Set SMART Goals to Achieve More - By Phil Gerbyshak

Are you having trouble achieving your goals, or getting through a period of no success? Then take the time to learn how to set SMART goals. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Tangible.

Specific...
Setting specific goals is the key to all sorts of success. Most folks know the story about the 1954 Harvard class where they measured those who made goals and those who did not.

Each time they grouped the goal-oriented graduates into smaller and smaller groups: those who made goals every now and then, on a yearly basis, and on a monthly, weekly or daily basis, each subset of individuals ended up making more money, having free time and far more happiness than the others.

And guess what? The no-goal folks were left out in the cold and achieved almost nothing in comparison to those who set goals.

Measurable...
The more measurable something is, the easier it is to see if we've achieved, or not achieved, the desired outcome. If you're vague in your goals, and don't have a way to measure it, how will you know you've achieved it? You won't, it's that simple. So make sure your goal can be measured, and you're done with step 2.

Attainable...
When you set goals that are the most important to you, you will find a way to make them happen. That's a fact! You begin to find things that fit in with your goals, you develop a positive attitude, you work to develop new skills and abilities, and you somehow find the financial capacity to achieve them. You think of all the opportunities that you've left unanswered and you uncover new opportunities to help you achieve your goal.

You can do almost anything when you plan out the steps necessary to reach the goal, and set the time frame that holds you accountable to that goal. Things that never before were possible now are not only possible but are in fact probably, because you've learned and grown to match these tough goals.

Listing your goals helps you feel better about yourself, as you learn to see yourself worthy enough to achieve these goals, that you deserve these goals, and you reach these goals!

Realistic...
Do you want to aim for something you'll never reach, or for something that is within your power? Remember, you have to be willing and able to do something, so make sure you're realistic in your goal setting. You definitely want to stretch and not set something you could do without effort, but if you know that there is absolutely no way you can physically run a 4 minute mile because you have arthritis, then don't make that your goal.

Now keep in mind that with the Internet, e-mail, and the globalization of the marketplace that you can achieve more than you ever thought possible, there still may be things that just aren't possible. Don't set these as goals, set these as dreams, and point towards those. But set the attainable goals so you can get satisfaction from achieving more and more of your goals.

Tangible...
A goal is tangible when you can experience it with one of your five senses. That means if you can can taste it, touch it, smell it, see it or hear it. When your goal is tangible, or when you tie an tangible goal to a intangible goal, you have a better chance of making it specific and measurable and thus see it as more attainable to you.

So be SMART about your goal-setting, read a book or 2 about goal settings, have others help you be more accountable to yourself for achieving these goals, and you will do more and be more than you ever dreamed possible!
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Phil Gerbyshak, motivational speaker and self-improvement advocate, challenges you to "Stop having a nice day... and Make it Great!" His website at MakeItGreat.org is updated regularly with thoughts about how you can take control of your life and stop letting life take control of you.

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Goal Setting: You Are What You Do! By Phil Gerbyshak

Too often, people say one thing and do another. I admit that I have often slid into this rut and thought about how I need to do something (lose weight for example) and then don't follow through and do anything about it (yes, I'm still 245 pounds). So even though I say that it's important to me to lose weight, I don't display the requisite motivation to follow through and do it, so my words are hollow.

What does this mean? This means people probably think I'm a hypocrite, and those people would be right. They also probably think that I'm normal, because many people say one thing and do something completely different.

One thing that is really important to me is to serve other people's needs. This is why I put together my newsletter, it's why I blog, and it's why I'm as involved in the community as I am. My hope is that people see that part of me more than they see the hypocrite, yet I realize this may not always be the case. Nonetheless, I realize that I am what I do, and allow myself to be judged accordingly.

So think about what you do, because that is really what you are, no more, no less.

Make it a great week. Do what you really want to be, and you will become the person you're capable of becoming.
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Phil Gerbyshak, motivational speaker and self-improvement advocate, challenges you to "Stop having a nice day... and Make it Great!" His website at MakeItGreat.org is updated regularly with thoughts about how you can take control of your life and stop letting life take control of you.

*brought to you by GoalsSuccess.com

Learn to Set Goals You Can Actually Achieve - By Brent Riggs

If you are like most people, you can look back down the road of your life and find a long trail of goals and dreams scattered along the roadside and laying in the ditches.

We have the best of intentions. Regularly, we work hard at putting together plans, goals, and tons of willpower that will surely take us to our destination, making our dreams come true.

Then, after a few weeks, months, and for some people only days, we realize that we are right back to doing what we were doing before and another set of hopeful wishes has joined the junk pile.

We don't mean for it to be that way, and we are 100% sure the day we write down our goals this is the one time, the final time, the mother of all goal setting that will surely be the one we finally stick to.

Alas, here we are again. The last resolution, the last set of goals are behind you wondering where their master has gone, and here you are reading about how to keep that from happening next time.

I have good news for you. You can do it! How can I promise you this? Because I have been down that road before. I've gone through the same cycle over and over again. I don't do that anymore though - at least not nearly as often. I can't say that I never fail but I can say that I rarely do. I cannot honestly say that I keep every goal, every resolution, but I am able to set goals, make an action plan, and do what it takes to achieve success.

I'm going to share with you 10 secrets on how you can set goals whether financial, personal or spiritual... and keep them from crumbling into failure yet again.

Secret One: Set goals that are actually achievable...

Have you ever seen those people who put great big disks in their lip and stretch them out? How about the ones who stretch their necks out by ring after ring, one on top of each other? How about those dudes who stick swords down their throats?

Do you think they just wake up one day and decide to take the biggest disk, the most rings, or the longest sword and get down to business? No. They start with the smallest first and work their way up.

One of the major reasons people fail at keeping their goals is because they come up with grandiose, earth shattering, mountain moving, life-changing epiphanies instead of devising realistic and achievable goals. We are predisposed because of all of the self-esteem nonsense today to not think realistically about either our abilities or our current level of discipline.

Think about it. If you gained 150 pounds over a ten-year period, do you think you are going to lose it all in six months? If you do not have a habit of eating healthy, it would not be a good idea to have the goal of never eating sugar again. It will take about three days to blow that one.

If you've never kept a rigid schedule or developed any kind of habits concerning goals, don't think you're going to change your entire life in one day. You won't. You have to work up to big change by setting achievable goals of small change.

Here's an example. Your goal is to earn and save $200,000 in one year and be able to do 200 push-ups in one sitting. If you are not a hard worker, if you are not disciplined and educated regarding your business, you will not have the ability to make that kind of money. Similarly, you won't be able to crank out 200 push-ups tomorrow either.

If your goal is to do 200 push-ups in one sitting, begin with a small goal of two. Once you are easily able to handle that, set a goal of five. After you master that, shoot for 10, then 20, then 50. Set achievable goals to motivate you and keep you enthusiastic. Make sure your goals are ones that you can reach. Don't make the mistake of trying to impress others with unachievable goals that are destined to fail.

If you've never made or saved $200,000, start with $20. Then make a hundred and save a hundred. Get out of debt, quit spending, stop playing the lottery, and eating out five times a week. Set an achievable goal of saving $500. Then, shoot for a thousand and then $5000.

Baby steps, friend, that's the secret. Under promising and overachieving, that's what will keep you motivated and feeling successful rather than constantly failing to reach unrealistic expectations. Do you know how you walk from New York City to Los Angeles? One step at a time. You may have to start with one step a day. Have the same mentality about your goals.
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G. Brent Riggs has over 20 years experience as an author, teacher, mentor and business owner. You can contact him via his main website at www.GBrentRiggs.com.

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