, I ran across an interesting article that I think might be worth reading. I definitely could relate to a few of the points from it. I've included a few highlights below, but do take the time to read it in it's entirety as well...

"Do you have a routine/schedule that you try to follow each day? I know for me, being self-employed requires large doses of discipline and motivation. A routine, of some sort, helps keep me in check and from just hitting refresh on my RSS feeds all day (I'’m an information junkie)."

This was one point I agreed on for sure :-) -- without those handy dandy RSS feeds to keep up with the "must know" things I'd be lost for sure (or at least things wouldn't be near as handy as they are now).

"I think one of the main keys to a productive day is focus. There is just so much information on the web that it'’s easy to get into a little bit of information overload. With 97 RSS feeds that updated every 30 minutes and your email auto-checking every 30 seconds, it'’s no wonder we find ourselves stressed out with to much on our plate -- we'’re pilling the stuff on as fast as we can.

So what do we do? We focus. We focus not just our mind on the task at hand, but we also focus our information intake."

Another excellent point -- Focus on the task at hand and guard against getting sidetracked... All the best, Josh Hinds :-)

Honor Your Commitments By Stephanie Marston

Keeping your word is critical to reducing your stress and creating a life you love. When I say keeping your word what I’m referring to is honoring what you commit to. It’s keeping your promises, especially with yourself.

Unfortunately, we usually betray ourselves more than we do anyone else. We say one thing and do another. For any of you who have children or for that matter, who once were children, you know how it feels to have a promise made and then not kept. You lose faith and trust in the other person. Well, the same thing occurs with you. When we don’t keep our word we lose credibility and it undermines our self-esteem. Every broken commitment is a crack in the foundation for creating a high quality life.

How many times have you said you’re going to exercise or eat better and not followed through? We’ve all fallen into the trap of saying we’re going to do something and then finding every possible excuse not to do it. Have you noticed that the next time you make a similar promise to yourself it’s tainted with doubt? You don’t completely trust that you’re going to do what you say.

Whatever you neglect to respect — the commitment to spend more time with your kids, to live by a financial budget, to be more understanding of your parents—these betrayals poison the well of your credibility. They undermine your integrity and trustworthiness. It’s not that the fickle finger of fate is going to come down and punish you. It’s about your not having the internal support to accomplish the changes you want to make.

The key to being successful is to start small. Don’t make any grand proclamations that will set you up for failure. Keep it simple. Only commit to what you honestly know you can and will do. Otherwise don’t say it. For example: rather than proclaiming, “I’m going to leave the office everyday at 5.” A more reasonable and achievable approach would be “I’m going to leave work at 5 today.”

It’s the old AA concept of one day at a time. Instead of saying, “I’ll never yell at my kids again.” (Which is next to impossible to do.) Why not be more sensible and say “Today I’ll speak to my children in a calm manner.” Or “From now on I’m going to spend at least a half an hour a day doing something that nurtures me.” Wouldn’t it be more realistic to say, “Today I’m going to set aside a half an hour for myself.”

The secret is to make promises that you know you can keep. Manageable commitments allow you to be successful and to become a person who keeps her word and is trustworthy.
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Stephanie is an acclaimed speaker and author. She speaks from experience. Stephanie is the “go to” expert for those seeking to create quality driven lives. She is the author of Chicken Soup for the Soul’s Life Lessons for Women: 7 Essential Ingredients for a Balanced Life, If Not Now, When? For more information please visit her website: www.StephanieMarston.com.

Goals and Beliefs - Chicken and Egg By Liz Cassidy

Tis the season to be jolly. Tis also the season to look back on the year that was, celebrate personal growth, victories and achievements and reflect on losses, misses and down right stuff ups.

We individually reflect on the year that was; maybe in an MS Word generated letter to distant relatives and friends interstate or overseas, summarizing how we did, who changed jobs, house moves, little Johnnie’s cricket scores, the Grandkids new teeth and so on. How much different from last year is it?

