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January 10, 2008

Changing Seasons - New Beginnings

Filed under: Goal-Setting, Self-Improvement — Lori Radun @ 12:15 am

With each changing season, it’s a time to reflect on the past and make plans for the future. The seasons of the year can be compared to various cycles of our life. When I think of spring, it reminds me of new growth, opening up, and coming out into the world. Summer is time for sunshine and playtime - many of us vacation and enjoy fun activities. Fall marks change and preparation for the colder months. As winter approaches, our focus shifts to warmth and indoor pastimes like blazing fires, board games and snuggling.

Not every corner of the world enjoys the dramatic shifts in the seasons, but we can all use the changing seasons as a way to purge the old and start fresh. Use this six step process at the end of each season and transform yourself and your life in new and exciting ways.

1. Clear Out the Old

Old what? Get rid of old clothes you and other family members no longer wear. Throw out or donate old items you do not use. Clearing out the old involves a process of decluttering every aspect of your life. Not only should you declutter your environments, but also your relationships and yourself as well. What old patterns or beliefs no longer serve you? What old behaviors or habits interfere with your goals in life? It’s time to cast them out of your life. What relationships in your life are you struggling with? Maybe there are old arguments that need to be put to rest, or old feelings that need to be resolved. By purging the old, you make room for new growth to take place.

2. Take Time to Rejuvenate

End and begin each new season with a getaway that refreshes you physically, emotionally and spiritually. Take a long weekend by yourself or with a special person that fills you up. Do things you don’t normally do for yourself. I recently spent a three day weekend with my mom - just the two of us. We shopped, talked over tea, and watched movies. One day we stopped for a manicure and luxurious pedicure. For me, it was like heaven to sit in a huge massage chair with my feet dipped in warm, bubbly water. Taking time to rejuvenate gives you energy and a fresh outlook on life.

3. Reorganize Your Life

Organization does wonders for your life. It simplifies, energizes and generally makes life run smoother. Take a look around your home. What needs better organization? Cabinets, drawers and closets are usually an excellent place to start. I recently reorganized my office. I rearranged the furniture, added more storage, updated my filing system and hung new pictures on the walls. For me, it helps me gear up for a busy speaking season and clears my mind to create new ideas. Reorganization can also involve creating new routines in your life. Now is the time to introduce a morning routine, chore routine, after school routine or any other new routine that would help manage your life.

4. Try on a New Focus

With a new season comes an opportunity to try new things or focus on something different. The purpose of this process is to grow and stretch you in ways that will bring about positive change in your life. Pick an area in yourself that you would like to develop. Perhaps you’d like to learn a new skill or take up a new hobby. Maybe you’re tired of living in fear and you’d like to cultivate courage. Perhaps your marriage could benefit from better communication or conflict resolution skills. This season another coaching peer and I have decided to work through a book together that will help each of us examine our personal relationship with money. Whatever it is, make a commitment to educate yourself, engage in personal discovery, and mature in your new focus.

5. Renew Commitments

Do you have commitments you’ve made to yourself or other people that have fallen by the wayside? Commitments to be on time, exercise regularly, eat healthier, and stop procrastinating are all examples of promises that can be renewed. We don’t have to wait for a new year - a new season (or any other time, for that matter) is an excellent time to start anew. What commitments did you keep last season that you want to continue? I kept a very detailed and organized work schedule that significantly helped balance my life. I am committing to continue that in the new season. Take time to think about your life and the intentions you want to set for the coming season.

6. Set Goals

How do we incorporate all these new changes into our life? We set goals that enable us to reorganize, recommit, and refocus on growth. Looking ahead to the end of this next season, what would you like to accomplish by then? Make a list of 3-5 goals to focus on for the new season. Make your goals specific. I want to organize all my closets. Your goals should be measurable. I want to lose weight vs. I want to lose 20 pounds. Set goals that are reasonable and achievable. Ask yourself if your goals are realistic. Anticipate any obstacles that may stand in the way of achieving your goals - make plans to conquer those obstacles. Lastly, make sure your goals are time-oriented. Set an exact date your goals will be attained. By setting goals and mapping out the tasks it will take to accomplish these goals, you are increasing your chances of creating what you want.

