Saturday, November 22, 2008

Setting and Achieving Goals - Your Success Depends on It

We all devote countless hours thinking of our present situation in life, and our future. During this thought process, you probably have found yourself wishing you could change something. The first step to making any change, whether personal or professional, is to set goals.

Many of us are fantastic at setting our goals, however, most of us are practically incapable of following through with them. When you think about it, how many times have you decided on a course of action and then simply couldn't follow through with it? Too often, we fail because we didn't take the time to create a realistic goal-setting plan.

By setting goals, and charting your achievement, you are able to see your accomplishments, and what you can successfully complete in the near future. When you analyze your goal plan, and assess your achievements, you gain a certain confidence in yourself, which enables you to conquer more challenging goals. Goal setting can be a relatively painless process, providing you have the self-discipline required to follow through. The outcome of a successfully achieved goal is extremely rewarding!

Benefits of Achieving Set Goals:

· Accomplish more in life
· Improve overall performance
· Feel an increased sense of satisfaction and pride
· Improve self-confidence and reduce negative thoughts

Think of goal setting as a process of personal development and planning. Setting goals enhances your ability to sort priorities in both personal, and business developments. When you know exactly what you plan to accomplish, you know what barriers you need to overcome. Goal setting is a way of life for many high-achievers: from professional athletes to multi-billion dollar companies. The idea is to create short-term motivation, with long-term triumph.

To effectively create a goal-setting plan, first think of what you hope to accomplish. Next, break it down in to more "bite-size" pieces. Consider your task as a completed puzzle--you see the whole picture at a glance. But, once the puzzle is in pieces, how do you go about re-assembling it? You start putting it together in sections, typically opting for the easier pieces--the ones that are obvious and make sense.

Set your goals in a format that includes time frames, such as the start date, amounts, completed-to-date, and the date of expected task completion.

When you have achieved a goal, take the time to enjoy the satisfaction of your success. Absorb the implications of the achievement, and observe the progress you have made towards future goals. If the goal was a significant one, don't forget to reward yourself accordingly!

The Unsuccessful Goal
Failing to reach your goals can go wrong for any number of reasons. When you fail to achieve a goal, the effects can leave a negative impact on both your attitude and self-esteem. The end result is giving up.

Why Some Goals Fail:

· The goal was set too high-(unrealistic)
· The goal was set too low (No feeling of accomplishment or satisfaction)
· The goal was set at the "outcome" level, rather than a "performance" level
· Too many goals were set at once. Focus on one goal at a time

The biggest reason for the inability to reach a goal is the failure to take action. You cannot reach your goals when you do not set a course of action.

The concept of setting goals is a cumbersome task in itself, therefore, it is logical to set goals separately in accordance to specific areas of your business and personal life. For example: if you want to further yourself in your career, you set goals pertaining to your career enhancement.

You see, while setting the goals can be the easy part, reaching them is a whole new story. As mentioned previously, you need to complete your goals in parts, one step at a time. Once you have
moved in to the first step of your goal, you have taken action--the most important step.

Think of a toddler, learning to walk for the first time. He sees a toy on the edge of the table, and his goal is to get it! He slowly gets up and takes the first step; he has a plan and now taking action. Then, the toddler takes another step, and another, and another. While he may fall a few times in the process, he knows the toy on the table is attainable if he just pushes himself. Often that first step is the hardest, and the next step can be equally difficult. Once you complete a few more, the steps are easier to handle.

Determining what is holding you back is a key factor in successfully moving on to the next step. Many people are followers, and do well only when there is group encouragement. In most cases, your goal is exactly that--your goal. It's up to you to find and embrace the will power required to succeed in achieving your goals.

The process of goal setting should not be looked upon as daunting. In fact, it can be quite exciting and brain stimulating. Setting your goals early enough will make your journey to both personal and online success that much smoother.

By Jullieanne Matheson



Jullieanne Matheson - Online since '99. Successful ezine advertising campaigns begin at: http://www.ezines-r-us.com

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Monday, November 17, 2008

Why Do You Think Success Begins With a Dream?

Successful people from whatever country, race or culture all have a trait that is common among all if one were to analyze their route to success a bit closely. That is, there is no "by chance". Any success that comes by is a result of intense focus, dedicated heart and firm mind on nurturing the "seed" of an idea, and they believe their ideas can work.

In life, we really need a dream to complete us. All of us have a dream inside us. Even you have a dream, which can be as mundane as marrying a nice partner and settling down in life content. To achieve more in life, that is to say you just need to dream "bigger".

"Your success BEGINS with a dream..."

So ask yourself now, what is your dream in life? Never be too late to reward yourself with a plausible dream. Otherwise, life will be truly pathetic, won't it?

Recall that while we were young, we dreamed and imagined most of the times by seeing what the adults are doing and we wish to be like them or even better next time when we grow up. Somehow, this fire in the belly died down gradually as we are in the education system which focuses more on academic achievements and we are forced to "readjust" to the realities.

Why does it that when we grow up, the passion in the belly just died down? Only a minority will grow up and successful achieve their childhood dreams. For these people, I would say they have broken the "code" that hinders them to success. Maybe this is due to the pressures, strains and complicated emotions that arise when we are adults. And it really takes a lot to break this life "code".

I know there carries a risk if we venture into something that is "unknown". That is why most people are ordinary in life. However, let's carry on dreaming our life and keep that passion burning. There has to have faith that what you do is worthwhile. Somehow you will find that right place and time to do it.

If you believe that you can, you no doubt can.

If you believe you can't, most probably you won't achieve.

By Mere T.



Mere T is a spiritual researcher, blogger, conservationist and freelance writer. She has benefited a lot from the guidance of psychic Maria Duval in the topic of spirituality. She lives in New Zealand with her family and she enjoys the serenity of her country as it helps her to build up on her spiritual bonding with the environment. Her blog is Maria Duval.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mere_T.

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Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Future Goals - Give Yourself Permission to Dream

For years I've had a list entitled "The Things I Want to do Before I Die" - it started off as 50 things, then 100, now there are at least 250 items on that last. Some are small things, like I want to read every book written by Edgar Allen Poe, some are bigger things like I want to go on a month-long African Safari. Among many other things there are people I'd like to meet, languages I want to learn, and business goals I want to achieve. I've crossed many items off that list - to live overseas, to learn German, to own a home, to own a business, etc... Some of my friends thought it was morbid that I called my list "the things I want to do before I die." I just figured it was inevitable and why not start checking things off my list now. After all, it's never too early to start living your dreams! When I began my coaching business I discovered something called a dream inventory - it's the same as my list, it just has a better name, and it made me realize all those "things" on my list, no matter how big or small, truly are dreams!

Asking clients to complete a dream inventory has been met with a wide-range of response. Some clients think it's silly, others really embrace it. I do have to say, the people that start off thinking it's silly have all come around. If you think about it though, every accomplishment from time immemorial has emerged as the end result of a dream, a vision, or perhaps even a far-fetched idea.

Start your Dream Inventory Today

Do you have a dream inventory? If not, I urge you to start one today! Many of the dreams you put on your list might be totally out of reach right now and that's okay. As you begin to grow and achieve, some of your dreams will become goals and perhaps some never will. This is all about dreaming it is not an exercise in your ability to actually achieve those dreams (I'll never be 6 ft tall, but a girl can dream!). Sometimes our dreams may seem too small or too insignificant to list, but list them anyway; there is no such thing as too small a dream. If a dream has value and worth to you, then it is important enough to be included on your list.

Here are some ideas for you to start creating your dream inventory today:

  • Who do you want to meet?

  • What books do you want to read?

  • What plays do you want to see?

  • What have you always wanted to do but never had time?

  • What hobbies do you wish you had?

  • What business goals do you want to achieve?

  • What things do you want to do/offer your customers?

  • Where do you want to travel?

  • What do you want to own?



By Michelle Seyfarth



What's stopping you from achieving all that you can? Seyfarth Diversified Strategies was found on the belief that every individual has the ability, and can become empowered to be all he/she is capable of becoming. A day, a life, a company, can be changed by understanding and affecting the attitudes, thoughts, and beliefs that drive goals and lead you to success.

For more information, check us out: http://www.SeyfarthDiversified.com

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Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Failure - What Next?

I was sitting in a Tea Stall which in slang is called a tapri. Sipping tea in a small glass cup, I was thinking about my failure. I had miserably failed in the last project I started. It had shifted me into a state of depression.

Rains have started and the climate was wet. This was adding to the intensity of my pain and frustration. I saw a poor man digging beside the tea stall. He was sort of erecting some wooden columns so as to add a roof on top of them.

