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WHY DO WE NEED GOALS?

Goals give you direction in all areas of your life Personal, Career, Spiritual, Material, and Contribution. Goals give you a purpose in life. A reason to get up early in the morning and go to bed late at night. Goals will put drive and passion into your life. Not having goals is similar to sailing a ship across the Atlantic without a map. Goals, like maps, help you get to your destination much faster than sailing though life aimlessly.

HOW DO I SET GOALS?

First you must dream! Dream of everything you want, and have always wanted in every facet of your life. There are no limits.

Ask yourself, What would I attempt to do, if I knew I could not fail? What would I want for my life if I knew I could have it?

Allow yourself to dream like you did as a child. Let your imagination run wild! Brainstorm. Write your ideas down on paper and decide which ones are the most important to you.

Now its is time to define your dream precisely. Which of these goals are most important to you, and why? On a fresh piece of paper, write down one goal at a time. Beside the heading, write down a deadline for achieving that goal. Be sure that the deadline is realistic.

To help achieve the long term goal, set a time line using short term goals. For example, if your long term personal goal is to loose 60 lbs. in one year, set short term goals leading up to the long term goal. In this example you might set short term goal to loose 5 lbs. per month. This is an effective way to evaluating your progress helping you to determine if you have to make changes to your action plan.

THE SECRETS OF ACHIEVING YOUR GOALS

1. Make your goals inspirational.

You need to set goals grand enough to challenge yourself. Remember that if you don't have to push yourself beyond your current limits to reach your goals, you're not really achieving anything. To truly be successful, and reach your true potential, you must constantly push yourself to move outside of your "comfort zone'.

2. Define your goals with clarity.

Be precise in what you want. The more clearly defined your goal is, the easier it will be to attain. For example, let's say you want to buy a house. To say you want to buy a house is not enough. To find a house you'll really be happy with, you have to specify exactly what you want. Do you want to live in the country or the city? Do you want a two story or a bungalow? Do you want a brick house or a wood house? How many square feet do you want? Do you want a pool? How much can you afford? As you can see there are many questions to ask. The more questions you ask yourself, and are able to answer, the clearer your goal will be. Once you know the exact outcome you want, you will be able to create an action plan that will ensure your success.

3. Write a paragraph.

Write a paragraph or two describing exactly why you absolutely must attain your goal. Write down all the reasons why you are committed to attain your goal. Feel the emotion stir up inside of you. Feel the passion and drive. This will bring the goal to life!

How would you feel one year from now if you were to attain all your goals? How would that make you feel about yourself? Would your feel proud? Would your self-esteem be increased? Would you feel unstoppable? Would you feel more confident in your ability? What results would you get from reaching your goals? Would you have greater job security? Would you be up for a promotion? Would you be earning more money? Would your family and friends be proud of you? How would that make you feel?

4. Write another paragraph!

This paragraph or two should explain what will happen if you don't attain your goal. How will you feel? What will happen to your lifestyle? Will you be embarrassed? Will you loose self-esteem? Will you loose your job? The more emotion you can put behind the reasons why you must succeed and why you must not fail, the more committed to attaining your goals you will become.

5. Constantly evaluate your progress.

Having an action plan is not enough. The captain in the previous example will have to constantly evaluate his progress in order to be sure he is on target. Unforeseen obstacles are sure to arise, such as a hailstorm, or increased southerly winds. As a result, he may have to increase his speed or guide the boat in a more westerly direction. In other words, notice what is working and what is not. If an approach is not working, don't waste your time with it. Change your approach.

6. Never lose sight of your goal.

Take the time to review your goals every morning when you get up and every night before you go to bed. This will keep them fresh in your mind. If you think reviewing your goals twice a day is too much to ask, maybe you should reevaluate what it is you want. Ask yourself, 'How important is it to me that I attain my goals?'

7. Don't procrastinate.

Procrastination is a 'silent killer'. Understand that the only way to achieve your goals is to take action! Knowledge means nothing if you don't apply it. How many people have you come across with an unbelievable amount of education working a mediocre job? The world is full of people who don't apply their knowledge. On the other hand, chances are you know of people with less educational background who apply everything they learn. These people are usually the ones who are most successful in all areas of their lives.

Do something right now that will help you to achieve your goals. There is no time like the present! Get the ball rolling. Each step you take brings you one step closer to the life you want. Remember the motto, 'The road to Someday, leads to the town of Nowhere'. Someday is today!

THE BENEFITS OF GOAL SETTING

You will notice an increase in your energy level as you begin to live your life with passion ' the passion that having a meaningful goal will give you. You will be in control of your life and the direction you are heading. Your life does not have to be determined by fate alone. With goals, you create your destiny. Goals give you a purpose in life. A reason to get up early and go to bed late.

EVIDENCE

The following are examples of individuals who have achieved their goals. How has it changed their lives and possibly the lives of others?

• Mother Teresa
• Nelson Mandella
• Michael Jordan
• Mark McGwire

What goals have you achieved that have changed your life, and possibly the lives of others? Maybe it was,

• Education
• Relationship
• New car
• Job interview
• Weight loss
• Exercise program

Everything you do is a cause set in motion. No matter how small the act may seem, it will ultimately have an effect on your life.

OBSERVATIONS

You will soon notice your mind will become a magnet for attracting any information or opportunity that can help you achieve your goals more rapidly. For example, have you ever played the game, Punch Buggy? If not, it goes something like this. When driving in a car with a friend, the first person to see a Volkswagen "Bug gets to punch the other person in the shoulder while exclaiming the color of the car Punch Buggy Red! Once you begin playing this game, you will be surprised to find how quickly your arm becomes sore! That's right, all of a sudden you will become a magnet for Volkswagen Bugs! Everywhere you look, you will see one.

The same thing is true of your goals. When you know exactly what you are looking for, it will mysteriously present itself. This is based on the phenomenon that You Get What You Focus On.

Remember to enjoy the ride. This is the key to a successful life. There is little point in only allowing yourself to enjoy life at the point of achieving a goal. If that were the case, think of all the time that would be spent not fully enjoying your life. Learn to happily achieve rather than achieving to be happy. After all, whether you are conscious of it or not, the majority of your time is spent striving to achieve goals. Such as, getting up in the morning, getting to work on time, making time to see a friend of loved one, and so on. Although these goals are pretty exciting, let's not forget the big ones. The ones we create with passion and drive. The goals that can truly change our lives if we commit to pursuing them.

SUMMARY

If you are dissatisfied with some aspect of your life, get excited. All it means is you now what you don't want. Now its is time to determine exactly what you do want. Clarify exactly what it is you want and create a time frame for getting it. Write one or two paragraphs why you must attain your goals and one or two paragraphs why you must not fail to attain your goals. Keep a close eye on your progress. If what you are doing is not working, change your approach. Review your goals twice daily. This will keep you focused.

The time to change your life is now. Not tomorrow, not the next day. Take time to invest in the future you want. You have the power to create your own destiny!

* Adapted from Anthony Robbins, "Awaken The Giant Within"

This article may be reprinted with the following attachment:

Copyright (c) 1999 Glen Hopkins