Live in Harmony with Your Values

"For what [has] a man profited if he shall gain the whole world but lose his soul?" (Mark 8:36)

Brian Tracy says:  "Any attempt to live on the outside in a manner that contradicts the values you hold on the inside will cause you stress, negativity, unhappiness, pessimism, and even anger and frustration."   You must clarify your values before you set out to achieve your goals.  Think of yourself as a mountaineer setting out to climb a mountain.  First, you must collect your array of tools that you must take with you in order to make the summit.  If you go without these tools, you will not make it very far up the mountain.  Similarly, if you don't identify your values, you will not make it very far in your conquest of your goals.

The Bible says:  "For what [has] a man profited if he shall gain the whole world but lose his soul?" (Mark 8:36)  The happiest people are those living in harmony with their beliefs and values; the unhappiest people are those who live in discord with their beliefs and values.  No amount of pills or alcohol or food can make it all right if you are living a lie.  "Your goals must be congruent with your values and your values must be congruent with your goals." 

"You demonstrate your values in your actions, especially your actions under pressure," explains Brian Tracy.  One of my favourite movies, Leap Year, demonstrates this truth.  Amy Adams plays a woman who is torn between two men, an American and an Irishman.  The former, played by Adam Scott, is a successful cardiologist who lives in a beautiful condo in Boston.  The latter, played by Matthew Goode, is a down on his luck tavern owner from Dublin.  On a trip to Ireland, the American finally proposes to Amy.  She returns to Boston to live in the condo with her fiance.  However, shortly after, the fire alarm goes off and Amy's fiance is scrambling to find his laptop.  He doesn't even make sure that Amy is safe.  The cardiologist's actions under pressure reveal his true values.  Amy has her answer and takes the first flight back to Ireland where she gets a proposal from the Irishman (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1216492/).

Mark 8:36 courtesy https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Mark-8-36/. 

Momentum: Taking Action Leaves Procrastination in the Dust

"Use momentum to overcome procrastination.  Taking action leaves procrastination in the dust." 

http://sites.psu.edu/mattbeckersblog/posts/

Brian Tracy says that some people never reach their goals because they take a vacation to "Some Day I'll".  They have good intentions, but they never launch.  If that is you, vote yourself off of the island and push the start button.  "Start moving and keep moving at a steady rate."

"Momentum is the principle that the linear momentum of a system has constant magnitude and direction if the system is subject to no external force." (Law of Physics)  For instance, if you let a snowball roll down the hill, it gathers momentum and size as it goes; however, if someone stops the snowball on the way down, it loses momentum.  "We don't always need to launch into action like a rocket, but we do need to start moving so we can build some momentum." (http://advancedlifeskills.com/blog/the-power-of-momentum-2/)

I think about when I put together a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle.  At first, I struggle to assemble all of the flat sided pieces to construct the frame.  It's slow going work.  I am tempted to gather up the pieces and put them back in the box.  Then I concentrate on a corner.  It's still tedious work.  However, as I find more and more pieces, the puzzle becomes easier to figure out.  The work starts to move faster and more easily.  There's no turning back.  Before I know it, I've completed the puzzle.

Look at the list of goals you have written for 2017.  Have you launched your goal?  If so, are you working on your goal daily?  Or have you stopped halfway down the hill?  Are you looking at the edges of a puzzle?  "Use momentum to overcome procrastination.  Taking action leaves procrastination in the dust.  If you do something every day that moves you towards your goals, you'll be too busy to think about making excuses."

Lunch Atop a Skyscraper jigsaw puzzle courtesy 

http://www.puzzleando.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=4290.

Self-Discipline: Not an Innate Characteristic But a Learned Skill

"Self-discipline begins with the mastery of your thoughts.  If you don't control what you think, you can't control what you do.  Simply, discipline enables you to think first and act afterward." 

(Napoleon Hill)

Brian Tracy defines self-discipline as "the ability to do what you know you should do when you don't feel like doing it." He explains that the two biggest enemies of self-discipline are taking the path of least resistance (ex. a get rich quick scheme) and instant gratification.  Don't always act on impulse but weigh the possibilities first.

According to Napoleon Hill, "Self-discipline begins with the mastery of your thoughts.  If you don't control what you think, you can't control what you do.  Simply, discipline enables you to think first and act afterward."  President Theodore Roosevelt had an incredible ability to master his thoughts.  While delivering a political speech in the early 1900's, he was shot in the chest by a would be assassin.  Bleeding through his shirt, he still insisted on speaking for a solid hour.  Finally, he let the Secret Service men take him to the hospital.  It turned out that his spectacles case and his speech, both inside his breast pocket, had slowed the bullet down enough to save his life.

It may appear that some people have self-discipline and others don't.  However, self-discipline is not an innate characteristic but a learned skill.  Anyone can learn it.  Forbes contributor Amy Morin suggests six ways to develop the habit (http://www.forbes.com/sites/amymorin/2014/10/03/6-ways-to-develop-the-self-discipline-necessary-to-reach-your-goals/#55a471b14fdb):

1.  Acknowledge Your Weaknesses

Have you ever heard a smoker say "I could quit if I wanted to."  More likely they are simply not admitting that they can't quit.