Then, in the Christmas hangover comes New Year complete with bagpipes, parties and resolutions. We will; improve business revenue, have a better sales quarter, cut costs; spend more time with staff and less on paperwork; go to the gym, lose weight, stop smoking; drink more (water) and so on…..

Some of us write down our goals, type them up, make spreadsheets, print them in colour, and put them on notice boards. And some of us came to the conclusion; that New Years Resolutions (like affirmations) don’t work so why bother?

After all haven’t we got enough proof that New Years Resolutions and Goal Setting doesn’t work, because we just did the “that was the year that was” exercise and not a lot happened like it was supposed to. Or did it?

For a few of us, New Years Resolutions are just not necessary because we already have our goals clearly written out, we regularly review and update progress, we put structures in place to hold ourselves accountable, and we measure our performance.

So, what is the difference between looking back on the year in December 2006 seeing a great year, lots of achievements and growth and feeling good; or seeing a bit of a non event, having Christmas dinner in the same house, same conversations, same complaints, same old, same old?

The difference that makes the difference is our belief.

“If you believe you can, or believe you can’t you’re right” Often misquoted and so true.

Have you ever set a goal, or had one set for you, and you really believed deep down that you couldn’t do it? What happened? You were right weren’t you?

Conversely have you ever had a goal where you knew for sure that this was a piece of cake? Yes, and you were right again, weren’t you?

With all the experience, skills and knowledge you now have, could you go back and achieve the first goal? Maybe, probably. With the benefit of 20:20 hindsight what was the difference?

Take 5 minutes private time out for the next startlingly simple but powerful exercise

Look at a simple goal you currently have – Write it down with its due date. Study it. Now, write down all your beliefs about this one goal. List everything positive and supportive and all the hairy beliefs as well. Leave nothing out. Done? Good.

Now look back at your behaviours in the last month in respect of this one goal, and delete those beliefs which have not been totally supported by your behaviours. (For example, your goal is to run your first ever marathon in June 06. You believe you are getting fit. You believe you are going to do it in under 4 hours. Your behaviour is that it is 7 months away you have not yet put on your running shoes to train! Put a line through “getting fit”, and put another line through the “under 4 hours” belief. Your behaviours do not support your stated beliefs). Is this getting tough?

Now, imagine Big Brother has been observing and recording your behaviours for the last month. Write down a separate list of what Big Brother would interpret your beliefs to be in relation to this goal from his examination of your behaviours.

Be honest, you are the only person reading the 2 lists. (e.g. in the marathon example, “I believe I am not capable”) Compare the two lists. These are your real beliefs as you are living them in relation to this one goal.

What are your lists telling you about your beliefs around this particular goal? Are they supportive of achieving the goal or limiting you and holding you back?

This was a simple exercise related to just one goal. If you found you only had supportive beliefs, then congratulations, you are probably well on your way to achieving that goal.

Repeat the exercise for some of the goals you are not achieving, you may uncover a limiting belief holding you back. If so, well done again. You are now one step closer to achieving (or redefining) these goals also.

The lesson is: that when we believe we can – we will. When we believe we can’t –we won’t. It is that simple.

This lesson applies to you, your staff, and your kids, to everyone.

You may be wondering why one staff/team member is struggling to reach a target you set and another is effortlessly exceeding budget, when both appear to have the same skills etc.

Limiting beliefs may be a factor. Whilst performance management is a useful tool, it is also a blunt one. Share this article with your team as an opening for discussions to explore if there are limiting beliefs holding someone back.

The great thing about beliefs is that they are just beliefs. Beliefs are just thought forms. The most powerful belief we can have is that we control our beliefs.

We can change them at will! For those of you who now want to argue that point and tell me that you will go to war for your beliefs. Remember the tooth fairy? That belief fell by the wayside with a little new knowledge and a different perspective.

Look back into your history, how many other beliefs have you left behind with as you acquired personal growth, new knowledge and experience? Coming from Northern Irish Catholic stock - I attest to leaving a few unuseful but very strong beliefs behind along the way, that’s growth.

So I repeat – the most powerful belief we can have is that we can change our beliefs.