I strolled there near him and asked with curiosity, "What are you doing?"

"I am building my hut back, saab", said he not even looking towards me.

"Will you like to have some tea?" I asked but I didn't waited for his answer, and ordered "laalaa! One cut chaai here please."

Now he looked toward me with appreciation, as if he was thanking me with his eyes.

"What happened to your hut?" my question.

"Yesterday's rains washed away my hut and I need to re-build this before night."

I felt a connection between his situation and mine. Strange enough but he was also broke so as I. His hut was brought down not because of his fault just like my project failed not because of me. When you have to face failure from the situation where you are not responsible you always have a question "Why me?"

"Don't you feel pain bhaiyya? This is such a sad thing that you have lost your hut yesterday. I can feel the pain you may have inside," I tried to console him by showing my sympathy.

"Pain saab!, I cannot afford to be painful, I cannot afford to even think about the sorrow and why me stuff. I must work again and build this hut from the start as fast as possible so my wife and child can have some roof tonight to sleep."

Internally I felt to touch his feet for teaching me this lesson. Wow! Can I afford to be frustrated? What am I doing? Just sorrowing and doing nothing to proceed further.

Yes even I cannot afford to be painful and do nothing. I must proceed. I got my lesson that day from an unconventional teacher.

By Tushar V Joshi



Tushar Joshi, Nagpur

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tushar_V_Joshi

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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Happiness - 5 Golden Rules For Being Happy Now and Always

No matter what you're looking for in this world, or in this lifetime, chances are that the underlying reason you're looking for it is so you can be happier than you are now. Think about it for a second; you certainly don't want more money and better health so you can be miserable. Likewise, if you want a great relationship, or some other kind of success, it isn't so your life will be completely ruined - it's so you can be happier than you are now. It is only natural to want to live, learn, grow, and be happy. Basically, if we aren't trying to stay alive, we're usually trying to be happy.

But why does it seem to be so difficult to be happy? Why do so many people suffer? Why are so many people sick, in debt, and/or in bad or un-fulfilling relationships and situations in their lives? The answer is simple: They aren't following the "rules." In order to be happy, you have to do certain things - "happy things," you might say. If you are unhappy in your current life, you will not be able to keep your life exactly the way it is and ADD happiness to the mix. Happiness isn't a "thing" that's missing from your life - your life is causing you to be and feel something other than what you call. "Happy." Below are "5-Golden Rules of Happiness;" they aren't always easy to follow, but they are very simple.

5-Golden Rules for Being Happy:

  1. "Don't worry; be happy." "Don't sweat the small stuff," don't sweat the big stuff, don't sweat the stuff you can't control, and don't sweat the stuff you can control. In other words, don't worry about anything.

  2. Judge not. Don't label, judge, or criticize anything or anyone; acceptance and allowance is the key to a happy, stress-free life. This may sound difficult - or even crazy - but, trust me; this is one of the biggest gifts you can give yourself.

  3. Think about others more than you think about yourself or your own problems. It is impossible to be unhappy unless you are thinking about yourself. Find someone to help; and stop spending so much time thinking about "You."

  4. Let Go! It is our attachment to things, people, situations, conditions, judgments, and our own fears and limiting beliefs that causes suffering. Nothing is permanent; practice non-attachment and release. Practice forgiveness along with non-judgment; you'll be glad you did.

  5. Think happy thoughts. Happiness is a feeling; and, feelings are caused by thoughts. You can't be happy unless you choose to be; and choosing happiness simply means choosing happy thoughts.

Because so much of the average person's life is spent in a kind of daze, stupor, or otherwise "unconscious" state - mindlessly doing the same things they did yesterday and the day before - these "rules" aren't always easy to follow. But happiness is a gift you must wake-up and claim if you truly want it. It is very simple; but it definitely takes effort. Of course, it is definitely worth the effort it takes to keep your mind focused on positive outcomes and happier thoughts. Your only other option is to remain in a miserable, unfulfilled, unhealthy, unhappy, or depressed, state. So what will your choice be? Before you choose your next thought, just remember: Your happiness depends on it!

By Pete Koerner

If you're ready to release your reasons for being unhappy and set yourself free from negative, painful, or uncomfortable emotions, visit us and download your FREE, Illustrated Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) Manual; just go to: http://www.ExploreExpandEvolve.com/free_download/ (It only takes about 10-seconds to get your Free EFT manual and start erasing fears, limiting beliefs, and other reasons for not being happy!).

Pete Koerner is the author of The Belief Formula: The Secret to Unlocking the Power of Prayer. The Belief Formula is a look at how you can use ancient wisdom and modern scientific awareness to learn how to use your mind to reclaim your health and create the life of your dreams.

For a Free Report on Making The Belief Formula Work for You, visit: http://www.TheBeliefFormula.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pete_Koerner

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Saturday, June 14, 2008

Staying Positive - Why It is The Key To Your Success?

When it comes to chasing after your dream of becoming a millionaire it is vital to your survival that you stay positive. Without a positive mindset you are sure to fall into the trap of negative thinking.

The saying that says "If you think you can or think you can't you're right" is so very true. Keeping a positive attitude will drive you towards success, however if you have a negative attitude then almost everything will be impossible for you to achieve.

Although it is impossible to have a positive attitude 100% of the time (after all we are all human and flawed), but it is important to maintain a positive attitude as much as you can. A positive attitude is not reliant on the circumstances you are in or how well off you are in like. It is simple how you react to those situations. A positive attitude allows you to see the potential in people and in circumstances and allows you to turn bad circumstances into good circumstances over time. Most importantly a positive attitude is vital if you want to become a millionaire, because without it a negative attitude will drag you down into failure.

I have compiled a list of ways I believe you can get and keep a positive attitude.

1. Hang around positive people - You become like who you hang around, if you hang around positive people you will become positive, if you hang around negative people then you will become negative. I learnt this lesson early when I read in the bible that "as iron sharpens iron, so friends sharpen the minds of each other". So spend time with people full of positivity and full of faith and you will see your attitude to your work change and you will become more productive, more creative and more successful.

2. Remind yourself to be positive - put reminders in your phone, stick them on your walls and continually remind yourself of the positive aspects of things not the negatives ones. When a circumstance arises train yourself to look at the positives not the negatives. This is great because I positive attitude seeks to overcome and solve problems whereas a negative attitude will shut you down and let your problems overcome you.

3. Keep a thankful spirit - every morning when you wake up have a thankful spirit. It will keep you positive all day. More on having a thankful spirit here

4. Read positive material - Read books and websites that inspire you, read testimonies of people who have made it in the area you want to see success and be inspired that it is possible to achieve

5. Set achievable goals - Often we set goals too high that we cannot achieve them. When we fail we get upset and negative and our progress is stunted. Instead set smaller goals which you can easy achieve and as you achieve them give yourself a pat on the back and set bigger goals to achieve. This will help you keep a positive attitude towards goal setting and the progress you are making.

Staying positive may sound a little off topic, but it is a vital aspect to anyone who is going to build wealth. Because building wealth takes time it is easy to lose heart and become negative, we need to avoid that and stay positive because that is where we will see most of our results.

By Ryan Mclean

Sign Up For the Fool's Wealth Weekly Advisor at http://www.foolswealth.com/newsletter and learn how any fool can become extremely wealth. Want to go from $0 to $1,000,000 in just 12 months? Then join the people already partaking in "The Challenge" by signing up at http://www.foolswealth.com/challenge

You could very well be on your way to becoming a millionaire today. Hurry.

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5 More Steps to Help You Have a Fantastic Day

Step 1. Stand up

Your spine is your age line. A bad spine will make you feel old even if you are young. Slouched posture, weak abdomen, slumped shoulders, short neck, head bent forward are antidotes to having a great day.

You can see how a person feels from 100 meters just by their posture. And you can feel fantastic at the worst circumstance with a good posture. There are many tools for posture correction. And these are definitely not at the gym.

Palates, some yoga, Alexander technique, Qigong, and Tai chi are postural techniques. Lifting the inner core, holding the body well. It's amazing to see people in countries where carrying heavy loads on their shoulders in normal.

Those who are forced to do it develop slumped arched backs. Those who volunteer have beautiful straight backs. You can easily tell when a person is carrying a burden that they don't want.

And in the west, these burdens are mostly emotional. But the affect is identical. So straighten up your spine. Sit on a chair without a back rest, or one of those ball things, sit on a wooden crate it doesn't matter what, just get the habit of a straight back.

Step 2. Include Challenge

My friend often calls and tells me how hard the day has been. When I ask why, he says "so much challenge"

Did you know that there cannot be a challenge without a support. So, when we speak of a "challenging day" that very same day has "supporting day" built in. However, we go where the loudest noise takes us sometimes. So, we can easily focus on the challenge and forget the rest.