The changing season is a new beginning - an opportunity to recreate your life.

Lori Radun, CEC - certified life coach for moms. To
get her FREE newsletter and the special report ‘155 Things Moms Can Do to
Raise Great Children’, go to http://www.true2youlifecoaching.com

December 24, 2007

A Tribute to Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin and the Power of Goals

Filed under: Goal-Setting, Self-Improvement — Jill Koenig @ 2:50 pm

Like so many people around the World, I was truly stunned to hear the news of the passing of Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, due to a highly unusual stingray barb to the heart while filming a documentary.

I want to share with you somethings you might not have known about Steve.

Steve was raised in a zoological environment. His parents founded the Australia Zoo in 1970. Steve spent his entire life around wildlife. He caught his first croc at the age of 8. He did not set out to become a tv personality, it actually happened quite by accident as he was pursuing another goal. Wildlife Conservation.

Steve’s first passion in life was Wildlife Conservation.

Irwin said, ‘That’s why I was put on this Earth. That’s why I’m here.’

Steve was busy with his passion for crocodile conservation, humanely capturing crocs when he had an idea. He wanted to film a documentary using a video camera his father gave him.

Because he was usually working alone, he decided to set up a video camera in a tree to film himself in action so he could share it with his father and his friends. His friends were immediately captivated and he garnered enough support to film his first full documentary, which later inspired his television show, which made him a worldwide star and put a much bigger spotlight on Wildlife Conservation.

Irwin had a larger than life personality. He connected with everyone from young children to adults of all ages. His enthusiasm was contagious. He found a way to entertain while teaching. You know you learn more when you’re having fun and you couldn’t help but be captivated as Irwin told the story of each creature he featured.

‘If you can touch people with wildlife, they will want to save it.’ -Steve Irwin

Irwin knew that working with wildlife was risky. He had been bitten and stung and injured many times working with animals over the years. He knew wild animals are wild. Yet he still had the courage to reach out to millions of people to educate and communicate the plight of various wildlife.

One of the most valuable lessons we can learn from Steve Irwin is to follow your bliss and pursue your passions. He lived pursuing his passion, every single day of his life. He met his wife while pursuing his passion (while she was also pursuing hers), his family was integral in his passion and he died pursuing his passion.

He was a passionate son, brother, husband to Terri, father of two, friend to many and inspiration to millions.

One of his friends said, ‘He lived 10 lifetimes in his 44 years.’

‘The reason I have been put on this planet is to save wildlife.’ -Steve Irwin

He considered himself a Wildlife Warrior. Irwin said, ‘A warrior is someone who is engaged in battle and my battle is Conservation.’

If you were touched by Steve Irwin’s life, do something today to honor his mission. Get involved with a conservation group, make a donation, write a letter, join a club, talk to your children about it. Find out what you can do with what you have. There is always something you can do. Just do something.

Steve’s goal was Wildlife Conservation.

Set a goal today to honor your own passion.

Have the courage to develop your own gifts and share them with the world.

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. She is the host of the Goal Guru Radio Show. Her passion in life is helping you Achieve your Goals and Unleash your untapped potential. Learn Cutting Edge Goal Strategies and get your FREE ebook at http://www.GoalGuru.com

October 26, 2007

The ‘Dark Side’ of Goal Achievement: Where’s the Tipping Point?

Filed under: Goal-Setting, Self-Improvement — Denise Corcoran @ 8:58 pm

As with all things in life, there are plusses and minuses … the good and the bad … the pleasure and pain side … to everything. And so it is with goal achievement.

Where’s the tipping point?