As you look at your unfinished goals again - examine them now in a new light, what limiting beliefs do you have which may have held you back?

Changing limiting beliefs can be as straightforward as speaking them aloud and acknowledging their existence. (Note: best done in privacy) However for the more complex limiting beliefs Performance Coaching may be useful. Begin it now - Start shifting limiting beliefs and achieving your goals.
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Liz Cassidy founder of Third Sigma International ia a speaker, trainer and Executive Coach dedicated to assisting others to achieve their goals in Business, professional and personal lives. For more information and articles go to www.thirdsigma.com.au.

Quick Tips for Reaching Goals By Josh Hinds

There's certainly no shortage of advice when it comes to goal-setting. Therefore I won't even attempt to bore you with yet another rambling on of why setting goals is so very important when it comes to achieving your desired success. Instead I'd like to share with you some techniques to help you get the most out of your personal goal-setting plan.

If you don't have a goals plan, all the better -- because by the time you're done reading this you should have what you need to get started, and in turn start seeing more of the things you desire becoming a reality in your life.

Friend, this is by no means an exhaustive list of goal setting techniques, instead I've selected just a few that I believe you will find particularly helpful.

* Creating Goal Cards - the idea here is to record your goals on 3X5 index cards. Their size is such that you can easily keep them nearby. And make no mistake you absolutely want to keep the goals you set within easy viewing so that you can best ensure you are taking the necessary action on the goals you set.

* Record Your Goals as mp3's or Audios - first off for those who are more technologically savvy, I promise that I know that an mp3 is an audio file :-) the point is you can use whatever audio format you choose.

The main requirement here is that you've taken the time to write our your goals -- once you've done that simply use your computers microphone to record yourself reading your desired goals. Use a little emotion here, and word your goals in the sense that you're actively working on them now.

Once you have your goals recorded you can play them on your iPod or other mp3 player, your computer, you could even make a CD of it and play it in your car. The possibilities are endless. However, the only way you're going to get any benefit from this idea, or any for that matter is if you make the commitment and follow through on listening to your personal goals audio often.

Remember, out of sight, out of mind is a killer when we're talking about achieving goals. Don't cut yourself short by neglecting to review those things you set for yourself on a regular basis.

-- Here's to your success, Josh Hinds

Quotes On Goals To Enjoy

Goals

"Whenever you set a goal of any kind, you will have to grow and develop to the point where you are ready to achieve it." -- Brian Tracy

"A dream is a vision, a goal is a promise. You can keep your promises to yourself by remaining flexible, focused, and committed." -- Denis Waitley

"Setting goals is one of the most important things you can do to guarantee your personal, professional and financial success. Goals are like a road map to your target destination. Each goal accomplished is another mile behind you on the way to where you want to be." -- Mark Victor Hansen

"Goals are incredible important... or impotent. You decide. -- Doug Firebaugh

Setting our Goals for a Simpler Lifestyle By Catherine Pulsifer

We are often asked how did we do it, leave our jobs, the security of a steady paycheck and move across the country to find a simpler way of life. While there are many answers to these questions, the one thing that we did do is "set our goals". Byron and I are both big believers in goal setting, and have used goals in many areas of our life.

How did we set our goals? We answered three questions! Below is a brief summary of how to set goals:

On a separate piece of paper, answer these three questions:

1.What three things would I like to achieve in the next five years? Make sure your answers are specific and measurable.

2. Where am I today in relation to my three goals, and what actions do I need to take to get me from where I am today to where I want to be? This question, in my opinion, is the key to successful goal attainment: The answer to this question will help you determine what steps you need to take to reach your goal.

3. What is the time frame required in order to complete each action step? Putting time frames for each action step allows you to monitor your progress, and helps to keep you on track.

That's it….three questions, but often times there is confusion between goals and action plans. Let's make an important distinction between a goal and an action plan.

Simply put, a "goal" tells you WHAT you want ; and, an "action plan" tells you HOW you are going to get it.

For example, let's say you want to go on a vacation next year.

You decide that your goal is to take a two week vacation in Hawaii. Obviously, you could choose any goal whether it would be to simplify your life, turn your hobby into your career, the list could go on and on.

