Goal Setting Tips and Advice

The 5 Secrets of Setting Short Term Goals by Mike Brooks

2009-06-13T18:17:00.000-07:00

When I talk to people about goal setting, I'm often surprised by their reactions. A lot of people tell me that they haven't gotten around to setting life-time goals and identifying their values and coming up with specific, measurable bench marks, etc...

They tell me that goal setting takes too much time and energy, and that it will require days and weeks of work and that once they have the goals they'll start to feel bad if they don't reach them.

Some of the time people tell me they do have goals, but when I ask them about what they are, they come up with vague wants and “Gee, I hope I get some day" items that change with each paycheck.

Sound familiar?

While life-time goal setting does require an initial investment of time and energy, the payoff is immediate and life changing. The good news, however, is that identifying and writing down even short term goals will give you the same benefits, and setting short term goals is a quick and effective way to develop momentum, build confidence and get some meaningful things accomplished.

If you want to see your life change in just 3 to 6 months, then follow these 5 quick rules for setting short term goals. As you'll see, accomplishing just one short term goal can change your life beyond your wildest dreams!

Secret #1: Grab a calendar. Pick a short term, manageable 3 to 6 month period to set your goals in. Short term goals tend to get you into action right away, are easier to visualize, and because of their short term nature they encourage you to set realistic, easy to accomplish goals.

Secret #2: Pick just 2 or 3 goals to work with. Don’t get overwhelmed by trying to change every area of your life. Just pick a couple of areas that you want to begin changing in the next few months.

Secret #3: The goals you pick don’t have to be fully accomplished in the time period you’ve identified. This is the key! Rather, what you’re looking to do in the next 3 to 6 months is to simply develop momentum, establish a pattern, and begin getting you excited about your life again.

Great areas to set short term goals in are things like:

* Beginning or resuming an exercise routine and setting a goal to be so far along in the time frame you’ve set.
* Increasing your closing percentage by a reasonable amount.
* Having read or begun listening to a couple of books.
* Joined a dating site and begun dating again.
* Taking up or resuming a favorite hobby again.

Remember at the beginning I wrote that setting even short term goals can be a life-changing event? I know of someone who had a goal of finding and developing a serious relationship, and his short term goal was simply to join a dating site and begin dating. Well, he did that, met someone in 2 weeks, and now 6 months later, they are engaged to be married! You see, even short term goals can change your life!

Secret #4: Write your goals down. You’ve heard over and over again how much more effective goal setting is when you write your goals down. It’s totally true. Once you’ve identified your 2 or 3 goals, write down in detail what it is you want to accomplish, or what stage you want to be in at the end of the time period you’ve chosen.

Once you’ve done that, get a three by five card and write out an affirmation paragraph that describes in detail how you will feel once you’ve reached that goal. Keep it in the first person as if you’ve already accomplished that goal. Not: “I can’t wait to feel…” Rather: “It feels so good now that I’m…”

Secret #5: Make a list and start identify right now, today, what actions you can take to move you closer to your goals. Can you join a gym? Buy new walking shoes? Make 10 more cold calls today? Fill out a profile on a dating site? Take your kids to the park tonight?

Make a list of actions you can take today and take them!

Do the same thing tomorrow and get in the habit of taking an action each day to move you closer to your goals.

Follow this 5-Step method of setting short term goals and I guarantee you that your life will change 3 to 6 months from now.
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Mike Brooks, Mr. Inside Sales, works with business owners and inside sales reps nationwide teaching them the skills, strategies and techniques of top 20% performance. If you’re looking to catapult your sales, or create a sales team that actually makes their monthly revenues, then learn how by visiting: MrInsideSales.com

-Do you have any thoughts you would like to share on setting short-term goals?

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It Is Wonderful To Achieve A Goal! By Pegine Echevarria

2009-04-02T17:19:00.000-07:00

I have got to tell you that it is wonderful to achieve a goal! There is nothing quite like setting a goal, planning for it, taking daily steps and them one day WHAM-OO you accomplish the task. That happened to me today.

Back in September 08 I read that 'normal' people can work up to 100 push ups a day. I laughed and thought no way. There is no way that I – in the shape I was in - could work myself up to 100 push ups a day. That was reserved for skinny, exercise fanatics with rippling bodies. That was reserved for soldiers and Marines. That goal was definitely not for a middle aged, full figured, feisty female.

...”Yet” I thought “Why not?”

I tell people that if they have a goal, write a plan and work the plan then they can achieve results. You will have obstacles and you will face challenges, however, if you stay true to the plan you will achieve.

Now, I was ready to challenge myself, to practice what I preach, that was until I got down, put my palms flat on the floor and began to push up. I was pushing but nothing was going up. Evidently I needed to really start from scratch. I got on my knees and did very modified three push ups. Well, I called them push ups. I went down, a bit, and went up, a bit, sort of. Give me a break, it was day one.

On the website one hundred push ups I read and learned about push ups. I decided it didn’t matter how long it took. I was going to do 100 push ups in a day.

I went from those first 3 knee push ups to 60 military push ups pretty quickly... then the holidays took over, my arm was sore, I had several “I don’t wanna do it” days in a row and my motivation began to wane.

I truly believe that there are five areas of our lives that we can work on to reach our potential. The areas are physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and fiscal. I think of these areas as graphs in our lives. Some areas are stronger than others. It is our job to strengthen them all. Our job is to build our capacity to reach our highest levels in each area – no matter where we are today. By the way, this is an ongoing project, just when you think you have reached your highest level another level is revealed. If this is not happening to you there is a strong possibility that you are not living to your highest potential.

Physical: I admit that this is one of my weakest areas. I have a strong heart, low cholesterol, good blood pressure and now I can say I am strong. However other parts of my body....well let’s just say that some of today’s movie stars and I couldn’t share clothes. Does that mean that I stop striving to take care of me... no. It just means that I will continue to build my confidence in physical self. One push up at a time.