From my own personal life and from hundreds of business owners and executives whom I have coached, below are 3 telltale signs you are on the dark side of goal achievement. Do any of these sound like you?

1. Your sense of identity, worth and value depend on your achievements.

This sign is scary because it is so rampant in today’s culture. People often equate their value with how much they are achieving or not achieving … how their success compares to others … what their ‘image’ of success is. Even scarier, most people are unconscious that they are caught in this trap.

The Litmus Test: If you were to lose all your assets today or your business took a serious downturn , how would you feel about yourself? About your worth? Do you play it safe? Do you fear failure?

2. Achieving your goals becomes an end in itself, rather than a means to an end.

So many people today pursue goals that may fill their bank account. Yet bankrupt their heart and their soul. National surveys tell us that more than 90% of the population are unhappy in their work or business. Are you one of them?

Are your goals driven by your values? Do your goals give you a sense of meaning and fulfillment? is the destination more important to you than the journey?

3. Achieving your goals has become an obsession. Burnout, workaholicism and perpetual stress have become a way of life.

There is a fine line between working hard and workaholicism. Most people don’t know when they have stepped over that line. I know. I was one of those victims. And I paid a very high cost for stepping over that line.

In the late ’80’s, at the peak of my success consulting with multi-billion $ companies on high level strategic projects, my whole life came crashing around me. Not only was I battling for my survival due to a life threatening illness. I was forced to liquidate all my assets, sell my home and unable to work for over 5 years. The most excruciating pain, however, was on a soul level - ie., no longer knowing who I was or what my purpose was.

The Litmus Test: Do you find yourself, even in your ‘off time,’ always thinking about work? Do you suffer from constant sleep deprivation? Irritable? High adrenaline, with no peace of mind?

Summary: Achieving goals is neither good or bad in itself. It’s our intentions, our approach and the meaning we give to our achievements that makes it a positive or negative force in our lives. Don’t wait - like I did - before it is too late and it costs you dearly, to know where the line is drawn. From my own personal experience, when you stay on the right side of that line, life becomes an amazing, rich journey that ignites every fiber of your being. And your goals are the stepping stones that help you get there!

Denise Corcoran - CEO, The Empowered Business ™ - assists CEOs, executives and business owners in taking a quantum leap from the ordinary to extraordinary ? from unrealized dreams to mastering their destiny ? from slow growth to exponential results. A business & leadership coach, strategic consultant and Master NLP Practioner, Denise’s unique ‘inside out’ approach provides deep transformation and lasting change in you, your organization and your results. Her latest e-book: ‘The Mindset of Greatness: 21 Principles to Becoming an Unstoppable Woman … Oprah Winfrey Style!’ http://www.EmpoweredBusiness.com

Subscribe to her monthly ezine - The Empowered Business ™ - and learn the legendary secrets of top business achievers. http://www.empoweredbusiness.com/Newsletter_signup.html

Where Are You Going?

Filed under: Goal-Setting, Self-Improvement — David Allan King @ 7:27 pm

Do you know where you are going? I mean ? do you know where your life is headed for right now? To be progressing towards our goals in life we need to be focused. We need to know where we are going and to have at least some idea of where we are on the journey.

The trouble with most of us can often be that we try to travel in the fog or in the dark without a light to show the way forward. I am pretty sure that most people, including you, asked these questions, would not be able to give a clear answer. And maybe at times I am in that category too!

There are often options open to us which blur the picture of where we are going. Lack of focus on our goal or goals can mean that our energy is dissipated and wasted because it is spread too thinly over several ideas or projects. In some cases it may be worse than this. Lack of direction
can cause a sort of vision paralysis. We feel stuck in the place where we are, unable to move because we have no sense of direction.

Even worse than this can be the attitude which many have that life is just for living day by day and that no goals are necessary. This is a recipe for disaster in terms of any sort of real progress on the pathway that you are on this planet to pursue. If you are doing that, trying to be JUST a good
something or other ? wife, husband, mother, father, son, daughter, employer, employee ? then you are under achieving vastly and missing the mark. You don?t know where the mark is or even know that there is one to be aiming for!