When my friend rings up and says "I had a great day" I always ask "so where was the challenge?" He gets totally annoyed at me, but it's true.

Wanting a day without challenge is like wanting a relationship without questions, or an apple without a pip, or a child without a complaint. It's just the way it is meant to be and if we go into these situations wishing for a "gee don't challenge me" attitude, then we're going to be so disconnected. So unapproachable.

But more than that, we're going to be disappointed. Because if we want the day to be challenge free, we can't have a fantastic day. Try enjoying the challenges. It's all part of the process.

Step 3. Be Certain

If there is a myth that has been sold to millions of people it is the myth of certainty of an outcome.

It's an easy myth to sell. All you need to do is achieve and outcome and then say, you knew it was going to happen right from the start.

I've consulted to 5-6,000 people, spoken to a million, and been a part of things that involve billions. Of those people, about 20 are really where they dreamed they could be. Most are somewhere good, but this was not the childhood dream of "I knew I'd make the top10 one day"

Of the thousand or so athletes who make the Olympic games and the few who win gold medals millions and millions of people failed. So many were trying to get to the Olympics and win that medal. But just a few get through.

Is it because of some "certainty" in the mind of that winner? Is it some confidence or commitment they had? Do you really think, in all honesty that the gold medal winner was the only one with absolute certainty that they would win?

Lets not do this any more. You can control the quality of your process and remain a happy person having a fantastic day. You can hold a dream in your mind and focus on all the right ingredients to win. You can practice, train, practice, train, and rehearse, and learn but, if the energy is not your turn, you might have to settle for less.

So, there is no certainty. There is only your heart, your actions and your integrity and if all these three are lined up, then the probability of success just increased. But there is no certainty, just a commitment to try.

Step 4. NO excuses

Last week I had a kidney chill. I was out in my kayak and the weather just turned and I got so cold. The next day I felt like crap. I certainly was in no mood to work. So, I got a DVD set, a warm blanket, hot tea, turned off my mobile and shut the world out. I had a fantastic day even though I felt like crap.

There's no excuse. Even someone dying is no excuse - but this requires huge spiritual awareness - so there is an excuse! "I am not spiritually awake"

Everyday is a new day. So the sun comes up and we have a thousand justifications not to have a fantastic day. If I sit with some people I think they could win the gold medal in the Olympic excuses competition.

But that's not what they want. Neither do you. Zero tolerance means that there's always a bright side, always a gift, always something to be thankful for and there's always an opportunity to lift your spirits even when things are bad.

I saw this once in an amazing way. My Dad was so proud to teach me things. He wanted me to know how to chop wood, clear a forest, make a house, dig a trench and concrete over the top of the garden to make it neat. So, I'd spend many compulsory hours being his Go-fa (go for this and go for that) -

Dad wanted me to enjoy work. He'd joke and laugh and tease me. The whole thing was that he entertained me, to keep my spirits up amongst the hard work. Anyway, Dad chopped the end of his finger off, sliced right through it. He smiled, wrapped a bandage and made a joke, then back to fun and enjoying the day. I fainted.

Anyway, the point was, he wouldn't even let a smashed finger which needed many stitches, spoil the moment.

Really, its got to be enjoyable. There's only one pass at this one life. Every day is so precious yet, people waste the days with excuses. Oh, it's too hot. Oh it's too cold. My goodness.

I think this was the whole message of Monty Python. Learn to laugh at it. That great song "always look on the bright side of life" with Brain hanging from a cross. Or the skit about "luxury" - "when we got home, our Dad would chop us into bits, make us work 25 hours a day, sleep in a shoe box in the middle of the road, and the kids today, they just won't believe you. Ah, yes, we had it tough. Luxury"

Step 5. Love it

Just for arguments sake lets paint the world out so you can't see it anymore. There's nothing there. You are sitting here, reading this long article, you are alone. Now, there's about 6 trillion stars in the milky way. Our Sun is one of them. And our planet goes around our Sun, just like all the other Suns have planets too.

There are 50 billion galaxies like the milky way. So, if you do the math, your calculator will be unable to display the numbers, it isn't built to think that big.

Now the world is still painted out. But you know it is out there. You know there are trees and birds and cars and red wine out there. So, you know. You know. You can see or know there are stars and cars and things.

This is the most important thing. To stay in awe of the magnificence of the universe and how bloody lucky we are to even know that there's sugar in our tea and taste it, let alone become conscious of the vast magnificence of it. We become a little self obsessed.

To have a really, really fantastic day, one of the greatest gifts is simply to be excited about the fact that you're alive. Dad used to say, "I look up the obituaries in the paper, if I'm not in it, it's a great day"

We each need to remain so excited about life. Just like a child at Christmas or Passover or whatever your faiths special day. Everyday is Christmas, everyday is your birthday, the birth of a new day. That's where great, fantastic, unbelievable days begin.

In your home, surround yourself with things from another world. Not this one. Pictures of a universe, like my screen saver from Apple. Amazing awe-inspiring ideas and things that make you like a child. Just so ready to have a fantastic day. Like a child learn to bounce off the walls and mend the hits. Make no excuses and be like a child, smile, want life, want it to be fun. In this, you will know yourself and your heart will be open to life.

By Christopher Walker



http://www.chriswalker.com.au Chris Walker is a world leading change agent, an environmentalist and author of more than 20 books. Born and bred in Australia, he consults to people and organisations throughout the world on improved relationships, health and lifestyle through the application of the Universal laws of Nature. The result he offers is that we stay balanced, share loving relationships, work with passion, enjoy success, and live our personal truth. To learn more about Chris's work and journeys to Nepal, visit http://www.chriswalker.com.au -- http://www.chriswalker.com.au

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Never Never Never Give Up

I recently picked up a book while endlessly waiting for a flight to take off. In the book I came across a very important statement, rather a profound truth articulated by Dr. Karl Menninger (a psychiatrist). He said,"Attitudes are more important than facts."

It basically means that any fact facing us, however difficult, or seemingly hopeless, is not so important as is our attitude towards that fact.

The author of that book said that this statement is worth repeating until its truth grips you. I couldn't agree more. I was instantly reminded of Winston Churchill's final speech. Winston Churchill was emphatically introduced. He slowly made his way to the podium, looked at the assembly and said, "Never give up; never, never, never give up."

For the record - He was in his 90's, in very poor health, and was speaking to his former high school pupils. His attitude, however was never in its 90's and never in poor health.

How often have you told yourself, "That's not fair," and the feeling of being a victim of circumstances made you feel like giving up? Not too often I hope. It begs the question though that never give up on exactly what? I intuitively know he means never give up trying, but upon personal reflection (and lots of it) I understand that it's about never giving up hope.

I heard from a researcher of cancer patients who have been in survival experiences. They all agree that once hope is removed, it's very easy to give up, and at that point dying becomes the likely outcome. There are instances of patients in almost similar physical conditions; where some defied the odds and survived when the situation seemed hopeless; while their companions simply gave up and quickly passed away.

it's very easy to focus on the negative aspects of the past or the present, it's very comfortable to imagine that nothing will change. I say comfortable because it then allows us to crib and cringe (mostly to our own mind) in a manner where the responsibility for the change has shifted outside of us. Outside of our control. It's someone else's fault or someone else's responsibility. AND obviously there is a reality formed - that you cannot do anything about it.

My friend, attitude is more important than fact. The fact might well be that you are in a hopeless situation. However if you have given up hope, then, most definitely, the fact will forever be a reality.

The chief problem really is that we allow hopelessness to enter our minds and discolor and distort our outlook. We do this because we get consumed by the facts.

So what does a positive attitude mean? Simply put - "Have faith in your abilities." It sounds really simple. And you can do it very easily. Let me share with you a real-life narration from one of my coaching sessions.

This particular coaching assignment was with a vice-president of a retail company. The session is inspired by a technique I learned long time back in a book (I am struggling with the name right now but it's a must read and I'll post it in my next mail). He has been in this role for years and years. He is disgruntled about it for obvious reasons. He hasn't got a promotion in a long time. He is seeing other divisions of the company grow, his peers being promoted, salaries rising for everybody.....

In my first session with him he says,"Why are you coaching me. I am 54 years old. i have nothing to achieve. I am here in this role for the last 12 years and will be till retirement. I have nothing to look forward to. I'll do my job well. I am too old to start over again or find a more exciting job. My and my family's standard of living will remain where it is. I have accepted that this is it."

I asked him "Nothing to look forward to." "Nothing" he repeated.