Emotional: I am strong here now, however if you asked family members when I was younger (and even several years ago) that was not the case. It has taken dedication, perseverance, soul searching, challenging myself and appreciating who I’ve become to be able to say that everyone can be strong, feisty, fearless, fun, focused and courageous. Follow the path and you will achieve.

Spiritual: What you think is what you get. Your faith, your belief and your actions are all interrelated. It is important to take the time during your day to just be. Are you listening to what you are creating with your thoughts? Your thoughts connect you to your Higher Power, God, Universe or energy. Taking the time to really focus on what you are thinking. It is so powerful, motivating, and inspiring that without that quiet time you lose perspective about who you are, what your life is about and why you do what you do.

Intellectual: We are lucky that we aren’t the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, we don’t have to wish for a brain...we already have one. Our brains need nourishment. If we don’t provide information, new ideas, new intellectual challenges our brains lose their potential. Read books, watch documentaries, push yourself to learn the other side of an argument and listen to counter perspective. Grow your brain so that you grow.

Fiscal: Money management, financial literacy, prosperity thinking and abundance are all key ingredients to a healthy and full life. Too often people have covered their heads in the sand because of lack of knowledge. I’ve learned that there are always people who can teach you what you don’t know. It is so liberating.

I personally found such freedom learning about profit and loss statements, balance sheets, cost analysis, cash flow analysis, tax implications and balancing a budget. There is so much I am looking forward to learning about financial success. It is freeing and so exhilarating. Take the time to learn so you can be free.

And the rest of the story....

So there I was with the “don’t wanna” swirling around me. Luckily I came out of that dizzy spell and recommitted to my goal. Today I get to shout, cheer and receive the applause because I did it... I did 100 push ups.

How about you? What’s your goal? What are you working toward? When are you going to get out of the dizzy “Don’t wanna” game? Join me and be joyous... shouting from the roof tops... I did it!

-- Pegine
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Pegine Echevarria has well over 15 years of experience as a nationally recognized expert on success, leadership, and teambuilding, and 30 years of experience in the workplace, ranging from corporate America to public service. Visit her site at www.Pegine.com

-What's a goal you have achieved that you were especially proud of? What were some of the hurdles you had to get through to accomplish the goal you set for yourself? Why not share some words of encouragement with your fellow goal achievers by leaving a comment below?

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

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Your “Super-Sized” Goal for This Year! by Michael Masterson

2009-02-19T15:16:00.000-08:00

Last year at this time, I told you about one New Year’s resolution I had made: to write a poem a day for 365 days. I got the idea from a playwright who had done something similar. She wrote a play every day for a year.

I liked the boldness of that ambition. It seemed to me that it was the kind of goal that could change a life. It did for that playwright. One of the plays she wrote made her famous.

I have written poetry on and off my whole life, but never seriously. Maybe, I thought, I could improve my skills and even write some good poems this way. There were no guarantees, but I was optimistic that something good would come of it.

When I revealed my personal goal to AWAI members last year, I recommended that they set an equally ambitious goal for themselves related to copywriting. Read a new promotion every day, I suggested. Or write one.

Many people who read that article in The Golden Thread probably thought I was dreaming. “What’s the point of making a resolution you can’t possibly keep,” one person wrote me.

I was concerned – maybe even a little afraid – that the objective was too grandiose. And that I wouldn’t follow through.

But I was also hopeful. The cleverness of the idea was the sheer size of it. By setting a super-sized career goal, I thought one could break through a lifetime of failed smaller objectives. An Extra-Extra-Extra-Large New Year’s resolution might be big enough to crash through whatever psychological barriers were holding one back.

That was the idea. And guess what? It worked for me. I did write 365 poems in 365 days. I skipped a few days when I was busy traveling, but I made up for them when I had spare time. Many of the poems I wrote were only a few lines. And many weren’t very good. But at the end of the year, I had more than 100 poems that were – according to a few editors I sent them to – good enough to publish.

So that’s what I’m working on now: publishing them in literary journals and collecting them for my first book of poetry. It feels good to have accomplished this goal. It feels great to have improved my skills as a poet.

This brings us back to you. Did you read that article last year? Did you set any similar goals related to your career as a copywriter?

If so, we would really like to hear about it. We’d like to know, in particular, how tough it was, how you coped with whatever setbacks you encountered, and what you gained from the experience.
If you didn’t make a gargantuan resolution last year, consider doing it now for next year. You know how quickly time flies. And with every passing year, it will move more quickly. Seize the day, as they say. Capture the moment. Make this your year for taking a quantum leap forward.

To remind you, here is what I suggested last year:

Set some unthinkably big task for yourself that, when completed at the end of the year, will have made you a much stronger and more highly compensated writer.

And my specific suggestion:

Write one effective mini-advertisement per day. If you’d like to take on that goal, here’s how you can do it in a way that might also dramatically increase your income:

1. Get on the mailing lists (snail mail and Internet) of six or eight direct-marketing businesses you’d like to work for. (Long-term AWAI members should have already done this.)

2. Build a “swipe file” (that is, a borrower’s library) of ads that these companies are currently using.

3. Every day, before you do any other work, take out one of the ads from your swipe file and study it.

Spend 15 to 30 minutes figuring out what the copywriter is attempting to do, evaluating how well he’s doing it, and identifying other approaches that might work equally well or even better.

4. Pick one of those alternate approaches and make that your daily assignment.

5. Spend the next 30 to 45 minutes writing and editing a little ad based on the theme you’ve chosen.

6. When you are done, file the completed mini-ad in a large envelope addressed to the CEO or marketing director of the company it applies to.

7. Once a month, send out all those envelopes (each of which will contain one or several samples of your work). Include a letter that briefly explains who you are and why you are sending them this free copy. The letter should be some version of: “I admire your business and hoped that, if you saw what I could do, you might have a spot for me on your freelance rotation.”

Don’t spend any more than 60 minutes a day completing this task.

In the beginning, you will find that you will be able to write only a limited number of words. But as the weeks pass, you will see your speed improve dramatically.