All of the above mentioned functions are important. But each one only describes what we are in ONE aspect of our lives. To take just one example, the woman who strives ONLY to please her husband and ignores her own needs for fulfilment and progress in life is stunted and will not grow
spiritually or as a person. What we are to another individual is only one small part of our being, regardless of how large that part may seem at times.

So I ask the question again: Do you know where you are going? Do you know where your life is headed for right now? If your answer is in the negative (and remember, for most people it probably will) then you need to STOP AND TAKE STOCK of your life. If you continue on the way
you are now you will reap no more than what you are sowing. Much more needs to be said about goals. Listen to all that your higher self wishes to tell you and do that essential stocktaking before another day, week month, year or decade passes without significant progress or achievement.

October 6, 2007

3 Tips for Staying Motivated Towards Your Goals

Filed under: Goal-Setting, Self-Improvement — Connie Limon @ 9:52 am

It’s not always easy to stay motivated when you’re trying to achieve a goal. Some experts say that the ‘goal’ itself should be enough to inspire unwavering diligence toward achieving it…and there is an element of truth in that. However, the reality is that the discomforts of striving for a particular goal can sometimes cause us to lose focus.

Want to get in shape, save for a large purchase, ‘make the grade’ in your studies? Don’t worry…whatever you’re trying to accomplish, the following tips can help you stay motivated and on track.

Visualize the End Result

Can’t you just see yourself pounds lighter and fitting into a nifty outfit? The key question is how do you imagine yourself ‘feeling’? Healthier? Sexier? More self-confident? When you develop the ability to visualize your goals and imagine what the end results will be, you are more likely to stay motivated.

Many people have found it helpful to compose a ‘dream board’ which is an arrangement of images representative of the goal. For instance, if you were saving money for a tropical beach vacation, then you’d get some travel brochures or create a collage of pictures from a magazine of blue ocean, palm trees, exotic fruit drinks…you get the picture!

Set Intermediate Goals and Reward Yourself for Small Victories

It’s human to want results now. However, some worthwhile goals may require a great deal of effort and time to accomplish. Don’t let that deter you. By setting smaller goals, you can work on each step that will eventually add up to big results in the end.

And don’t forget to reward yourself when you reach small milestones along the way. Knowing that there are little ‘treats’ along the journey to your goal will keep you excited and motivated.

Draw Inspiration from Others

Sources of inspiration to stay motivated can come from success quotes, lyrics, movies that depict people who attained their dreams through hard work or even speaking with others who have achieved what you’re working toward. If they could do it…so can you!

If your focus begins to fade or you skid on a patch of discouragement, you may find it helpful to identify an accountability partner who will encourage you to stay the course. And, in instances where your partner is also striving toward an accomplishment, you’ll experience the magic of motivating each other toward success.

Visualizing the end result, celebrating small victories along the way and drawing inspiration and encouragement from others are three powerful, easy-to-implement methods of staying motivated toward reaching your goals. So, go for it!

Author: Treasure Wilson. Self Improvement Book is a new informational website about self improvement. We provide you with articles and resources. Many topics covered. Please submit your articles for inclusion at: http://www.selfimprovementbook1.com

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

Author: Connie Limon. Self Improvement Book is a new informational website about self improvement. We provide you with articles and resources. Many topics covered. Please submit your articles for inclusion at: http://www.selfimprovementbook1.com

September 16, 2007

Begin With The End In Mind

Filed under: Goal-Setting, Self-Improvement — Deborah Chaddock Brown @ 4:12 pm

Picture your life with the end in mind. What have you accomplished? Of what are you most proud? Who is by your side?

I had a glimpse of what I would like the end to look like today. I am a believer that God has already written the outline of my story on His tablet. However, I know that, like a good parent, He?ll allow me to make choices and not always those He would have for me.