I asked him if we could write down things he likes or enjoys. "There's no use. Nothing will change", he said.

I told him that let's just see anyways and started writing for him. I asked him if his wife loved him. He said "of course she does. We've been married thirty years." I asked him about his children - he said he has three daughters and they call him everyday before he leaves for work and tell him that they love him and are very proud of him. He emphatically tells me, "not a day they miss."

I said Friends? He said that he doesn't have too many friends but there are a couple of them since college days who are with him always. In good times and in bad. "They keep exploring opportunities for me. I tell them the same thing. There is no point."

I asked him what was his most treasured value in life. He said "honesty, I've never harmed anyone or lied to anyone." I asked him how his health was. He said,"A few problems here and there but I keep pretty good health. I can walk a few miles more than the youngsters in my locality can."

I asked him if he believes in India's growth story. He said'"of course I do. This is the place to be in." Finally I asked him if he was religious and he replied,'I believe in God. I am thankful for what I have."

I turned to him the small sheet of paper I'd been writing on. It read:

1- A wife that loves me- 30 years
2- Three daughters who are proud of me.
3- Two friends who explore opportunities for me almost everyday.
4- Honesty -
5- Good health.
6- India is growing and I am here.
7- I believe in God.

I told him, 'I thought you said there was nothing to look forward to."

He said to me,"I never looked at it that way." The ONLY thing that changed for him was a shift from thinking about his negative situation at work to a faith that he does have things going for him. He can, if he wishes, chose to embrace them.

He took that list from me. It still hangs on his pin-up board. It's been three years. He tells me he reads it everyday and draws a lot of energy from it. This gentleman who is a very wonderful human being is today the President, enjoys a higher salary, is responsible for another division and I guess is generally much happier.

We can all chose to focus forever on problems, negative situations or on something we do not have and reinforce it all our lives. We can also focus on what we have. we can at the very least have faith in our own abilities.

I'll repeat again Attitude is more important than fact. It's also the perfect reason why you must focus on a positive future, take actions that give you the hope and belief that things are going to be great, and never, never, never give up (on hope).

yours,
Chetan Walia

By Chetan Walia

Chetan Walia: is a creative, on-the-edge, speaker with unquestionable expertise on sales and breakthrough achievement. Chetan is known for programs that are funny, insightful, and in setting landmarks in learning.

OVER 100 COMPANIES. Chetan has delivered corporate programs and coaching programs on achievement to over a hundred organizations.

CORPORATE CUSTOMERS. Our clients include Airtel, American Express, Coffee Day, Ernst & Young, Suzuki, Mother Dairy, Pepsi, PriceWaterHouse, Sanofi, Sasken, United Nations, World Bank.

Coach. Chetan is a coach and mentor to some of the senior most executives in the country.

Breaking Barriers: Has been known to not only break barriers of the mind through our programs but also has broken may an industry barriers (that were thought to be so called norms) to generate breakthroughs.

Visit: http://www.breakthrougher.com for more information or to subscribe to Chetan's Free Weekly eZine.

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Six Keys to Creating Loving Boundaries - Or Learning to Say "No"!

Where are you in life right now? What are you creating that makes you feel good. Do you find you end up doing things for others that you really don't have time or energy for? We say "yes" to doing things for other people when we really don't want to do. When that happens, we end up giving our power away. We say "yes" when we really want to create boundaries, we want to say "no".

Here are six keys to working with your inner strength in order to say "yes' to setting boundaries.

What things are draining your energy? You know, the things that you are putting up with that you would rather not. There is a cost to saying yes to these energy drains. What is it costing you? Is it costing you time? Is it costing you money? Is it causing you added stress?

The first key is about power. No, not the ability to overtake someone physically, mentally or emotionally. Power is your inner strength. Power is the ability to listen to your heart and make balanced choices in your life. Are you in touch with your inner strength? What can you do to honor this power within?

The second key is balance. What does balance mean to you? Balance is not standing on one foot or learning to walk a tight rope. Balance is the ability to look at circumstances, through the foundation of your values, and to choose the actions that do not drain your energy. From a place of balance, you can choose activities that empower you.

The third key is regarding your values. What are your values? What is important to you and how do you see the world? Value is not the price you put on something. Values are the beliefs you have that allow you to make choices from your heart and which enable you to engage in actions that bring joy and energy into your life. Limiting beliefs keep you from experiencing your deeper values. These beliefs also create resistance, which keeps you from moving forward with your desires and dreams.

The fourth key is learning to stand your ground. What does it mean to stand your ground? Standing your ground does not mean being a bully or guilting someone into doing "it" your way. When you stand your ground, you come from a place of inner power and being. When you listen to this inner power and strength, what do you notice about the way you feel? There is energy and truth that comes through you. Here, you can choose to act with balance and grace. When you say "no" to someone, say it from love and integrity. You are saying "no" in order to satisfy your balance and sense of being. You are not being mean, you are saying "yes" to your boundaries.

The fifth key is about communicating authentically. When you communicate, do your words match who you really are or are you like the Wizard of Oz saying "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain"? There is more to that giant talking head in the room. When you look at the the true person speaking, there is deeper meaning, understanding and compassion. You just have to look under the curtain to discover the true person. Communicate authentically. This means express yourself from your heart and speak through your values. The way in which you speak is very powerful. When you speak positively - positive words, positive tone and positive action - you can communicate your need for boundaries. When you say "no" to someone or something, don't make up an excuse! Be true to who you are and your words will follow.

The sixth key sums up all the other keys - trust. What does trust mean to you? What can you do to honor yourself and your choices? If you trust your inner guidance and power to speak from a place of balance, to be true to your values, to stand your ground with integrity and to communicate authentically, you will be honoring your needs.

Saying "no" is about honoring your integrity, your needs and your desire to create a happier, healthier and more balanced life. Say "yes" to giving yourself permission to set your boundaries and say "no" when you need to. If you feel you are doing a juggling act - remember - you are not a circus clown! Saying "yes" to your boundaries honors your choices and supports your ability to stop being a juggler, without dropping the ball!



By Christine Laureano



You Are An Occasion ~ Rise To It!

http://www.ChristineLaureanoCoaching.com
Create Your Best Life!

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It's Not Impossible to Reach Your Dreams

Everybody at one point or another in their life, have had big dreams of accomplishment and how many little boys dreamed of hitting the game winning home run or little girls wanting to be a princess when they grew up. How many times have you heard someone fantasize about winning the lottery or being a big movie or music star. Just look at American Idol.

Too many times our dreams and desires remain as fantasies and become quite rusty with age. We just go on dreaming and wondering what life would be like if we could just fulfill some of the things on our wish list.

It is very unfortunate that we let these get away from us and instead of living the exciting life we imagined, there is the problem of looking at the day as just trying to get by. Letting the mundane events of our daily lives dictate how we will feel is how are hopes and wants get smothered.

True, we need to be mindful of the chores and activities that keep us alive and with a roof over our heads but we should not fall into the trap of thinking that there isn't enough time to work on attaining those things in life that we really want.

Of course, you can't spend your entire day on a project but that does not mean it cannot be done. If you only spent 30 minutes a day devoted to one subject that is almost an entire week by the end of the year. Can you imagine how much more you would know after spending a week on it.

If you can just schedule your time to include one hour a day on the subject of your dreams then you can have two weeks a year. It does not feel like a lot when you are sitting there just killing time in front of the television for a couple of hours but it adds up.

By Matthew Maiden

If you would like to learn more about the Universal Life Church please visit: http://www.ulcradio.com and read about becoming an ordained minister in the ULC.

Matthew Maiden is the host of The ULC Radio Program and would like you to give a listen to the show.

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"What Do I Want?" - Easy Steps For Goal Setting And Manifestation Of Desires

"I hate my life." "I hate my job." "I hate _________." Have you ever caught yourself thinking and feeling this way? Feeling trapped, or suffocated by circumstances? I think we all have. The good news: You can change things. You're not a victim in this life. You have choices. You can create the life you desire.
The topic today is manifesting. It's about bringing into your reality the things you want, and increasing your joy. We're not talking hocus pocus, or pipe dreams. It's real. In my own life, I've successfully manifested a lot of things, new body (I've lost 75 pounds!), new friends, new career, and new passions. You can, too!

The most important part of manifesting is coming up with and knowing the answer to this question: "What do I want?" If you're like I was, I'm sure you can come up with a litany of "here's what I DON'T want..." That's not the question. What DO you want? Focus on the positive! What you focus on expands. When you focus on what you don't want, you get more of what you don't want. Think, rather, about what you do want. Delineate what you want, inside and out, and make sure it's realistic, makes sense and fits your life. Here's how to create a well-formed goal or outcome in your mind, or on paper.