You’ll almost certainly double the speed at which you write. You may quadruple or quintuple it. And you’ll also see that the quality of your writing will improve – which may surprise you, considering how much faster you are getting. You will have sharper, more tangible ideas. Your language will be crisper and cleaner.

The trick is to focus on quality, not quantity. So your daily objective will be to come up with just one good marketing idea – and then, when you have it, to write it as simply and powerfully as possible.

If you don’t want to do this every single day of the year, make it a workday goal … which would mean you’d be writing about 250 little ads this year and sending them out to potential clients. That goal is plenty big. And it allows you two days a week to do something else first thing in the morning.

In addition to this “write one ad a day this year” idea, here are some other “unthinkably” big goals to consider:

• Learn a marketing secret a day.
• Scan an educational book a day.
• Contact a potential client a day.
• Call/write a friend a day.
• Practice a self-promotional speech a day.

Identifying your goal is the first step. As soon as you do that … and I hope you do it today … write it down. Then tomorrow … get started!
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Live the Life You Want
How would you like a lifestyle that allows you to pick your own hours, live anywhere in the world, and take as many vacations as you care to? One that lets you work from your home – from anywhere in the world for that matter – doing work that is interesting and prestigious, work that you can be proud of? Now you can …

-Keep in mind that the advice above is fitting no matter what your particular goal centers around. Do something today that will move you closer towards making your dream a reality!... And remember, it's your life, LIVE BIG! Josh Hinds

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Goal Setting : Success Quote and Commentary - By Chris Widener

2009-01-19T07:31:00.000-08:00

"Your goal should be out of reach but not out of sight." -- Anita DeFrantz

Chris Widener's Commentary:

Goals are funny things. They have to be set just right in order to be most effective. If they are set too close - close enough for us to touch them - then they aren't goals but reality. If they are set so far away that we can't see them, then we forget that they exist and we live only in our current reality.

So what are your goals? Have you reviewed them lately? Are they far enough away to make you work, stretch and strive for them, yet close enough for them to be firmly in your sights?

Action Point: Sit down today and restate your primary 6-month goal in the following categories: Physical, emotional, financial, career, family, and spiritual. Then write them down on a small card and put it somewhere where you will see it regularly.
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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.

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Here’s How to Set and Accomplish Any Goal, even when you Hit a Dead End! By Ted Charles

2009-01-15T00:46:00.000-08:00

Nothing is more unfortunate than the saddening fact that most people will never ever make it in life. What a bitter pill to swallow? Most people have no focus, no direction and no course of action! Simply speaking, we barely know what we want. Add to this, most of us don’t have a clue where we are going?

Think of an aimless wanderer venturing into the unknown. Borne out by research, the statistics are out and the results are nothing short of disheartening. The experts are telling us that an estimated 5-10% of all humanity seldom think of their goals. Out of this, only a paltry 1-3% have clear written goals. It pains the heart when you think what happens to the remaining 90%! With an estimated global population of six billion souls and counting, you do the math.

People with clear goals always succeed because they know where they are going. Goal setting isn’t exactly rocket science. The sooner you get started, the better. Avoid the temptation to go hog wild with a mere wish list instead of practical goals. Why not give these few pointers a spin, and set of your life kicking into high gear.

First and Foremost, write your goals on paper! This simple task is so priceless yet it hardly crosses our minds. Charting a clear road map to your success makes the difference between living the high life and languishing from hand to mouth. Whatever you want to achieve, just grab a pen and paper or switch to your computer and write down those goals. It doesn’t matter. Even your New Year’s resolutions. Just list them down.

Start Small. You never climb from the top. Goals don’t always have to be big. Begin with something realistic. Most important of all, they should be challenging but achievable. When you set the bar too high, you are already laying down the path for setbacks, failure and heartbreak.

By now, you should differentiate between goals, wishes and dreams. When you ask people what their goals are, they give vague statements like “I want to be rich”, “I want to be successful”, “I want a good job”, “I want to be healthy”, “I want this and that” and so forth. For crying out loud, be specific! Remember the rule of SMART goals? Set your goals complete with date and time. Break them down into small, manageable units.

You can’t bite more than you can chew. As the adage goes, “By the yard it’s hard, but inch by inch it’s a cinch!”.

It’s no secret, the path to realizing your goals is filled with all kinds of challenges and endless distractions. What sets you apart from the rest is your commitment to concentrate and focus your time, energy and resources on one single objective. This is no time to get excited chasing trivial pursuits or getting carried away by aimless distractions. Everybody is desperately trying to accomplish so much, in such short time. And when everything comes a cropper, they call it quits. To get to the promised land, you need to set careful targets and avoid losing sight of your destination.

Nothing comes on a silver platter. Not even for the super achievers. No major accomplishment was realized without wading through a myriad of obstacles and failures! How do you keep the faith when your patience and fighting spirit takes a serious beating? A story is told of Thomas Edison when he was working on the world’s first light bulb. After countless hours of failure after failure, it took him over three thousand attempts before discovering how to make the light bulb work. Without unwavering faith, your goals are doomed to fail.

So how does one cultivate motivation and persistence? The answer lies in asking yourself the big “WHY?”. Get this and you got everything wrapped up in no time flat. We are not sure what Edison had in mind. Only Edison himself knew exactly “WHY” he so desperately wanted to make that light bulb work.

Ask yourself WHY? You will be surprised at the hurdles you can overcome. Why do I want to build a dream house? Why do I want better education? Why do I want to buy a car? Why do I want to lose weight? Why or why do I want to take my family to Disneyland next summer? With a whole bunch of big enough “Whys”, the target remains within your reach no matter what resistance comes your way.

Feelings of self-doubt will start to creep in and probably grind you to a halt. How do you know whether you will succeed or ruin everything? In addition to this is the fear of friends, co-workers and even family laughing at if you fail. Never mind. These nay sayers might come in handy if only to stretch you to the max. Don’t let them put you down.