Have you ever tried to complete a maze? Experience tells you to use a pencil because you never get it right on the first try. You study the maze before ever putting the pencil tip down. There is a clear beginning ? Start ? and a clear ending ? Finish ? but in between are a series of paths from which to choose. Some lead to a dead end early on, like the decision to take up the drums as a pre-teen. You turn around and head back to the beginning.

Other paths appear to be correct for awhile. You turn, twist and think you are headed to the finish line only to come up against a brick wall, like a failed marriage.

In our Pastor?s sermon this past week, he quoted Robert Frost?s famous lines of poetry:

?Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.?*

He reminded us that although Jesus set out on his journey knowing how his story would end, he took time along the way to have experiences, to create memories, to share his life with others.

And so it with us. We don?t know the end except that there is a guarantee to be one, yet we can begin to formulate now what our life will look like when we get there.

Are there children and grandchildren by your side? Do you have a particular career achievement? Did you make a difference in someone?s life? Did you create beauty in the world? Did you lead by example?

If you were to begin with the end in mind, what would be your first step toward your goal?

Would you hurry on your way, mindful of your life?s clock ticking?

Or would you savor each step, confident in the fact that you?ll get there someday?

Begin with the end in mind and then start walking.

*The Road Less Traveled, Robert Frost 1920

Deborah Chaddock Brown, owner of AllWrite Ink, has been writing since she was seven. AllWrite Ink is a corporate writing enterprise focused on providing solution-oriented content that enhances her customer’s brand message. She writes Word People Read SM. She recently penned ‘It’s a Party, Planning a Successful Retail Sales Event,’ a workbook designed to take the thinking out of planning a grand opening or customer appreciation day event for retailers. For more information visit http://www.allwriteink.com Deborah has two children and a kitten that inspire her thoughts and ideas.

August 17, 2007

How To Write Your Goals Effectively

Filed under: Goal-Setting, Self-Improvement — Adrian McMaster @ 1:25 am

Writing your goals can be an intimidating project because it forces you to truly think about what you want to accomplish and make an action plan that details how you will set out to achieve each goal. In order to write their goals, many people need to develop a more positive mindset. Developing a positive mindset can not only help you develop reasonable goals, it can also help you change other areas of your life. This can lead to increasing your ability to meet your goals and achieve success on your own terms.

The first thing you need to do when writing your goals is change your mindset about how a goal should be written. Many people write goals like ‘make more money’ and ‘work out more.’ The problem with these types of goals is that they are too general. You need to develop a mindset that allows you to develop specific goals. Developing specific goals makes them more solid and can help motivate you to do what’s necessary to achieve them. More specific goals would be to ‘make $5,000 more per year’ or ‘work out four times per week.’

Your mindset about writing goals should also change to include how measurable the goals are. When you write generalized goals such as ‘lose weight’ or ’spend more time with family,’ you are not giving yourself a way to measure your progress. Good goals should be measurable; that is, they can be measured in terms of time, amount earned, or other measurements. Better goals than ‘lose weight’ and ’spend more time with family’ would be ‘lose 40 pounds’ or ’spend two hours per week with family.’ This makes it easier to track your progress as you work to achieve your goals.

Developing the correct mindset for writing your goals has another important component. This is the ability to separate realistic goals from unrealistic goals. The whole point of the goal writing process is to develop a plan of action that motivates you to achieve the goals you have developed. If you develop goals that are unrealistic, it will be very difficult to motivate yourself. For example, ‘earn $5 million in one year’ is attainable only for a very select few individuals. A more realistic goal would be to ‘earn $50,000 in one year’ or to ‘earn a $5,000 bonus.’ Having goals that are realistic will help you arm yourself with the tools necessary to achieve the goals you have developed.