So, you're thinking about what you want: state it in the positive. The next step is to set the context. Be very specific! Where do you want this goal, when and with whom? Think about these things as well: Is it realistic? Is it attainable? "I want to lose 40 pounds by next Saturday." Not realistic! It reminds me of the magic 8 ball message: "wish for something possible." It has to be physically possible. Perhaps change it to 40 pounds within the next 8 months; that's doable.

Ask yourself: Is this something I can do by myself, start by myself? We only control ourselves, our behavior, our feelings, we can't control others. "I want Mary Jane to fall in love with me." That's not a well-formed goal. What you can wish for, instead, is that you yourself develop and enhance your own positive attributes that would attract someone like Mary Jane.

Think about the goal in complete sensory terms. How will you know you've gotten it? What will it look like? What will you feel inside your body? What will you hear? Smell? Taste? Get every sense involved!

Think about how the desired outcome may change your life, and whether those are positive changes for all aspects of your life. How will it affect your family and your friends, your health, your career, your spiritual beliefs, everything? How does it fit? You may want a promotion in your job, but what if that would entail much more time spent working and traveling, and less time for your family. How do you feel about that? Is it worth what it will take to get it? Think about ecology, as it's called, as you define your outcome.

Ok, now you have an answer to "What do I want?" You have a positive, contextualized, self-propelling, sensory-based, ecological goal. You've accomplished more than half the battle!! Now we'll talk about what specifically you can do with this goal to bring it into your world as reality. Here comes the fun part.

We play "let's pretend!" Activate all your senses. Go inside your mind and imagine or fantasize that you have already manifested the goal. It's yours! What is your life like now? How does it look? How does it feel? How does it taste? What do you hear? What's going on? Get inside that context you created. Most importantly, attach a strong feeling of satisfaction to having your goal. I like to play this James Brown song in my mind: "I feel good! I knew that I would, now!" Create a knowing, a certainty, that what you want is a done deal. I throw in some gratitude, as well.

Now, think about how you got there. Notice any intermediate steps you might have taken to accomplish the goal, and attach a powerful feeling of desire to them. Feel the satisfaction as you move closer to the goal, step by step, and feel a growing sense of completion. Make this exercise in imagination really intense, fully blooming, make it potent! The better you can create a compelling fantasy here, the more importance your unconscious mind will attach to accomplishing the goal.

Now, let go and trust. And watch (in varying degrees of amazement) as things materialize for you. Your unconscious mind will look for opportunities, little things in everyday life, which will advance you towards your goal. When you notice these little positive nudges from the universe occurring, go with them! Go with the flow, towards achieving what you want.

Put a written list of your goal or goals where you will see it, and spend time every day looking at it. When you review it, notice the progress being made on each one, and activate that gratitude again! Be appreciative. Every few weeks, you lather, rinse, and repeat: Re-do the imagination and desire process. You can modify the goals at any time and make any changes you desire as you're moving forward.

Life is all about change. Change is good! Change is fun, especially when it's a positive change you have well-delineated and desire intensely, and have manifested into your life. Go for it!!



By Connie Brannan



Connie Brannan is a Neuro-Linguistic Hypnotherapist and Licensed Trainer of Neuro-Linguistic Programming™, certified Stage Hypnotist, and co-creator of Mindworks Hypnosis, http://www.mindworkshypnosis.net a therapy practice in the Seattle, Washington, area. She is a published author and creator of several self-help audio hypnosis products, a speaker and a teacher. She is a member in good standing of professional organizations including the National Guild of Hypnotists, the International Hypnosis Association, and the Society of Neuro-Linguistic Programming™

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Connie_Brannan

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Three "Q" Tips to Goal-Setting

It is Q2 - Baby! Are you ready? Did you complete your Q1 BIG Dream Goals? Each Goals quarter is like a celebratory holiday for me. Today I'll review my Q1 Goals and I make changes for Q2. I Celebrate my successes, correct my errors and I can't wait to get started on the next 90-Days. This creates excitement even before I get out of bed. The BIG Dream Quarters start with: Q1: January 1, Q2: April 1, Q3: July 1, Q4: October 1, 2008. Every 90-Days starts a new "Q" period in your goals planning system. I guess today is "Q" day so here is another "Q." QUESTIONS are for planning your next Goals.

What is your BIG Goal?

It's another Question. Who, What, Where, When, Why and How?

These are 6 questions to ask yourself. Here is another "Q" question. What are your Quantum Leap Goals? A Quantum Leap Goal is even bigger than your BIG Dream Goal. Let's look at your Q2 goals. You have your BIG Goal, you have your monthly, weekly and daily goals but sitting above all of those goals is your awesome Quantum Leap Goal. This goal is massive, almost impossible but doable. Quantum Leap Goals do happen to people just like you.

Now let's create some BIG Goals. Vision: The Bible say's, A man without vision will perish or Write Down your revelation (Vision) and Make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. You are that herald. You are made in the image of your creator. "You can do all things..." is Biblical. Questions - Ask better questions - get better answers But, that still leaves questions and there are some questions we have to live with and the answers we have to wait for. Wait on the Lord or the Universe for the answers. Life is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be lived. Therefore, we naturally live in the land of questions.

EDUCATION: we go to school to learn the answers to questions. Parents, kindergarten, grade school, middle or GED and high school, 120 credit/hours for college, another 30- 60- 90 credit/hours, A Masters degree and a doctorate will take years of additional Investigation within your specialty to get knowledge. With all that education behind you: you must now know everything, You have no questions, right? Wrong. Carl Jung called it the "Collective Unconsciousness." Do you know how the sun was placed in the sky or How electricity works, even Ben Franklin did not know.. True education is when you can admit that you know nothing, A baby has brains but no experience. Experience brings knowledge. and knowledge begets Wisdom.

Question: What is it that the more you have the less you will have? Answer. LIFE! Quote by Leonardo Da Vinci. Someone that I admire who had a magnificent life is Ben Franklin. He packed so much in his 84 years. I don't know how long I will live but I do know that my creator will take care of me until I complete my mission here on earth. Because I am still here, I have not completed my mission. Read the BIO's of some of the worlds greats: Abraham Lincoln, Socrates, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Napoleon Hill, Joan of Ark, Antonio Stradivari, The Profit Job, Jesus of Nazareth, Booker T. Washington, Henry David Thoreau, Leonardo Da Vinci and Ben Franklin to name a few.

Learn something from everyone you meet. Learn from reading. Our life experience is based on what we focus on and what we focus on expands. Do you want to expand your life?

Oh oh, another question.

Live for your Dreams and watch the Miracles happen.

By Frank Gasiorowski

Frank Gasiorowski or as he is known on the Internet as, "Mr.90DayGoals" has been teaching 90 Day Goals techniques as a speaker, workshop and seminar leader and "TodaysGuest" Interview TV Host with "TodaysGuest" Goals TV and Radio. A Voice-Over Artist for Proverbs Smoothe Mix. Get your FR*EE 90DayGoals "TIPS" ezine at http://www.90DayGoals.com

Copyright 2008

I coach and mentor entrepreneurs on creating an online business. Having a website is not nearly enough to develop an online marketing business. There are Tips, and practices that only the BIG players use to make massive amounts of revenue online. Check out my coaching programs and website development areas on the products page of 90DayGoals.

Want to become and Instant Expert? Check out: http://www.InstantExpertMaker.com

For info please send an email to Frank@90DayGoals.com

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Personal Mission Statements and Vision Statements - Staying on Track

In past articles we have covered the mission statement. We have identified your purpose and reason for being - as a personal statement that helps lead you to the work you do on your chosen path.

We have also learned to describe your desired future-what you want to become. Once you have your personal mission statement defined, you can then determine your horizon.

What next?

"You now use the developed mission statement and vision statement to begin your strategic planning process to stay on track" writes Don Midgett, author of Mission and Vision Statements: Your Path to a Successful Business Future. These statements are your primary source and tools that will help you to develop meaningful goals, objectives, strategic activities and day to day actions for your strategic plan. How do you do this?

Break your mission and vision statements down and develop goals to respond to each phrase or sentence. Then take each goal and identify strategic activities that if accomplished, will achieve the goal. Also, take each strategic activity developed, for every goal, and break each down into the specific actions that must be performed. When you assign names and due dates to each of the specific actions, you have developed a comprehensive strategic plan that, when accomplished, should take you further down your path to a successful personal or business future.