Your action plan tells you what steps you need to take to reach your goal of going to Hawaii. For example, your action plan would show you how you will get there, where you will stay, how much money you will need, how you will budget for it, and when you will make reservations.

So your "goal" is your trip to Hawaii, and your "action plan" describes how you will go about achieving that goal.

Without action plans, the majority of goals are usually not achieved. You need to incorporate how you will achieve your goal.

An action plan also helps you to identify any obstacles or challenges that you may encounter along the way. Let's assume you do not have enough money to go to Hawaii right now. So, your action plan would identify funding as an issue to resolve, and highlight the necessity to develop a plan to ensure you obtain enough money.

To summarize:

WHAT = Goal

HOW = Action Plan

WHEN = Time Frames

Our goal to "simplify our life" had a time frame of 5 years, however, due to unexpected delays it ended up taking us 8 years. There were setbacks that we did not anticipate, but we were determined and very persistent to reach our goal to change our lifestyle to one of simplicity. Each time we were faced with a setback, we would go back and readjust our action plans, but the most important thing that we did is that we never lost sight of our end goal.

Today, we have achieved our goal of a simpler lifestyle. Our hope in sharing this information is that you will set your goals and never lose sight of your end goal. If you have determination and persistence you will reach it!
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Catherine Pulsifer is one of the editors of Stress Relief by a Simple Life Where you will find stories, thoughts, poems and inspirational quotes on simplicity, frugal living, free craft projects, stress and more.

Accomplish 2006 Resolutions this Year! By Leslie Gail

How many of you find yourself doing the same thing year after year? You get excited and pumped up to accomplish all these goals, to really turn your life around. You specifically tell yourself that this year will be different. But as the weeks and months go by you find yourself slipping into the same old patterns.

This of course leads to frustration as your well-intentioned goals fall by the way side. What if you decided this year to take a different approach? How would it feel to refresh the initial goals, creating a surrounding that supports your accomplishment? What do you have to lose? If you keep doing the same things, then of course you will continue to get the same results.

You need to spice it up a bit, take a risk and be willing to face your fears and push the comfort zone. Before even thinking about the goals in mind, you need to take some time to prepare yourself to succeed. This time of year is a perfect time to reflect on the past and decide what you want to change for the future. All this takes is your time and energy, a commitment to the process, and a solid support structure.

Action Steps For The Week:

1. Declutter your life

Before embarking on goals, you need to make room in your life FOR these goals. In other words, you need to get rid of everything that is draining you, both physically and emotionally. This week create a 'toleration' list. Write down everything that you are tolerating in your life. For example a cluttered desk, a leaking faucet, a friend that doesn't return calls, a stack of bills piling up.

2. Simplify your life

Do you feel overcommitted? Are you going a million miles per hour as your life is just passing you by? Take a look at all of your current obligations. This week decide which responsibilities are causing more stress than enjoyment. Then choose to delete, delegate or re-invent what you are doing.

3. Look at current goals

Now that you have began the process of cleaning up your life, you can embark on your goals. Which goals are the most pressing? Which ones are you excited about? If the goal does not excite or inspire you, find a different one. Begin a list of goals both short and long term. This will begin the process of taking a step forward.

In order to succeed this time around, you need to stay focused, motivated and supported. What do you need to do in order to accomplish this? One of many options is to work with a Life Coach who will maintain your focus and commitment. Decide if now is the time to invest in your life and ultimately your happiness.

Have a great week!
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Leslie Gail is a Certified Life Coach who supports busy people in achieving personal and professional success without compromising their values. Leslie conducts seminars, hosts a tv segment, and her work is regularly published in The Rocky Mountain News. For more information contact Leslie at NewLifeFocus.com

Setting Goals is Central to Success By Bill White and Rasheed Ali

If you want to achieve anything in life, goals are imperative to your success. There are many different methods of setting goals but I have personally found some great ways to get the goals down and review them that have gotten results!