Another part of having the correct mindset for writing your goals is being able to develop timely goals. ‘Earn more money’ or ‘lose weight’ are not specific and they are also not timely. Setting timely goals means that you give yourself a specific time period in which you plan to achieve those goals. For example, ‘lose 40 pounds by January 1′ is a specific and timely goal. Having timely goals allows you to track your progress and can motivate you to put forth the effort necessary to achieve each goal you have set for yourself. Combining these four types of goals into one specific, measurable, realistic, and timely goal is the best way to motivate yourself to achieve your goals.

Writing your goals down can be difficult, especially if you are unsure about how to write goals that you can achieve. Remember the principles of setting specific, measurable, realistic, and timely goals and you can cut down on the generic goals you may be used to and start working with goals that are more motivating. All of the time and effort you put into writing your goals will result in a solid action plan that you can follow to achieve your goals and develop personal success.

When you need help setting goals, a step-by-step Action Plan is exactly what the doctor ordered. ‘Goal Setting Now and for Your Future’ will give you a proven goal setting formula to ensure you reach your goals in any area of life you wish to excel in. In addition, I include a free Goal Setting spreadsheet with my ebook which helps you to follow the formula properly and easily. To learn more about achieving your goals, check out my Goal Setting ebook here: http://singlelifeat45.com

July 17, 2007

Successful College Students Understand the Secret of Simplicity

Filed under: Goal-Setting, Self-Improvement — Jan Verhoeff @ 4:30 am

You may not think it is simple, to be a successful college student, but ? it is.

By setting goals, having strong values, and using value methods to prioritize your activities, you can simplify life at college and succeed in obtaining your educational goals all while living a dynamic and successful life. A College Coach can help you sort out these issues and find your ultimate college success goals.

Of course, as with any process of success, there are a few rules:

1. Write down your goals.

Write down your primary goals, focus them on specific areas of your life, and break them into doable segments. Write them down. Formulate a plan on paper and put it where you can review it frequently to make sure you?re keeping up to date with your plan of action.

2. Prioritize your life.

Since you have your goals in front of you, written down, it?s fairly simple to look at the goals and see if the activities coming up are working toward your goals or not. Determine the energy and value you are willing to put into an activity based on its value within your goal plan.

3. Maintain strong personal boundaries.

Your ultimate goal requires you to maintain personal boundaries. This doesn?t mean that a crisis has to be ignored, but it does mean you need to consider the value of the crisis. For instance: your grandmother is very ill and your parents want you to come home for the weekend, by all means GO, visit grandma, support your family, and build those important relationships. OR your buddy got drunk and is calling you at 3AM to rescue him from the county hoochie, but you have an exam in the morning. Let him sit it out, sober up and pick him up after you pass your exam. He needs to realize his emergency is due to his own bad behavior and not your problem. (In fact, if stone sober, he doesn?t immediately apologize for waking you up at 3 AM, leave him in there for another month.)

Looking for a college coach to help you sort through the maize of confusion? David Ritchey, The College Coach, at http://davidritchey.com has a roadmap for college success all lined out.

Life solutions come in short supply, but hope is always available. Marketing Guru, Jan Verhoeff presents a variety of resources for achieving success. Successful business development begins with a solid foundation in education and understanding of the Laws of the Universe. Refresh your achievements with Marketing Resources from http://janverhoeff.com

June 19, 2007

How Persistence Achieves Goals

Filed under: Goal-Setting, Self-Improvement — Mike Brescia @ 10:55 pm

How often do you find yourself asking ‘Am I even a little closer today to my goal than yesterday?’

For those of you who may not know who Ray Kroc is, he’s the guy who took McDonald’s from a little hamburger stand to the most successful restaurant chain in the world. He’s long since passed away yet the systems that he set up still thrive and dominate today. He developed and improved on systems of training, making the food, presentation, franchising, and advertising that made a moderately successful joint into a global phenomenon. Systems and persistence.