Here's an abbreviated example, taking a small excerpt from the example company's mission and vision statements to show how a strategic plan element would look:

Company Mission (excerpt) = provide and distribute wellness products in North America

Company Vision (excerpt) = expand the business to become international distributors of wellness

Goal 1 = Expand beyond the North American marketplace

Objective 1 = Become a Certified International Distributor Before the End of the Quarter

Strategy A = Get certified to do business internationally

Action 1 = Sign up/pay for training class by the end of the week

Action 2 = Study/take International Certification Exam by the end of the month

Strategy B = Get new distributors in India

Action 1 = Contact current list of India prospects by the end of the month

Action 2 = Place ad in the Punjab Times by the end of the week

Action 3 = Educate qualified candidates within 2 weeks of contact

Action 4 = Sign up new distributors and train by the end of the quarter

Goal 2 = Train others to expand their distribution networks worldwide

Objective 2 = Develop 3 New Certified International Distributors Before the End of the Year

Strategy A = Etc........

In the above example, note that the Goal is an overall statement that, when achieved, allows you to reach the vision and the Objective is a statement that allows you to measure your stated goal. The measure can be one of time, dollars or some other form of progression.

Notice that there are multiple strategies for each goal and objective. This is typically the case because there are frequently multiple Strategies that must be implemented to accomplish any goal. This is also true with the Actions necessary to accomplish each Strategy - multiple Actions are necessary to carry out each Strategy.

A comment from a hands-on trainer who uses mission and vision in his work: Doug Campbell, who trains fire fighters, says "I have many offers to consult in projects related to fire protection. I want to manage my time and project selection, and my mission statement and vision statement helps to do that." He also assigns his trainees to write out their mission and vision statements. "The mission and vision statements open a window on what their values are ....they expose the ethics of the person. We know by their replies which are ready for a supervisory position."

By Don Midgett



These are examples on how to focus the future of your strategic planning in terms of visionary direction, leadership, goal-setting and proper strategic activity. To learn more about how to create and use a mission statement and vision statement to enhance your personal success, go to http://www.missionvisionstatement.com.

Don Midgett is the author of Mission and Vision Statements: Your Path to a Successful Business Future,81 pages in digital format (pdf) at http://www.missionvisionstatement.com

Don is the managing partner for the GenesisGroup, helping organizations and leaders discover their full potential. Don specializes in workshops on mission and vision, strategic planning, and team building.

To begin your path to success, write your mission and vision statements! Need help? You can find it at http://www.missionvisionstatement.com - visit NOW - subscribe to our free newsletter, Mission Vision News, to learn more. Ready to go? Then purchase my e-book on mission and vision for one of the best business purchases you will make!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Don_Midgett

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Goal Setting - Six Steps To Keeping Focus

We ask every leader we work with what they would do more of, better, or more often when they look back on their career, and the top answer is "Focus." When asked how they would do that, they answer that they would be even more goal oriented than they had been. In their opinion, goals create focus that creates accomplishment. With so many demands intruding or attempting to intrude on their attention and energies, goals that create focus are their firewall, and their primary path to success.

Given that so many highly successful people look to goals for focus, why is it that so many organizations and people can't state their personal goals or the goals of their organization - let alone how their personal goals align with their organizational goals?

One reason given is time - "We don't have time for that - we're too busy. " Another reason (read excuse) given is the belief that an individual has no control over their future - too many things outside a person's control can cause things to change, so just go with the flow.

It turns out that most people spend more time focused on planning a two week vacation than they do planning their career. I suspect that's because planning a vacation is controllable, pleasant, and near term - it's easy to focus on it.

But to succeed and prosper, it's vitally important to have a personal set of goals. - they keep us in the game - whatever game is being played. And personal goals that closely align with organizational goals create a tremendous amount of energy, commitment and focus.

Personal goals are even more important when organizational goals don't exist, or aren't expressed, or exist in name only. It's very tempting in those cases to simply give in to the flow of the day to day, and go with whatever comes along - with little if any focus.

Goals help balance the very human tendency to be distracted by the pressing, in - your - face things that happen every day - it's called being "flexible." Flexibility can be a strength, but it can also be a weakness - when flexing becomes a habit and we look back and see that flexing took us far away from where we wanted to be or needed to be.

A friend shared a joke with me that illustrates that point - "Inside every 65 year old is a 40 year old wondering what the hell happened?"

Focus is the difference between wondering what the hell happened, and landing where you wanted to land. It's the difference between throwing a touchdown pass - or throwing a superball - and watching it bounce every which way - with high energy, but with no idea where it will land - and what good - or damage - it will do.

Here are six steps to create focus:

1 - Write down where you want to be in one month, six months, one year, three years and five years. I know, it sounds like a lot of work. It is. But I can tell you from personal experience that those time frames will blow right past you if you don't take the time to plan them now. And you'll end up like that 65 year old wondering what happened.

2 - Define how your source of income - your job - your profession - fits into your own goals. How do your work goals fit in with your personal goals? Are they the same? How can they come together in the near term to provide long term benefit? The closer your personal goals align with the goals of your organization or profession, the better your chances of accomplishing them. This is the key to focus - being convinced and directed to success through goals that embrace you personally and professionally.

3 - Start with short term goals, but with the end in mind. Weekly, monthly, quarterly. Define the top 3 to 5 things that you need to do now to get you to where you want to be. No more than 3 to 5 - and 5 is a stretch. Remember, you can only really focus on doing one thing at a time. There is no more powerful way to become discouraged than to "over goal" yourself at this stage.

4 - Express your goals in positive terms. Express your goals in terms of what you want to achieve as opposed to what you want to avoid or get rid of. Optimism loves positive outcomes - work to think in those terms.

5 - Define your goals using the SMART formula - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time - framed.

6 - Keep track. Hold yourself accountable. Review your goals at least weekly. Carry them with you wherever you go. Make them part of your thinking. Make a habit of reciting your goals and the outcomes of achieving them. Make them your way of life. And when they need to be revised - and that will happen often - just do it.

If you're feeling frustrated and busy and not sure where you're going, start this process today. It isn't easy. It requires personal discipline. It requires faith in yourself. But the rewards of a sense of purpose, focus and freedom are worth the effort. And when you look back in a few weeks to a few months, you'll be surprised at how far you've come, and making goals the cornerstone of focus will become a habit - a habit of success.



Andy Cox is President of Cox Consulting Group LLC. The focus of his work is on helping organizations and their people increase their success in the hiring, developing and enhancing the performance of leaders and emerging leaders. Cox Consulting Group LLC was started in 1995, and has worked with a wide range of organizations, managers and leaders - helping them define success, achieve success and make the ability to change a competitive advantage. He can be reached at http://coxconsultgroup.com

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Where Are Your Goals Taking You?

When you come to a fork in the road, how do you know which one to take? The well-known quotation from Lewis Carroll's "Alice In Wonderland" addresses this question so well:

Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?

The Cat: That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.

Alice: I don't much care where.

The Cat: Then it doesn't much matter which way you go.

Alice: ...so long as I get somewhere.

The Cat: Oh, you're sure to do that, if only you walk long enough.

As we live our lives, we are constantly making decisions about which fork to take. Every day we make decisions that will impact where we are a year from now, five years from now, and further on in our lives. How do we make sure those decisions are taking us where we want to go?

This short little snippet from Alice in Wonderland addresses a couple of very basic, but important, steps in achieving goals. Two? Yes, knowing where we want to go and being motivated to get there. Without these, setting goals is useless.

Where Do I Want to Go?

Alice has reached a fork in the road. She has to decide which fork to take, so she asks her friend for help. We often reach these forks too. Someone goes off to college and has to choose a major course of study. Someone else has been working in one job, starting a career and decides it's the wrong career for him or her. Maybe someone loses a job and needs to find a new one. All of these raise the question, "Which way should I go from here?"

People often make these decisions based on reasons other than where they want to go. I remember a friend telling me about how, as a senior in high school, he was asked by his guidance counselor what he was going to study in college. He didn't know. The counselor said well you do really well in math, you would probably do well in electrical engineering. My friend asked if electrical engineers made good incomes, was told they do, and his career was chosen! (If you don't know where you want to go...)

Now my friend had a goal! Guess what? He did really well in his college work, graduated, and got a job at a major high tech company. As time went along, he wasn't satisfied because he could see that his income was limited by what his company would pay him. He couldn't do a lot to impact that, and he didn't really want to spend the rest of his life working in a cubicle! In other words, he had set a goal and achieved it, but it wasn't a goal that took him on a path he liked. He needed to rethink where he really wanted to go. Then he could set goals and follow plans that would take him down the path he wanted.

The good news is that we can make our own forks in the road if we want. He did and was very happy with the result!

Why Do I Want to Go There?