The first thing you need to do when setting goals is get very specific about what it is you want. How does the end result look. Write it down. Flesh out all of the details until you can see it perfectly in your mind's eye. Then write it down, record it, or otherwise store it where you can see it everyday.

Next, imagine how you will feel when your goal is achieved. Bask in the feeling of victory and attainment as if you were standing in the moment right now.

Third, decide that you deserve to achieve this goal and that you will achieve it. Just make the choice right now.

Fourth, list the reasons you want and deserve to attain the goal.

Fifth, list the major obstacle that exists in this moment between you and the goal. What do you need to do, learn, accomplish on your way? Who do you need to talk to, get help from? Set out to tackle this immediately.

Finally, make the decision right now that you will absolutely never give up until you have reached your goal.

If you follow these simple steps, there is literally nothing you cannot accomplish.

I wish you success in all that you do!

Have a great life!
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Rasheed Ali (#1 Adversity Consultant) and Bill White (Syncronicity Expert) have just launched SleepYourWayToRiches.com -- a powerful new success and wealth creation website and SolutionCoach.com -- a powerful business and success coaching site.

Self Improvement Goals By Tom Hopkins

This is the time of year everyone sets goals for self-improvement. Whether it's a goal to break a bad habit or a goal to create a good one, it's always a challenge.

The trick is to trigger yourself to take action on the goal every day.

I suggest you consider assigning a small mark or design that you can easily draw to remind you. It can be as simple as a row of three plus signs (+++) or a sideways smiley face like the email emoticons ( :-) ). Always use something positive.

If your goal involves lifting weights, consider two small circles with a line between them to remind you of a set of dumbbells (0—0). Put this symbol at the top of every page of your planner or into your electronic calendar.

If your goal is to have a higher income, use the dollar sign ($). If it's to increase the amount of time you invest with your family, use their initials.

A dear, departed friend of mine used to place colored, removable stickers on his watch. Every time he looked at the time, he was reminded of his goal to reduce stress and invest his time wisely. He would then take a moment to breathe deeply and refocus on what was important in his life.

The key to successfully achieving your goals is to keep them foremost in your mind. The use of triggers is a quick and effective tool to assist you.
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Tom Hopkins International
7531 E. 2nd St., Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Tel: (480) 949-0786 or 800/528-0446 Fax: (480) 949-1590
http://www.tomhopkins.com - Visit our website for a great "Tip of the Day"

Business Goal Setting And Then Following Through By Joy Gendusa

Your business can't go according to plan if you have no plan.

What do you want to achieve this year? More new customers per week? Higher average order amounts? Better customer service ratings? No matter what it is you are shooting for, goal setting is one of the most important things that you will do in the New Year. I’ve got a few tips to help you get there.

1. Keep it Challenging but Realistic.

Any goal that you set for your company should be challenging but don’t over do it. For example, if you had an average order amount of $700 last year, you wouldn’t want to set your goal for this year at $3000 per order.

Unless you make drastic changes in how your company runs or what you are selling, that goal is just not realistic. You know best what you may be able to achieve in your particular industry, so be honest with yourself and set your goals accordingly.

2. Write All Your Goals Down.

You may say to yourself on January 1, "I want to get 20 more new customers per week this year." A few months later you will be saying "Did I say I wanted 20 or 30?" Or more realistically, you have forgotten that you even made that goal.

If you have all of your goals written down you will be able to not only go back and check them, you will also be able to go down the list every few months and check to see how many of them you have completed.

3. Assess Your Current Situation.

To set goals you have to know where you are at right now. In 2003 I wanted to assess our customer service rating so we sent out a survey to all of our customers on which they could rate us in each department of our operation. That helped us establish our base. Now we send the survey to every customer after every order.

This way we can keep track of how we are doing and if there is ever a hiccup we can fix it quickly. Don’t assume anything. Always assess the current situation before setting a new goal.

It's Only Going to Hurt A Little...

Now, in financial goal setting for your business, one invariably comes to the question: “How do I decide on a budget when starting a marketing plan?”

This is obviously the first question that you have to answer in order to get started on your new campaign – and in order to reach the income goals you have set for yourself.