Truth is, many of these fears are absolutely unfounded. In spite of the difficulties, learning not to let mere words bring you down is a must. Reason with your fears and more often than not, you will realize there’s no reason to be fearful in the first place. Don’t under-estimate yourself. Avoid the urge to slack off. When faced with these kinds of criticisms, just laugh them off. Take it from me, it truly helps.

Lastly, Procrastination is the thief of time. Time wastage and putting off things to a “later” date can go down in the annals of history as one of mankind’s greatest cardinal sins. What do you think would have happened had the Wright brothers put off tinkering with their ground-breaking invention for another time? Some lucky soul would have jumped at the opportunity, perfected the flying machine and gone down in history as the pioneer of Aviation industry. It’s about time to get out of your comfort zones and flush this procrastination bug down the toilet. So how do you rid this monster? Start by setting a strict schedule and stick to it to the very end. Time and tide surely waits for no man.

The road map to success is no bed of roses. Everybody gets spanked along the way. It doesn’t matter a lick if you get beaten. What counts is how you handle defeat and whether you have the nerve to keep fighting. Think of goal setting as muscle building. The more muscle you use, the stronger it gets.

Without a shadow of doubt, having rock-hard abs and that six-pack or sporting an attractive figure is the stuff of dreams. You don’t just rush to bench press hefty weights the first time you hit the gym. Building muscle is a gradual process. With time, the muscles acquire strength and the ability to withstand pain. And so is goal setting. Once you are ready to handle resistance, you can take on bigger pursuits. Get started with a few “warm-up” goals. Sooner than later, you will be schmoozing to mighty high success of epic proportions.
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Ted Charles has created a power-packed guide which can help you accomplishing almost any Goal, with minimum effort. Sign up to download his free report at PlanetWealthSuccess.com.

-What were the biggest take-away ideas you got from the article above? And how can you go about putting those ideas to work to better ensure you achieve your goals?

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

*brought to you by GoalsSuccess.com

Goals By Zig Ziglar

2008-12-05T05:59:00.000-08:00

K.I.S.S. When I started my sales career, one of the first things we were taught was to "Keep It Simple, Salesman." Communicate in such a way that your message is unmistakably clear. If the message is not clear, the prospect ends up confused and confused people seldom take action.

This advice can be followed in any field of endeavor. For example, in marathon running today we utilize sports psychologists, computerized training regimens, and running shoes that are "state-of-the-art." Perhaps all of that is necessary if you want to win the big race. I'm not denying that these things help, but Toshihiko Seko didn't need them to win the Boston Marathon.

I was tremendously impressed a dozen years ago when Toshihiko Seko won the Boston Marathon. His training program was simplicity itself and Toshihiko explained it with twelve words: "I run ten kilometers in the morning and twenty in the evening." At this point you probably think, "There's a catch!" But this plan enabled him to outrun the world's greatest, fastest, most gifted runners. When Seko was told that his plan seemed too simple when compared to that of other marathoners, he replied, "The plan is simple, but I do it every single day, 365 days a year."

It is my conviction that most people fail to reach their goals not because their plans are too simple or too complicated. Most people don't reach their goals because they're not committed and willing to follow their own plans.

Many of our goals do not require detailed plans, but all of them require that we must follow the plan we have. Seko's plan was effective because he followed it every day. You can't get more simple than that! Follow Seko's example, make certain your plan to reach your goal is simple, then follow it carefully. Be accountable to yourself and I'll SEE YOU AT THE TOP!
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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.

-Interested in holding yourself accountable for achieving your goals? Why not share them here -- be sure to include steps you're planning to take to accomplish them.

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The Top Ten Mistakes That Rob You of Your Goals By Jill Koenig

2008-10-20T05:31:00.000-07:00

In my experience of coaching other Entrepreneurs or anyone who hits a plateau, gets stuck or fails to generate momentum, I have found that the most common frustrations are so simple and easy to break through and redirect for positive results.

If you don't have a boss planning your day, it's easy to drift off into complacency since there is no one holding you accountable. But sooner or later, you will pay the price of inefficiency.

Find out what successful people do and then do it. Find out what failures do and don't do it.

Here are the top 10 Mistakes that Rob You of Your Goals ...

1) Waking up and then trying to figure out what you are going to do that day based on what you feel like doing. High performing men and women know days, weeks and sometimes even months or years in advance what their tasks and time lines are. At the very least until you get the hang of it, plan your next day in advance, at least the night before and once you get the hang of it, plan your entire week in advance.

2) Not having your tasks prioritized. When planning your day and mapping out your projects, figure out which activities should be done and in the precise order based upon importance. Create a written list and on the list, number which items are to be completed and in which sequence. 1 is most important, 2 is next most important, etc. Do them in the order of priority.

3) Doing it all yourself AKA Not using professionals because you think you can't afford it. It takes you at least 10 times longer to learn how to clumsily carry out a task that a specialist can do in a few minutes. You can't be outstanding at your specialty if you're trying to be everyone, and do everything yourself, ie webmaster, accountant, publicist, janitor, grass cutter, etc. (Because you try to do it all yourself is precisely the reason you can't afford it). You will never reach optimum efficiency with this approach. It's like driving a car with one foot on the break. Hire professionals and let them do what they do best.

4) Not having a mentor. A mentor is someone you can emulate. A mentor is someone you can model who will show you the ropes, saving you valuable time, energy and money. A mentor has been there and done that and can spare you from making a multitude of unnecessary mistakes.

5) Not having a Coach. A Coach is different from a mentor, as a coach can zero in on helping you advance specific Goals and stay focused on the tasks necessary to achieve them.

6) Spending time on things that are unnecessary. Spending valuable hours disinfecting your desk, reorganizing your file cabinets and dusting your keyboard with a Qtip in the middle of the workday is the ultimate procrastination. If those things must be done, do them before your workday begins or after the workday ends. You won't waste the hours when it's taking away from your fun time.

7) Not working on yourself. My mentor taught me to work harder on myself than I do on my business. I still practice reading and listening to motivational tapes first thing in the morning every morning and all throughout the day. Doing this equips me with the mindset needed to go confidently into the day with a positive mindset.