Many people thought he was a crazed lunatic, concerning his fanaticism about consistency. But Ray understood that once a system, good or bad, is in place, it’s nearly impossible to change it. And that’s how we all are as individuals, too. Once we get a habit, it becomes very hard to break… Giving up too soon is the saddest thing in the world.

My wife told me a story the other day about a co-worker who has never hit the ‘Help’ button in any software program she’s ever used… and she’s used computers every day for years. She thinks it will take too long to find the answer, so she just doesn’t even bother. Don’t laugh–you probably have a few of these yourself. Find them and snuff them out.

Do you look at potential goals and get overwhelmed by all the stuff you’d have to do to achieve it and thus never start anything? The right way is to write down all the benefits that you’ll get–spiritually, physically, emotionally, socially… any benefit. Look far into the future. Write ‘em down. This simple exercise will help you stay motivated to see it through.

If it takes months or even years to get what you want, keeping your eye on the ball will keep you going. If you don’t even know why you’re doing something, how can you possibly stay passionate about it? Simply put… You can’t.

Have you given up on a goal recently, where if you attained it, your life would be dramatically improved? Were you passionate about the goal? Of course you weren’t. Passionate desire helps create persistence.

Persistence alone will often get you where you want to go. Without it, it doesn’t matter how much you know, who you know, who you are, what you’ve done before, what you look like or how much money you have to throw at a problem. Persistence, sheer persistence usually will win. Determination will overcome even superior talent.

Even if you never reach the goal that you’ve worked so hard for, there is a pretty decent ancillary benefit… Character. Tomorrow’s another day. Your day.

WINNING BELIEFS:

– I learn with each misstep and persist with commitment

– I create systems in every thing I do and I save a lot of time

– I become more with every job I put behind me

– I always look for the benefit to me in a task

EMPOWERING QUOTE:

Press on. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.’ -Ray Kroc

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.

Mike Brescia is the creator of the world-renowned Think Right Now! Accelerated Success Conditioning Programs. Mike becomes your own personal success coach - guiding, motivating, inspiring, teaching and moving you in a way that only a best friend would. Mike will inspire you to take a hard look at yourself and be accountable for what you are in life, to be dissatisfied with the ‘old you’ and the bad habits, to take action, ready to happily do whatever it takes to win the game of life.

Find descriptions of all his products at http://www.thinkrightnow.net

June 16, 2007

10 Year Goals?!

Filed under: Goal-Setting, Self-Improvement — Cedric Licuanan @ 10:08 pm

Have you ever noticed that you, your close family members, and friends seem to accomplish certain goals in all of our lives, whether we realize it or not? For example in grade school, we had a goal to graduate 8th grade in order to get to high school. Or how about getting our drivers licenses, to getting college degrees, to landing that first job? Maybe it was to achieve a certain level of success in our other activities and hobbies, or buying that first car or house. Whatever the case may be, we always have had accomplishments in our lives.

However, it came to my attention that the majority of us have only short-term goals. That is, a goal that we are working to accomplish within the next 6 months to a few years from now. It seems to be a rarity to see a person with a clear set of long-term goals, such as 10 years.

‘Wait……… did you say 10 YEARS?? From NOW?!?!’

That’s exactly what I said! Now, I KNOW what you’re thinking. It’s probably along the lines of:

‘So what’s the point of having 10 year goals anyways? That’s WAY too far off!!’

Believe me, I know how you feel. As a matter of fact, that’s EXACTLY what I felt when I was first presented with this concept! However, what I found was that sometimes as we progress through life, we tend to focus on what’s right in front of us. I know I’ve been guilty of that sin!

When a person takes their age and adds 10 years to it, what do you think happens? Well naturally, that person might picture themselves looking quite a bit older (or wiser?)-which is great for what we may LOOK like 10 years from now. But have we ever wondered what we would be DOING 10 years from now? Or even better, have we even considered the type of person we would BE 10 years from now?? Wife, Mother, Husband, Father, CEO, Wealthy, Retired, Soccer Coach, Manager, Athlete, Independent, etc. The possibilities are endless, this simple concept is mind blowing!