So how do you figure out what your budget should be? Here is an easy method to help you find a number that is going to work for you and your business. Some might say that it is a good rule of thumb, but I personally judge things on whether or not they work and get results. That’s all.

Moving on... Start with the amount of income that your company generated last month and multiply it by .14 (or 14%).

That means that if you had $50,000 in Gross Income last month you should budget to spend $7000 on marketing in the next month. Wait... I know, it sounds painful but it is just like a shot at the doctor. It might hurt for a minute (or in this case a month) but down the road you are going to be glad that you went through it.

Putting that much toward the right marketing will bump up your income the next month and start you on a cycle of steady growth.

I know that some businesses run tighter than others and it is possible that you won't be comfortable with that amount in the beginning. Don't misunderstand me, any marketing is better than no marketing. Don't get discouraged if your budget is lower than 14%. But use 14% as the ideal to strive for because, for me as well as many other growing businesses, it has proven to give the best rate of growth possible.

How do I know, you ask? My company has expanded 400% in the past 2 years. Now picture your business at 4 times its current size... There's that smile I was looking for!

The growth of your business is based on three factors; quality products, great customer service and the proper amount of marketing.

If you know you have the first two taken care of and you still aren't experiencing healthy growth then you need to take a serious look at your marketing budget.

So sharpen your pencils, start calculating and decide how rapidly you want your business to grow.

Please take a moment this week to sit down and decide on your goals for the New Year. Even if it is past the New Year and even well into the year, set your goals for the rest of the year.

Everything is easier when you are working towards a goal. My goal is your success and I assume that is your goal as well.
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Joy Gendusa founded PostcardMania in 1998, her only assets a computer and a phone. By 2004 the company did $9 million in sales and employed over 60 people. She attributes her explosive growth to her ability to choose incredible staff and her innate marketing savvy. Visit www.PostCardMania.com

Goal Setting for Kids by Cecile Peterkin

Goal setting is essential for building a successful life. However, teaching kids how to set and achieve goals is not part of most school curriculums, nor is it taught in most homes.

Many parents never learned the techniques of goal setting, and are still struggling with their own. You don't need to know it all. While you develop your own goal-setting skills, you can also be helping and encouraging your children to develop theirs.

Goal setting is a life-long skill. It helps your child to focus their unique gifts and talents, it helps to cultivate and strengthen your child's self-worth, and equips them to lead a life full of meaning purpose, and direction, regardless of the professional or personal paths they choose.

Things to consider when setting goals with your kids

Career - school grades, skill development, future plan (ambition);

Personal - character development, and personal growth (self-image, sense of responsibility, ability, sefl-esteem), appearance;

Health - exercise, diet, over-all well-being, balance;

Community - commitment to serving others (volunteer work);

Financial - understanding the value of money, earning, saving;

Friends - expanding their circle of friends, choosing friends wisely;

Household - chores, contribution to building home life;

Recreation - hobbies, relaxation, fun activities (movies, parties, etc.)

Things to remember

Expect resistance; Be firm; Look for performance, not perfection; Kids need to see the end before they begin (incentive - what will happen if...); Kids need rewards; Kids need praise.

Results

As kids learn how to set goals and experience the difference goal setting makes in their personal destinies, it will encourage them to take action. They will begin to create lives for themselves that they want and "Dare to live their Dreams!"

As your kids become more aware of greater possibilities in their lives, and tap into their respective talents they will develop a stronger sense of self and of their contribution to society.

Success - the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. Failure - Lack of success. When we make mistakes and truly learn from each respective lesson these corrections are directly correlated to our eventual and inevitable success.
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Cecile Peterkin is a trained Career/Life Coach and speaker whose work centers primarily on middle managers and their various challenges. She also works with individuals who are ready to move forward, take action, achieve goals and experience overall life improvement, both in personal and in career. Visit www.cosmiccoachingcentre.com or email info@cosmiccoachingcentre.com

Some People Dream Of Worthy Accomplishments While Others Stay Awake And Do Them By Dr. Alan Zimmerman

Goal Setting:

In the 1920's, he began selling paper cups and playing the piano to support his family. He worked hard, and he did well. In fact, he became one of the top sales people for the Lily Tulip Cup Company after 17 years of hard work.