The cat told Alice that which fork to take depended on where she wanted to go. Her answer was that she didn't really care. In other words, she didn't know why she wanted to go one place or another, so long as she got somewhere.

I wonder how long Alice would be happy with the new direction she chose. Would she get bored with it? Would the hills get too steep and discourage her, making her want to go off on another path? Would she find the scenery to be too bland and unexciting and lose her interest?

These are the kinds of things that can happen if we aren't really motivated to reach the goal we have chosen. We really need to understand why we want to go there.

Remember my friend, the electrical engineer? He was fortunate. The course work in college was not so difficult that he got discouraged along the way. He said he was able to squeeze a 4-year program into five years, but he made it. Obviously the motivation the counselor gave him ("Yes, you can make a lot of money.") was enough to sustain him through those five years.

But, do you remember what it was like in college? You didn't have to make a fortune when you graduated for it to be "a lot of money"!

I think my friend's experience tells us something more about understanding our motivation. He reached his goal and was receiving the reward, but he found that it wasn't what he really wanted.

When we answer the question, "Why do I want to go there?" we need to have a clear, complete picture of what it will be like when we get there. Is it really something that will last? The more we understand what the "there" is, the more we can envision ourselves in it. Then we can make a better assessment of whether it's what we want...and why.

It's the "why" that's important. What is the vision? Does it motivate you? Good, then you've chosen the right fork in the road!

One Last Thing

Remember how Alice finished her answer? "I don't much care where, so long as I get somewhere."

And the cat replied "Oh, you're sure to do that, if only you walk long enough."

You are going to "walk" for the rest of your life. You will get somewhere eventually. But, it really does matter which fork you take. This reminds me of another short quote; I think it's a paraphrase of this little story about Alice and the cat.

"If you don't know where you're going, you'll probably end up someplace else!"

Choose your goals carefully, but do choose them. You're going to end up someplace, one way or another!



By Dale Stuemke



Dale Stuemke has learned that dreams and goals are achieved with a good plan, focused effort, good mentorship, and commitment. Humans are designed to be achievers. Visualizing the future and setting goals is uniquely human! Dale is still setting goals for his future. To receive Dale's FREE 29-page report, visit: 6 Letters to Launch Your Goals: CHANGE. Visit Launch Your Goals Blog.

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7 Resolutions That Actually Work

A new year is upon us and you are at the beginning of a new chapter in your own life. I wanted to take this time to share with you seven resolutions that will help you take your entire life to a much higher level and truly honor the potential you were blessed with at birth. While this quest is, no doubt, a lifelong pursuit, it must start today with just one person-with you-as you take action on the ideas that I present here. By changing your choices, you will change your life. Your future, however, does not improve tomorrow. I have observed that the unhappiest people in the world seem to talk the most about what they intend to do tomorrow. This mind-set is not for you! Your future gets better now. Tomorrow changes today! Lets get started:

Resolution 1: Choose Success

Success is not an accident! This is, without a doubt the single most important lesson you must grasp if you want to maximize your full potential and enjoy the fulfillment and success you were designed to enjoy in the year to come and the lifetime that will follow. Success occurs in the lives of specific people for specific reasons. It is not something that randomly happens to you; it is something that you make happen. This is exciting news! Whether you want to strengthen your family life, improve your career, deepen your faith, or take your physical energy to a whole new level, you can do it. Simply choose

Do you fully understand the connection between your choices and the life you are living today? Do you believe that God wants you to succeed? Write down your personal definitions of success and mediocrity and start choosing success.

Resolution 2: Decide Who You Want to Become

If you want your purpose in life to become a magnificent obsession, you must develop and constantly review your personal mission statement. A personal mission statement is a written articulation of your God-given potential-as God sees it. It expresses your unique purpose for living. Your personal mission statement encourages you to change in a deliberate, preconceived direction. The process of constructing the statement forces you to think seriously about the vital areas of your life and to clarify your long-term direction.

Have you given much thought to how the world could be different because of your particular life? Do you believe God had one specific thing in mind when he made you? Write your personal mission statement today so that you can achieve joy in 2008.

Resolution 3: Write Down Compelling Goals

The very act of writing down and setting magnificent goals unlocks your creative powers, and the act of writing your goals is completely under your control. If you do not have specific measurable goals written down for each area of your life, and a plan for their accomplishment, then the odds are that success for you will be an accident. Cause and effect in your life will be unclear. Your future will be unpredictable, and your capacity to have an impact on the world with your unique talents and gifts will be severely diminished. You will passively accept a life by default rather than assertively choosing a life by design. This approach is not for you.

Brainstorm 150 life goals and put them down in writing. What are your top five goals right now? Act on them!

Resolution 4: Invest Your Time Wisely

You can't make more time, only better choices. It has been said that four simple words characterize mediocrity most accurately: "I didn't have time." Neither you nor anyone else could have a more damaging excuse concerning success. When you tell someone that you didn't have time, you simply reinforce their perception of you as someone who can't be relied upon to get the job done. And when you tell yourself that you didn't have enough time, you undermine your inner credibility and fortify a self-image of underachievement and irresponsibility.

Do you sense that you are spending or investing most of your time? Calculate the cost of misusing just fifteen minutes a day over one year. Keep a record or time log to specifically track how you use your time. Commit today to investing your time wisely rather than wasting it.

Resolution 5: Get Out of Your Own Way

Whatever you direct your mind to think about will ultimately be revealed for everyone to see. Among the most powerful influences on your character, personality, and attitude is what you say to yourself and believe. During every single moment of every day, you are talking yourself either into or out of success. By talking yourself into success, I mean talking yourself into being the champion God designed you to become. With every thought that races through your mind, you are constantly redefining yourself and your future. Your inner dialogue, or self-talk, can and must be effectively harnessed if you are to maximize your full potential.

Do you talk more about what you want or what you do not want? Make a conscious effort to align your self-talk with the person you are striving to become.

Resolution 6: Practice Positive Visualization

"I visualized where I wanted to be, what kind of player I wanted to become. I knew exactly where I wanted to go, and I focused on getting there." -Michael Jordan

A subconscious programming technique even more powerful than positive self-talk is positive visualization - mentally picturing events or outcomes in your mind before they occur in physical reality. Positive results follow positive mental pictures.

Develop a visualization script for at least one of your most important goals. Start to surround yourself with visual reminders of your goals. You will be amazed by how visual images of victory and success help tame doubts, fears, and insecurities.

Resolution 7: Begin to Live a Maximum-Energy Lifestyle

Boundless energy is not an accident. Individuals who experience a continuous, revitalizing flow of energy make different choices than those who consistently operate from an energy deficit. You can increase your return on energy and your return on life by becoming highly sensitive to the lifestyle choices you make.

Think about how long you would like to live healthfully and productively. Consider what current lifestyle choices do not support that longevity goal and begin to change those habits. Develop an effective system to manage stress.

Success Is Not an Accident

Remember that Success Is Not an Accident. The size of your thinking determines the size of the result. If you want 2008 to be your best year ever, THINK HUGE!

By Tommy Newberry

TOMMY NEWBERRY is the author of several books, including the New York Times Bestseller, The 4:8 Principle: The Secret to a Joy-Filled Life and the highly popular, Success is Not an Accident. He is the founder and head coach of The 1% Club, an organization dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and their families maximize their full potential. He can be found on the web at http://www.tommynewberry.com

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Goal Success - Setting Goals to Make Your Dreams Come True!

How do you make your Dreams come true? What plan have you found that works for you?

If there is something that you would like to see happen in your life -- something that you dream about experiencing -- there IS a way to make it occur! The easiest, most successful path to achieve it is by carefully setting goals.

Having goals is similar to having a map to a destination ... with directions carefully printed out to guide your way! A "mapquest" to your desired outcome. It allows you to know where you are going and what you need to do to get there successfully.

Rather than giving yourself vague promises about getting what you want, knowing what your goals are gives you a clear picture of the outcome. This clear picture, in turn, provides you with the confidence to go after what you want. As a result, you achieve more and become more!

Goal Setting -- Both an Art and a Science:

a) An art: Utilizing your abilities to be both innovative and creative, goals allow you to use your own ways -- ways to fit specifically for you -- to create the pathway to achieve the very outcomes you desire. After all, it is your life you are going to change. They are your dreams waiting to happen. Goal Setting reinforces your unique abilities to accomplish those outcomes about which you have been dreaming.

b) A science: In the process of accomplishing your desired outcomes, goal setting requires that you use a method and approach that is practical and achievable. In other words, setting a goal is more than just telling yourself, 'I want to run a marathon' or 'I want to learn the guitar' or 'I want to put up my own business'. To accomplish goals effectively, you also utilize certain steps that lead to the goals being accomplished.