2.  Develop a Plan

Outline the steps to reach your goal.

3.  Remove the Temptations

If you can't resist spending, leave the credit card at home when you go to the mall.

4.  Practice Tolerating Emotional Discomfort

We all have to experience emotional discomfort at some point.  Learn to tolerate boredom, frustration, loneliness and sadness.  

5.  Visualize the Long Term Rewards

Jack Canfield, while he was writing Chicken Soup for the Soul, visualized the title at the top of the bestseller list.  Despite 144 rejections by publishers, he persevered.

6.  Recover from Mistakes Effectively

Acknowledge your mistakes and move on with resolve to do better next time.

Note:  For books about self-discipline, visit http://godlikediscipline.com/2016/01/21/37-of-the-best-books-for-increasing-your-willpower/.

https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/self-discipline.html

Let Go, Surrender, Taste Freedom

"Abandon the idea that you will forever be the victim of the things that have happened to you.  Choose to be a victor." (Seth Adam Smith)

Two years ago, we took our two kids to Disney World and had the pleasure of watching a live production of Frozen.  While the Thomas and Jacqueline had already watched it in the theatre with friends, it was the first time that Rob and I had seen it.  We were enamored with the song "Let It Go". I had been hurt by someone and was having a hard time letting it go.  "Let It Go" became my mantra for the year 2015.  With Elsa on my Vision Board and with God at my side, I was liberated!

Brian Tracy recommends that if you want to be happy in life, you have to stop the blame game.  Blame requires negative emotions; it will drag you down.  Just one negative emotion can sabotage your happiness.  That's not to say that your anger is not legitimate, that you have no reason to be unhappy.  I had a good reason to feel betrayed.  However, if I had continued to feel sorry for myself, I would have hurt no one but me.  One day it hit me like a ton of bricks:  It's not my job to judge her, it's God's job.  I was able to forgive her.  A gigantic burden was lifted off my shoulders.

As Seth Adam Smith advises:  "Abandon the idea that you will forever be the victim of the things that have happened to you.  Choose to be a victor."  You can't control everything that happens to you. You will run up against obstacles, against injustice, against evil.  But you can control your reaction to it.  Say to yourself:  "I am responsible for my own happiness."  Don't let anything stand in the way of your goals.  Let it go.  

Note:  Read The Secret of Letting Go by Guy Finley at https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Letting-Go-Guy-Finley/dp/0738711985.

http://realrawtruths.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Let-Go-Sunflower.jpeg

Time Management: Work Smarter, Not Harder

"Don't say you don't have enough time.  You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Louis Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo DaVinci, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein." (H. Jackson Brown)

You want to become more productive at home or at work.  You want to devote more time to what matters most in your life.   Shaving off a few minutes here and a few minutes there in your daily schedule can free up a significant amount of time.  H. Jackson Brown has listed 20 tips to help you manage your time and come that much closer to achieving your goals (http://www.creativitypost.com/create/work_smarter_not_harder_21_time_management_tips_to_hack_productivity).

1.  Prepare your day in advance.  You will feel more in control and less stressed.  

2.  Learn to say NO.  Reserve your time for the things that you either have to do or truly care about.

3.  Sleep 7 to 8 hours per night for optimum productivity.

4.  Focus entirely on the task at hand.  Multi-tasking isn't all it's cracked up to be.

5.  Rise early.  Studies show that productive, successful individuals start their day early.

6.  Complete the most important tasks first.

7.  Turn key tasks into habits.  

8.  Be aware of time spent watching TV or surfing the Internet or gaming.

9.  Assign a deadline to each task.

10.  Leave a buffer time between tasks ex. go for a walk, meditate or do another mind-clearing activity.

11.  Don't focus on the totality of your To Do List.  Take it one task at a time.

12.  Exercise and eat healthy to give you energy for the tasks at hand.

13.  Do less things with more value.  Emphasize quality rather than quantity.

14.  Create an organizing system either on your computer desktop or on a bulletin board.  Unsubscribe from e-mail lists that you are not interested in.

15.  Fill time when waiting.  Brian Tracy quoted a study done by an American airline which found that business people could on average accomplish 3 hours of work in the office within 1 hour on the plane.  The number of interruptions on the plane were far fewer than in the office.

16.  Lock yourself in.  No distractions.

17.  Commit to a plan.

18.  Batch related tasks together.  Different tasks require a different thought process.

19.  Find time for stillness.  Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10).

20. Enjoyment should always be the goal.  You get so caught up in busyness that you forget to enjoy the moment.

21.  Don' allow unimportant details to drag you down.  It is good to strive for excellence, but perfectionism can cripple you.