In addition to this mind blowing concept, I was taught to try and predict the type of person I would BE 10 years from now in the year 2015 by actually writing down some 10 year goals. Absolutely crazy, isn’t it??

When a person looks back on their life, they usually remember some of the great accomplishments that they have achieved. But along with all the success might come some regret as well. How many times have you thought about the person you were in the past compared to the person you are today, and you couldn’t help but think,

‘Hmmmm…. If only I had: *saved more money *had more fun *strived harder in school/job *started that dream business/career, etc…..Things would be much better for me and my family now….oh well, it’s too late now…*sigh*.’

Some people tend to live in the past like this, and as a result they NEVER seem to get what they want out of life. Doesn’t that stink? Sure it does! So what’s a possible solution?

Well, how about this? Instead of looking at the past, and wishing that things were different-why not try and imagine your life 10 years IN THE FUTURE assuming you continued your current path, and simply attempt to predict what your regrets would be in the year 2015? AND THEN, simply digging deep into yourself to correct these ‘future regrets’ by taking action towards the solution right now,THIS year!

Let’s look at an example: even though their current careers pay the bills, some people might not be too content with their careers. So naturally they think, ‘I wish I got into my dream career when I was younger…oh well, it’s too late now *sigh*.’ Well, this is certainly ONE unfortunate way to live life.

However, why not try this technique instead? Simply imagine yourself in the exact same unhappy career path 10 years from now in the year 2015. Then imagine yourself (in 2015 of course) thinking, ‘Hmmmm…if only I had taken those extra educational courses when I had the chance, back in 2005. Things would have been much better for me and my family now…..oh well..*sigh*.’ And NOW, when you snap yourself out of your thoughts, you realize that it’s the year 2005 TODAY!!!

With this little strategy as the catalyst and motivator towards some positive action, you can decide to start taking steps toward your dream career path, i.e. taking some extra courses, networking with others, etc TODAY. What is SO powerful about this technique is the simple fact that you might not have even considered taking action today without this little strategy. Can you imagine how this one little strategy alone could possibly save you and your family 10 years of career challenges in your lives?!

Ok….enough ‘talking’ already….let’s actually DO something! Getting started: One of the most POWERFUL ways to start the process is to simply write some goals on paper, and to simply have them in clear view daily. Authoring your goals on paper seems to have a very powerful reinforcing effect on your subconscious mind.

The easiest way to get some 10-year goals on paper is to simply break them up into little categories. You might have health goals, financial goals, career goals, family goals, etc…. Also, try your best to emphasize the person that you will BECOME rather than what you will just do. Of course, that’s up to you.

Step 1) Get a sheet of paper and pen OR open up your favorite word processing application on your computer.

Step 2) Pick out the most important categories that are important to you: Health, Career, Family, Finances, etc….

Step 3) Brainstorm for a few minutes and write down or type the first few goals that come out of your mind for each category. Remember these are goals that you will shoot for by the year 2015.

Step 4) Be creative, let your imagination run wild! Consult with a loved one as well!

Step 5) Place your name and date on your goal sheet. This way, you can hold yourself accountable. Step 6) Post your goal sheet in a highly visible place where you can view it on a daily basis-for example: on your bed stand, on your computer desktop, at work, in your wallet, on the refrigerator, etc….

Step 7) Read your goals every morning right when you get out of bed, and again at night right before you sleep.

Step 8) Take positive action towards each of your goals. Achieve your goals. Succeed, and HAVE FUN!!!

‘When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing — then we truly live life.’ -Greg Anderson

‘You control your future, your destiny. What you think about comes about. By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be.’ -Mark Victor Hansen

Cedric Licuanan is a thriving Chicago-Based Internet Marketer. He has focused on helping people achieve what they want out of life and currently maintains several success-driven websites.

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