8) Spending large amounts of time and energy with others who do not work on themselves. Getting around other focused, motivated people with Goals, dreams of their own will inspire you. Their positive energy is contagious. Ask your friends, what they are reading, what they are working on, what their goals are. You become like the people you hang around. Hang around a crowd that challenges you to grow and be your best.

9) Not taking time to celebrate when you reach a goal. Give yourself the gift of reveling in your achievement. You will habitually learn to tap deeper into your own internal reservoir of motivation when you know there's a pot of Gold of your own design waiting for you.

10) Not having a long term vision to empower you. If all you are doing is racking up a bunch of meaningless tasks, you are merely killing time. Know your purpose for each activity and know how that purpose relates and contributes to the bigger picture of your life, which ultimately gives your time and life greater meaning.

Any one of these habits may seem like a tiny matter, but when accumulated and repeated over a span of days, weeks, months or years, they will prevent you from realizing your dreams.
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Jill Koenig, the "Goal Guru" is America's Top Goal Strategist. A best selling Author, Coach and Motivational Speaker, she is an expert on the subjects of Goal Setting, Time Management and Business Success. Her Goal in life is to help you UNLEASH your untapped potential. Get your FREE Goal Setting CD at www.GoalGuru.com.

Recommended: Are you looking for a success coach to help keep you accountable as you pursue your goals? Contact Josh Hinds -- your host here at GoalsSuccess.com about having him work with you as you move towards making your goals and dreams a reality.

*brought to you by GoalsSuccess.com

Goal Setting: Four Easy Steps for Tracking Your Goals By Jill Koenig

2008-10-16T10:02:00.000-07:00

You've defined your Goal, identified your key strategies, created an action plan and have started to put it into action.

What's next?

As you proceed, it is important to measure your results and track your progress (or lack of it). This is the least exciting part of the journey of any Goal, but I assure you it is one of the most important. This is where it gets a little tricky due to the fact that every Goal is different. Each Goal has it's own unique targets, time lines, and action plans, therefore it will require it's own unique system and schedules for measuring.

Not every Goal needs to be measured, just your most critical ones. For example, if on the weekends you take guitar lessons to explore your interest in learning how to play, you don't necessarily need a plan for measuring your progress. But for your highest priority Goals, you absolutely do. If you are building a business or trading in the stock market, your very financial existence relies upon your systems for tracking.

People often seek my coaching and assistance because they are stuck in some way. They say, "I am stuck! I have tried everything and nothing works!" The first thing I do is ask for their gauges, measurements and stats for the related area. Often they reply with blame or excuses about the economy or some outside circumstance for why they are off track and never is that the real reason for a decline.

The reason for almost all struggle, stagnation and lack of growth is due to a lack of attention, measurement or action in the critical areas. It is usually a matter of neglect and fortunately there is a quick and easy solution to create a major turnaround.

The fastest way to create a breakthrough is to measure and examine the critical areas of your Goal.

You cannot change what you don't measure. You cannot improve what you don't measure. Where focus goes, energy flows so begin focusing on your major key areas that are critical to your success.

Tracking reveals the true reality of a situation. Many Goals can be measured with numbers. For example, Health Goals provide many numbers to monitor your progress; pounds, inches, blood sugar, triglycerides, blood pressure, as do a multitude of other precise diagnostic measurements.

Tracking builds confidence. When you have a great plan, are following it and producing phenomenal results, you automatically raise your own self-esteem and that optimism carries over into every other life area. Knowing that you are on track and having the validation of facts as proof gives you an enormous boost.

Tracking provides valuable feedback and indications of areas that may need to be addressed or adjusted. If your Goal is to lose weight and the numbers on the scale are going up, up, up each week, it could be an indication that you may need to re evaluate your plan or if you have a great plan and have not been following it, simply renew your dedication to it.

For every Goal that does not succeed, there are always numerous indicators along the way that would have provided a snapshot or a warning ahead of time and all throughout the journey, if the critical components would have been measured and appropriate action taken, the Goal could have been salvaged.

Your Action Plan:

1. Examine your highest and most important Goal and the key areas that will ensure it's success. What are the aspects you will need to measure so that you will know on any given day, at any given time, whether or not you are progressing on track?

2. List at least ten precise critical components you can begin measuring and tracking. (if you come up with more than ten, that's even better).

3. Create targets for each of the chosen areas. This can be done by looking at the end result and tracking backwards. What are the ideals you will need to achieve in order to successfully realize your Goal?

4. Create the most appropriate schedule for tracking and checking your gauges and schedule it into your planner. How often should you measure your metrics, stats and gauges and examine your progress? If the Goal has no end, as such with an ongoing business, you can certainly break it down via yearly, quarterly, monthly, daily and even weekly measurements.

Since each Goal is unique, your Goal will require unique systems and schedules for tracking it. By implementing this for all of your highest priority Goals, you will instantly begin to produce better results.

Goal Achieving abides by the Universal Law of Cause and Effect. If you don't like the results you are creating, change your approach, increase your efforts, modify your plan, but don't stick your head in the sand and neglect to see the truth of the situation.

The fastest way to improve your results is to measure your progress. So re examine your most cherished Goals and see where you stand. Your mind will instantly begin to search for ways to make improvements in those key areas.

Numbers don't lie. Welcome whatever data you receive and take the appropriate actions to ensure your success!

Live Your Dreams
_________________
Jill Koenig, the "Goal Guru" is America's Top Goal Strategist. A best selling Author, Coach and Motivational Speaker, she is an expert on the subjects of Goal Setting, Time Management and Business Success. Her Goal in life is to help you UNLEASH your untapped potential. Get your FREE Goal Setting CD at www.GoalGuru.com.

-What are your thoughts? Any ideas you would like to share as they relate to tracking goals?