But then he set a goal, and he did REALLY well! He set the goal of going into the milkshake machine business, selling machines that could mix 48 shakes at once, selling machines that would revolutionize the world and his life.

He convinced two brothers who owned a small restaurant to buy his machines. In fact, he went into business with them, until some time later, Ray Kroc bought out the brothers.

Ray decided to keep the brothers' name on the restaurant, however. "McDonald's" had a nice ring to it.

Indeed, it did. During the next 20 years, Ray turned McDonald's into a multi-billion dollar empire. He achieved in 20 years what it took IBM 46 years to do and Xerox 63 years.

Ray Kroc was successful, but he did not become wildly successful until he set a specific goal. The same is true for you. There's tremendous power in setting specific goals.

Unfortunately, three problems get in the way. The first one is lack of awareness. Most people don't think much about "setting" goals. They just think about going to work and doing their jobs.

That's okay--to a point. If you know how to do something, you may always have a job. But if you set a goal, if you know where you want to go, you have a much better chance of becoming wildly successful.

The second problem is lack of understanding. Most people confuse goal setting and discipline. They're not the same. Discipline is setting your alarm for 5:00 AM and making yourself get up when it goes off. Goal setting is knowing "why" you set your alarm for 5:00 AM in the first place.

And the third problem is lack of wisdom. Most people spend too much time on activities that are tension relieving instead of goal achieving. In other words, most people spend their time doing what comes naturally, doing what feels good or keeps them out of trouble.

Very few people step back, apply wisdom, and examine their actions. Hopefully you're one of them. As fitness coach Kate Larsen says, "Every choice takes you closer to or further from your goal. Where did your choices take you today?"

I don't know if any of these problems are getting in your way. I don't know if they're stopping you from being a goal setter or a goal achiever. But I do know that you'd like to be wildly successful.

So start by asking yourself a question. ASK, "WHAT GOALS WOULD YOU SET FOR YOURSELF IF YOU COULD NOT FAIL?" Don't ask if it's possible or impossible. Don't worry about failing. Just focus on what you want, and let that be your guideline for setting goals.

That's what winners do. Winners would rather attempt something great and fail than attempt nothing and succeed.

Then, VISUALIZE YOUR GOAL. Practice it in your mind as though it were already accomplished. The clearer your picture and the more often you view it, the easier it will be to accomplish your goal.

It's like the legend of the prince with the crooked back. He asked a sculptor to "make me a statue of how I would have looked with a straight back. I'd like to see myself as I might have been. "

When the statue was finished, the prince put it in a secret place. Month after month, he would slip away to look lovingly and earnestly at the statue. And people began to notice the prince's back was not as crooked as it used to be.

Still the prince continued to look at the perfect statue. Each time he did, the sight of it set his blood tingling and his heart throbbing, until one day he realized his back was straight.

Just like the prince, we all have faults, and some of us have goals. But you start the process of achieving your goals when you visualize your goals.

Of course, it isn't enough to merely set a goal and visualize that goal. It isn't enough to merely want something. You've got to TAKE SOME ACTION.

Are you willing to do whatever it takes? Winners are willing. They don't expect something for nothing. And they don't expect anyone else to do it for them. Winners accept complete responsibility for their lives, and they don't make excuses. They're very tenacious. They keep at it. As Winston Churchill said, "It's no use saying you are doing your best. You have got to do what is necessary. "

Action for Goal Setting:

This week, ask yourself what goals you would set if you could not fail. Pick one that really appeals to you and start visualizing that goal all achieved and accomplished. Practice your visualization at least three times a day for at least 21 days. You'll be delighted with the changes you'll see and the progress you'll make toward goal achievement.

(c) All rights reserved.
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Dr. Alan R. Zimmerman, CSP, CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame.
Alan@Drzimmerman.com, Telephone: 800-621-7881. Visit: www.DrZimmerman.com