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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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.

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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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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

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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

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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

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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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