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

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A Warning about Goals By Jim Stovall

2008-10-04T22:47:00.000-07:00

We have all heard the admonition, “Be careful what you ask for.” The dilemma in setting a goal is that you may not achieve it, so you fail to get what you want; or you may achieve it, and you still can fail to get what you want.

I was just visiting with a fellow entrepreneur and business owner. He is in the consulting and personal development field and has a true passion for helping people and businesses. My friend got into this business because he liked the process of working directly with people.

Several years ago, he set a goal to grow and increase his business. His goal related to how many employees he had, and he measured his progress by the size of his staff and the number of consultants and presenters he employed.

In our most recent discussion, there was good news and bad news. The good news was that he had reached his goal and had the number of employees he had set out to get. The bad news is that now he spends all of his time managing employees that are good people but do not equal the power and passion he brought to his speaking and consulting.

He set a goal because he loved his work, and as his business grew, he -- by necessity -- shifted from someone who pursued his passion on a daily basis to someone who manages people and projects.

There is certainly nothing wrong with people who can manage others. It is a valuable and important skill; however, if you want to work directly with audiences and people you mentor as a consultant, being a manager may be very frustrating.

One of my favorite books that I have read multiple times is entitled Seven Summits by Dick Bass. Dick Bass and his friend Frank Wells were top level corporate CEOs. After reaching middle age, they both determined they would climb the tallest mountain on each of the seven continents.

Even though neither of them had climbing experience, Dick Bass actually reached his goal and, in doing so, became the oldest person at the time to climb Mt. Everest.

At one point in their yearlong odyssey, they were climbing the tallest peak in Antarctica. This is a tremendous challenge due to the hostile climate and remote region of the earth. At one point in the middle of the climb up the mountain, they received a radio communication from their base camp to stop climbing. When Dick Bass inquired why they should stop climbing toward the summit, one of their guides told them that the area was so isolated they were waiting on satellite confirmation that they were climbing the right mountain.

Before you start climbing a mountain, make sure it’s the right one. And before you set a goal, make sure it is something you really want.

As you go through your day today, make sure your goals fit your passion, and then make sure your activities fit your goal.

Today’s the day!
_________________
Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network, as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082, or by e-mail at JimStovall@aol.com. Visit www.JimStovall.com

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

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Goal Setting - If They Can Do It, You Can Do It By Jim Meisenheimer

2008-08-13T08:31:00.000-07:00

Goal setting -- it's so easy and yet it's so hard. It has to be hard because so few people do it.

Some people did it and don't do it now. Even people who have set goals in the past and have achieved them no longer set goals for themselves. I find it mind-boggling.

There is an old Gaelic Proverb that says, "Some people make things happen, some watch things happen, while others wonder what has happened."

Which kind of person are you?

Do you know the secret to getting things done? I mean getting the really important things in your life done.

I'm sure you've heard this before, so this is just a simple reminder, it's plain old-fashioned goal setting.

I was reading Inc. Magazine over the weekend and read an article about Joe Cirulli. When he was 21 and broke he made a written list of 10 things he wanted to accomplish in life. He achieved them one at a time.

What was he thinking? The audacity of a man to test the limits of goal setting without having two nickels to rub together.

Joe's goals were to:

1. Earn $100,000 by the age of 25.
2. Own a health club in Gainesville Florida.
3. Own a home in the mountains and one by the ocean.
4. Build a home for his parents by the ocean.
5. Travel all over the United States.
6. Travel all over the world.
7. Own a Mercedes-Benz like the one driven by the $6 Million Man.
8. Become a black belt.
9. Become a pilot and own a plane.
10. Save $1 million.

Joe is a piece of work. I mean really! The article went on to say that Joe was tremendously influenced by two classic self help books - The Power Of Positive Thinking, by Norman Vincent Peale and Think And Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill.

So he reads two books and writes 10 goals and his life is changed forever - imagine that.

He unraveled the secret to success which is knowing exactly what you want and putting it all on paper.

Now then, if you're a football fan, you probably know the name Lou Holtz, who was the former head coach at Notre Dame.

In 1966 Lou was 28 years old when he was hired as an assistant coach at the University of South Carolina. His wife Beth emptied the bank account for a down payment on a house. Just one month later the head coach suddenly resigned and Lou Holtz was unemployed.

To help boost his morale his wife gave him the book titled "The Magic Of Thinking Big," by David Schwartz. The author suggested you write down all the things you want to achieve during your lifetime.

So Lou Holtz sat down and wrote 107 goals. Thinking big - one of these goals was to become the head coach of Notre Dame.

Let's see, did I get this right? Two guys in their 20s read inspirational books and prepare a list of goals they want to achieve.

Like magic, and of course not without a lot of hard work, these guys go out and achieve their goals.

So if you want to make the most of your life as Joe and Lou have done - do the following:

1. Read "The Power Of Positive Thinking," and "Think And Grow Rich" and "The Magic Of Thinking Big."
2. Using a blue pen and a yellow legal pad write a list of goals you want to achieve personally and professionally during your lifetime.

And why should you do this?

"Some people make things happen, some watch things happen, while others wonder what has happened."

You should do this because your Goals will make things happen for you.

If Joe and Lou can do it, you can do it too!
__________
Jim Meisenheimer shows salespeople how to increase sales using no-brainer selling skills. Receive a copy of Jim's free Selling Report that reveals 25 Ways To Get Motivated.

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Four Steps to Increase the Power of Your Focus -- By Anne Bachrach

2008-07-10T07:34:00.000-07:00

Living your life without practicing The Power of Focus, is like trying to hit the bull's eye of a target you can't see. You can spend hours launching arrows, only to miss the target entirely. You become exhausted and frustrated when your repeated efforts don't show the results you are trying to achieve. This is what it feels like to operate without The Power of Focus.

To get to where you want to be, you must hold clear in your mind what you most want. Your subconscious mind is a powerful, goal-achieving machine, but it can't lead you to your desired goal, if you don't provide it with a specific target. If it doesn't have a clear and specific target, it can't get you there. As Stephen Covey would say, you must begin with the end in mind.