For example, instead of just saying, 'I want to run a marathon', the science of goal setting demands more. It also requires that you add, 'I will train for six months beginning next week using this specific training protocol; I will change my diet in these specific ways; and then, next spring, I will enter and complete my first marathon.'

I invite you use these ideas over and over to set into motion the goals that will make Your Dreams come true!

By Marlene Shiple, Ph.D.

And I invite you to learn more about how to use Powerful Affirmations to successfully achieve your goals. Get our Special Affirmations Report, "How to Let Affirmations Fill Your Life ... Abundantly!" If your goal is to enjoy a Better Life, this Special Report IS for you! Click Here to Receive Your Special Affirmations Report! or visit http://www.askdrmarlene.com/affirm.html to get your copy NOW.

Presented by Dr. Marlene Shiple, the Life Coach Pro, & the LifeCoachPro Network.

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How Do You Achieve Goals? The Answer is in Your Vision

Most of us have goals in life. Most of us have some thing, or lifestyle, that we want. We may say that's what we want, we may even write it down, but how do you achieve goals without knowing what they look like? How many of us have vision?

"We all know what a goal is, but vision is a topic of confusion for many," the founder of Success University, Matt Morris, recently said. "Your vision is how you see yourself. You can set goals all day long, but if you cannot truly see yourself achieving them, your goals will never be realized. To accomplish a goal, you must truly expect to achieve it."

So many of us set New Year resolutions and then find that by the end of the year they have not been achieved, or even forgotten. This is because goals without vision lack power.

Do not underestimate this. In order to achieve something in life, or have the things you want, your subconscious mind needs motivation. Vision gives it something to latch on to, so that it is open to opportunities and motivated to create ideas. After all, unless we know where we are heading, how can we possibly get there?

The highly successful Matt Morris grew up in a life of poverty and low expectations. In his early life he only focused on how broke he was; his subconscious mind was dominated by his circumstances.

He says: "I had no idea that my vision, which is trained by my subconscious mind, was overriding my efforts to succeed."

It's true. What we focus on is what we create. If we focus on poverty and failure they will continue to show up. However, we can make significant changes by changing our focus.

How do we do this? First of all, you need to see your goals in pictures and imagine that they are happening right now. Every day, impress these visions upon your subconscious mind as clearly as you can. Focus on how your life is going to be when you have reached your goals. Using the resources of online organizations can help with this.

As your subconscious mind begins to transform its vision, you will now begin working towards your goals with confidence, belief and inspiration. These, in turn, will motivate you towards taking action or responding to opportunities that will bring you ever closer to achieving your goals.

At times, it will feel difficult. It can be easy to slip back into a negative focus. This is because the subconscious level of the mind has three main influences; other people, your experiences and how YOU think about yourself.

To help you change your vision and subsequently your actual experience, here is how you can deal with those three influences.

1. Try not to socialize with people who put you down. Seek out people who are supportive and who can be positive mentors. If this is difficult, find programs where you can be trained by leaders like Matt Morris.

2. Do not be a victim of your past. Whatever has happened in your life, choose to see it as a learning experience which moves you forward instead of a failure or weakness. Guilt and anger are self-defeating.

3. Learn positive thinking. If you have a habit of thinking about yourself in a negative way, start practicing self-affirming, positive thoughts.

The more you practice this, the more your vision will lead you through obstacles or false leads, and instead of being stopped by them as in the past, you will now be able to move forward with confidence. The more you see yourself as a powerful, strong and talented human being, the more you will re-inforce the reality of this.

Do not allow mistakes to affect your vision; instead allow them to contribute to its achievement. Think of "mistakes" as lessons that warn you when you are going off course. Learn from them, so you are constantly re-aligning yourself to your goal.

Samuel Smiles, the 19th century writer and advocate of "self help" wrote:

"It is a mistake to suppose that men succeed through success; they much oftener succeed through failures. Precept, study, advice, and example could never have taught them so well as failure has done."

and:

"We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success. We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery."

When Matt Morris discovered that having a "vision" was the key to achieving goals, he finally broke free from his life of poverty and is now the head of a highly successful personal development company.

If a man like Matt Morris can succeed with the background he had, then anyone can achieve their dreams. All that's needed is a powerful vision for your subconscious to feed upon, and will keep you motivated and moving forward. Achieving your goals then becomes a reality instead of just a dream.

By Rosamunde Bott

Ros Bott is a writer and life coach and runs her own home business.

Find out about career coaching here

For online business opportunities, go to Financial Freedom Online

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Goals Are Important - Get Started!

It is about five-thirty AM and I woke up this morning thinking that I was all written-out. I woke thinking that I had not one more word left in me to write about. Yet I had this determination to write at least four or five articles. And this I did. So how did I do it? When I woke and when I realized that I did not feel like writing, I simply went to the computer and began writing about writing. And then I wrote about writer's block. And then I kept on writing other articles. You might not see them all here yet as they are in the process of being approved, but I did write them. I am happy that I achieved my second goal today. (My first goal was to get up and remember to pray).

Ah, and yet it is not even seven-thirty AM and I have achieved two goals already. What more can I say. This morning at five-thirty AM, I am successful! Smile, you can do it too.

Before you go to bed write your goals on a piece of paper. Write your short-term goals. And in the morning do one single thing that makes you get closer to achieving your first or second goal. Do this every single night and at the end of the year, before the silver ball strikes the ground in Times Square this year, you will have accomplished so much in your life. I have a few more sentences to write and then I will have achieved my third goal for the day. WOW! Three goals in one day, and an entire day to accomplish more. This is how you get past writer's block. You just begin writing and you refuse to stop writing. That is all you need to do.

Just write!

By Linda A. Perry

Linda Perry, a published author, creator of genuine, unique television shows that air on Time Warner and on Cablevision in New York City. A warm-hearted individual who gives a voice to those who have been silent all along. This author produces television shows about almost all topics that help people in their lives. Many of the shows are entertainment; some are information and resources and still others are festivals, fiestas, and community events that bring all people together in one place in the city or in the country.

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3 Things I Did to Achieve My Goals

Did you know that there are only three things I did to help achieve my goals in life. In this article I will share with you the three simple things that help me catapult my success and to give me the belief to achieve my goals.

The three things I did was number one increase the size of my belief. Number two change the people that I hang out with. And number three increase my desire for achieving my goals.

Let me now elaborate a little bit about increasing the size of my belief. There is a book by David Schwartz, known as "The magic of thinking big". He says the size of your goal is limited by the size of your belief. Before I learn the technology of Neuro Linguistics Programming, I didn't realize that my limiting belief in my life could actually be changed and I could adopt for myself new empowering beliefs. So the first thing I did was to join a personal development seminar and I learned the technology of Neuro Linguistic Programming to destroy my limiting beliefs and replace them with new empowering ones.

With the new size of my belief, I created goals, which scared people when they heard about it. But to me, they were just inevitable. In fact, just two years later, I managed to reach one of my goals without even working hard towards it and without knowing how I did it. I went from being a civil servant working at the desk for about 13 hours a day to working from home. I'm an intrapreneur as well as an entrepreneur, and I'm also a platform speaker. All of this is because I increased the size of my belief.

The second thing I did to help achieve my goals is to change the people that I hang out with. Jim Rohn says that you are the sum average of the five people you are with. And I truly believe that because the moment I chose to immerse myself in the environment where I see billionaires and top achievers, my life changed immediately. I've been able to attract multi-millionaire mentors. In fact, I have recently attracted a deca-millionaire who work solely on EBay and he's been very forthcoming in teaching me on what to do with running a business. There was no way I could do all this if I had chosen to scratch with the turkeys instead of flying with the Eagles.

The third thing that I did to achieve my goals is to increase my desire to achieve. You see, I lived in Singapore, and in Singapore all of us are more or less comfortable. Our government has helped us to map out our routes in life and if we were to just follow the route that our government has given us, we will more or less be secured in a job. There is very little risk of being unemployed. As such, Singaporeans have a very low-level of desire for success. What I had to do was to increase my desire for success manually using the Neuro Linguistic Programming techniques.

So there it is, these were the three things I did to help achieve my goals in life. Go test it out and for all you know, it could be even easier for you.

By Perry Lai

Perry is a trainer with Singapore's largest training company. Using what he learned from his NLP master trainer mentors, he was able to quit his dead end civil service job and work as a platform speaker and entrepreneur. With his personally designed success system of the "Empowering Communicator", he now helps others achieve success a step at a time using communication skills. Click here to find out how you too can achieve your goals.

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