The Power of Focus is the practice of focusing on the 'right' tasks at hand, while minimizing distractions that take your focus away from your goals. It will improve time management, professional and personal performance, task efficiency, overall life balance, and provide your mind the information it needs to get you to the bull's eye.

When you focus on the 'right' activities that lead to 'big' goal achievement, you will succeed. A client of mine set a goal she was afraid to set because she had never been successful at achieving it before. We brainstormed a list of what we thought were the 'right' activities she needed to do in order to achieve this particular goal. She got focused on these activities, did them, and exceeded her goal! The same thing can happen for you when you focus on the 'right' activities.

Step 1. Create a Long-Term Goal List ...

What are your Long-Term Goals within the next 3-5 years? Within 10 years? They can be anything you want - but they must be what you really want. Your Long-Term Goals should go far beyond your comfort zone and how you would ideally like to see your life. Again, asking to retire rich isn't specific enough - you must include as many details as possible along with the date you would like to achieve each goal.

Step 2. Create a Short-Term Goal List ...

What are your Short-Term Goals? Within one week? Within 3 months? Whatever they are, include specific dates down to the month, day and year. Prioritize your short-term goals and put the goal that is most important to you at the top of the list. When you finish the most important things, move them off your list and do the next one, then the next one.

It isn't the one that is the easiest to do and the one with the least amount of discomfort. It is the one that is the most important to do first that will have the biggest impact on your overall success. Maybe there is a goal you would like to achieve, but you're not totally convinced you can do it. How do you know if you don't try? The mind is a goal-achieving machine and can help you do more than you think.

Hang your Short- and Long-Term Goals up where you will see them frequently, even many times throughout the day. Remain mindful of your goals as you go about your day and read them aloud every morning and every evening before going to sleep. Your goal lists serve two purposes. First, it uses The Power of Focus to help you concentrate on what you DO want so you can work on making it a reality. Secondly, they serve as positive reinforcements. When you can cross off a goal because you achieved it - you feel good! Then you have room to add new goals.

Step 3. Create a Daily Task List ...

At the end of each day, create your Task List for the following day. Prioritize your tasks in order of importance, with the most important being at the top of the list. The following day, start with the number one item and work your way down the list. At the end of the day, you will have completed your tasks with improved organization and efficiency.

This is the part where most people run into trouble - they hate making a task list! And that's OK, you don't have to like it - but it is necessary for your success. Why? Because successful people practice The Power of Focus every day and a Daily Task List is part of that regiment. You must be an active participant in your life and take responsibility for those things that you must do. And it's easier to do that when your tasks are staring at you in the face! You can't conveniently forget about them...You suddenly become accountable for your actions, and knowing that this is all part of the process of becoming successful.

Step 4. Calendar Everything and Honor Thy Calendar ...

Once you have your tasks listed, put all your activities on your calendar. Determine how much time it takes to do each activity and place them on your calendar. A good rule of thumb is to add a bit more time to what you think as it may actually take you longer. If you are like me, I always think I can accomplish more than I actually can in the time allotted. To prevent you from falling behind or feeling frustrated if you do take longer than you think, just give yourself a bit more time up front. If you complete the activity ahead of schedule, you can easily move on to the next task.

The Power of Focus is more than just goal-setting exercises. It is a process in which you develop a crystal-clear vision of where you want to be, so your goal-achieving machine can make it a reality. Remember, your subconscious mind is a goal-achieving machine. It is exactly that - a machine. It reacts to the information fed to it - no emotion, no judgment. This works to your advantage or disadvantage. The subconscious mind doesn't know how to judge the information it receives, it only reacts to it.

Whatever you feed your mind will become your reality. This is why practicing The Power of Focus every day is so important. Focus on your goals, and your subconscious mind will actually support you in taking the right actions to get you to your goals.

When you are living with your goals in mind, your subconscious mind is working to make it a reality. Practice The Power of Focus in your daily life and give your mind the chance to do what it does best - be a goal-achieving machine. Use the Power of Focus to achieve all your goals and live your dreams!
__________
Get a copy of a Free 27-page Special Report and 8 other Free resource tools at www.AccountabilityCoach.com -- obtain your copy of the Excuses Don't Count; Results Rule 96-page e-book and the Results Rule 155-page workbook, a long with a collection of other tools available to you there.

*What are your thoughts on what you just read? Any ideas you'd like to add?

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Your Goal is Unimportant, Yet Absolutely Necessary By James Ray

2008-07-09T06:52:00.000-07:00

Seem confusing? Paradoxical? Actually, goals (or as I like to call them, "intentions") are a paradox in that they're nothing more than an illusion. A transparent veneer behind which true reality hides.

What do I mean?

Well, we've been conditioned to believe we must control the physical plane. The more money, toys and possessions you have, the more valuable you are as a person. This is totally false and yet... somewhat true. (It's OK if you're totally confused right now.)

Stick with me as I pull it together for you...

What you have and what you possess have nothing to do with who you are. Not really. And yet, your accomplishments are a valuable measuring device of your level of consciousness.

It takes a bigger person to beat the odds like Donald Trump, going millions of dollars in debt and still rebounding. It takes a bigger person to go bankrupt several times like Walt Disney and still build a Disneyland. To build a Microsoft like Bill Gates and then becoming even more active in pursuing your creative passion. To overcome a childhood of abuse and molestation like Oprah Winfrey, turning it around to become the world's first African-American woman billionaire. A bigger visionary to carry a $10,000,000 check in your wallet and visualize receiving it while living in your broken down van.

Jim Carrey's visualization became his realization.

Are these people perfect? I can't be the judge of that, but what I do know is that their physical accomplishments are indicative of their intentions and the level of power and consciousness in the area that they pursue.

Intentions are a paradox in that they ultimately are unnecessary and yet absolutely necessary. Regardless of who you are or how you're applying yourself... you and I ultimately have ONE goal: GROWTH!

And growth is what's hiding behind the veneer I mentioned earlier. Your intention is only a means to an end (the ultimate end)... your full self-actualization and growth!

In the grand scheme of things, do you think it really matters how much money you make?

What kind of car you drive? The title you have? The neighborhood you live in? Not really. It only matters to the degree that you apply yourself to something that creates passion in your heart, mind and spirit. And of course, that it necessitates your growth.

Consequently, as you choose your intentions, measure them against the following criteria:

Does this intention create passion in my heart and soul? Do I have a burning desire to achieve this intention?

Does this intention (and its due date) scare me and excite me at the same time? Is it "teetering edge"?

Will this intention cause me to stretch and grow? Do I need to become a bigger person to accomplish it?

Will achieving this intention bless and provide value to others? If I achieve this will I be able to give more?

Will I need help from my Higher Source to accomplish this intention?
If you answer yes to these 5 qualities, put it in high gear and get moving! If you answered no to ANY ONE of them, reevaluate your intention.

Remember a few key principles about intentions:

* You are worthy of any intention you choose... You must answer the question, "Is this intention worthy of me?" Are you willing to trade your life (time, energy, commitment) for it to be accomplished?

* Growth is the only intention, so learn to enjoy the journey. Once you achieve your intention, it'll automatically be time for a new one. The process of getting there is where the wealth, excitement and experience lie.

* Make sure your intention is a BHAG (Harvard's "Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal") that you aren't quiet sure HOW you're going to achieve. By doing this, you'll build your creativity and faith.

Have a big, hairy, audacious week and make your life magnificent!

To your continued wealth and happiness,
James Arthur Ray
____________
James Arthur Ray of James Ray International is an expert in teaching individuals how to achieve Harmonic Wealth® in all areas of their life by focusing on what they want, opposed to what they don't want. The Harmonic Wealth Weekend will explain in detail how success is state of mind and how the principles of quantum physics (as seen in the movies What the Bleep and The Secret) can be applied to proven success-building techniques.

* What are your thoughts? Anythind you'd like to add on the topic of goal-setting that you just read?

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Successful Goal Selection -- Avoiding Self-Sabotage By David Schaefer

2008-07-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

Successful goal selection stems from our inner perceptions and the congruence of our actions. If what we want and how we go about accomplishing our goals is incongruent, then we are likely to experience a degree of self-sabotage.

In order for success to be achieved, ones intentions and actions must be in alignment when selecting and committing to a goal. It is important to take time to consider if the results you desire will actually be processed effectively by your goal choice.

Ask yourself these 3 questions when contemplating a goal:

* Do I truly want what I think I want?

* Do I earnestly believe that I can achieve my goal?

* Do I deeply feel that I deserve to have what I want?

It is certainly better to be clear about your answers to the above questions than to forge ahead and then have nagging doubts. Otherwise, you may become a candidate for self-sabotage. So, how do you explore your true intentions so that ultimately your actions will be in successful alignment?

The answer is to take a close look at your real intentions, your level of belief, and your feelings about deserving the outcome. Lets take a look at each of these points.

Explore your real intentions. Why are you acting on this particular goal? Is it actually your goal or the idea of another person? Is the goal 100% what you want? Taking the time to consider this fundamental step is very important and can mean the difference between success and disappointment.

Explore your level of belief. In addition to wanting the goal, do you truly believe the goal is achievable? Do you believe down deep this is important enough to you to go after it? Have you thought about the tools and resources you will need for positive action? Can you commit yourself to what is necessary to accomplish the results you want?

Explore your feelings about deserving the outcome. While this may seem strange, if you do not completely feel that you are worthy of a successful outcome, all the time and energy invested simply will not bring the goal to fruition.

If you want the goal and believe in it, but have any doubt whether you are worthy of its success, figure out why you feel this way. Most likely, when honestly addressed, you can resolve this issue and move forward.

It is absolutely wonderful when your intentions and actions are in alignment and you know that you want a goal, believe in it, and deserve it. But, unless you consciously deal with these basic elements, then it is possible to sabotage your well-intended efforts.
_____________
David Schaefer is a success coach and writes on the topic of personal and professional development. He offers a free Audio CD about Breakthrough Success at DiscoverMillionDollarDesire.com -- you may also visit his blog.

*Anything you'd like to add? Use the comments section to let your voice be heard.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*brought to you by GoalsSuccess.com

On Advertising Your Goals By Joe Tye

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Say Yes! to Goals -- By Bryan Flanagan

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

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

* You seldom hit anything unless you shoot at it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sponsor: If you're looking for a motivational speaker -- contact Josh Hinds (your host here at GoalsSuccess.com)

The Rules of Goal Setting By Helaine Iris

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*brought to you by GoalsSuccess.com

Sponsor Message: Grab your copy of Josh Hinds Motivational Audio Program!

Are your goals Learnable? Bob Garvey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yours on Purpose,

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

Sponsor Message: DO YOU SET GOALS BUT RARELY REACH & KEEP THEM? I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE THE LAZIEST PERSON ALIVE...
If you just can't get yourself to do what you must do, if your willpower and persistence always seems to fizzle out, then join people from 54 countries who are now using the new paradigm in personal growth. Click here to learn about it all...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Team Goal Setting

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

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

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

Examples of Team Goal Setting -- Tools You Can Use

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Microblogging -- twitter and the like

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

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

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

That's all for now...

Happy goal-setting ... and remember

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

* Grab your copy of Josh's Motivational Audio Program!

(c) All rights reserved.

Vision Boards and the Four Step Success Formula By Barbara Pellegrino

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

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

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

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

1. Goal: Know what you want.

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

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

1) They don't know what they want.

2) They no longer believe its possible or

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS KEEP GOING UNTIL YOU SUCCEED.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Accountability works for the following reasons:

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

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

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

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

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

*brought you by GoalsSuccess.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*brought you by GoalsSuccess.com

Seven Reasons Why Goals Matter By Kevin Eikenberry

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Journey to Your Goals By Kevin Eikenberry

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The sooner you know where you want to go in life, the sooner you can get there!
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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.

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

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