Note:  Read Eat That Frog:  21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done by Brian Tracy (https://www.amazon.ca/Eat-That-Frog-Great-Procrastinating/dp/1576754227).

http://www.creativitypost.com/create/work_smarter_not_harder_21_time_management_tips_to_hack_productivity

Ninety-five Percent of What You Do is the Result of Your Habits

"Ninety-five percent of what you do is the result of your habits, whether helpful or hurtful." 

(Brian Tracy)

I always considered my Grandad to be a very successful man.  So much of his life was governed by his good habits.  Every morning, he would wake up his daughter, my Aunty Marilyn, with two ties in his hand.  She would choose one for him to wear to the school where he taught.  That habit was a good bonding experience for father and daughter.  It was also good for my Grandad's students because they got to see a different tie each day rather than the same pattern and colour.    Every day, Grandad would stay after school for an hour to help the weaker students.  In 40 years of teaching, he never had a student who didn't like him.  Every day, he would walk to school (two miles there, two miles back).  He lived until he was 94 years old.   Every day, he would eat Grandma's dinner (often a casserole) and reply, "That was delicious, Dorothy!"  He was married for 62 years.  Every summer day, he cultivated his garden.  It bloomed until it took over his entire back yard.  Every visit with his grandchildren, he would tell us stories, often about his teaching career, punctuated by his hearty laugh.  He served as my inspiration to become a teacher.

Grandad had discovered the secret to success:  forming and keeping good habits.  Brian Tracy maintains that:  "Ninety-five percent of what you do is the result of your habits, whether helpful or hurtful."(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ8f73e10l8) If you want to achieve new goals, here is Z. Hereford's seven step guide to forming and keeping a new habit (http://www.essentiallifeskills.net/develop-good-habits.html):

1.  Clearly decide on a specific habit.  For example, rather than saying "I will spend less time on Facebook," say "I will spend no more than 10 minutes a day on Facebook".  

2.  Never allow an exception to the rule.  If you spend 20 minutes on Wednesday on Facebook, don't start making excuses for your behaviour.  The next day, get right back to 10 minutes.

3.  Discover your triggers and obstacles.  For example, if you want to lose weight, and you eat when you get frustrated, be prepared.  Look for healthy ways of dealing with your frustration.

4.  Develop a plan.  For instance, Benjamin Franklin wanted to improve himself.  He listed 13 virtues that he wanted to acquire and spent 13 weeks trying to master each of these virtues.  He kept a journal of his progress and discovered that certain virtues helped the acquisition of other virtues.

5.  Employ visualization and affirmation.  Visualization is a powerful way to integrate a new habit into your routine.  "Affirmations program the subconscious with the right mindset for establishing a new habit".  

6.  Enlist the support of family and friends.  No one can do it alone.  If you are held accountable for your actions, there is a better chance you will stick to your plan.

7.  Find healthy ways to reward yourself.  Treat yourself to a new book, movie or concert.  If you are short on cash, visit a friend you haven't seen for a long time or go to a free art or history exhibit.  

I will leave you with this simple thought:  How can you expect to get different results if you keep using the same old habits?  Form new habits, lifelong habits like my Grandad did.  You will be on the road to success!

Note:  Read The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey https://www.amazon.ca/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Powerful/dp/1455892823.

http://coachingpotentials.com/2015/07/30/first-we-make-our-habits-and-then-our-habits-make-us_our-daily-bread/

How to Prepare for 2017

"Excellence is not a destination, but a journey." (Brian Tracy)

Motivational speaker and author Brian Tracy posted a video on Youtube called "How to Prepare for 2017" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2QZvBHtscM).  It goes hand in hand with my New Year's Day post "My Vision Board 2017".  Here are some of Brian's suggestions to help you set and accomplish goals for the new year.

Brian recommends that you set yourself up for success by identifying and writing down your goals for 2017.  But first, seek closure on 2016 before you forge ahead.  The author suggests that you make a list of ten goals you would like to accomplish.  Imagine that you have already succeeded in reaching all of these goals.  Make sure you write them in the present tense, in a positive rather than negative sense and in a personal sense ex. I am signing a book contract for The Hockey Stick.

George T. Doran recommends that you follow the acronym SMART when setting your goals.  

George T. Doran, former director of the Washington Water Power Company, first coined the term SMART goals in 1981 courtesy http://www.cognology.com.au/learning_center/howtowritesmartobj/

Look at your list and decide which goal will have the greatest impact on your life.  Circle that goal and declare it your Major Definite Purpose.  Set a deadline for that goal.  In fact, I recommend that you set a deadline for all ten of your goals.  When I taught elementary school, I had to make Long RAnge Plans every year.  I made a chart which I photocopied on ledger size paper and posted it in my classroom where I could easily see it.  The chart helped me keep on track with the curriculum.  Unlike many teachers, I actually enjoyed making Long Range Plans.  

Brian suggests that after you list your goals, practice mindstorming (or what I like to call brainstorming).  Pose your Major Definite Purpose as a question ex.  How will I get a book contract for The Hockey Stick?  Write down twenty responses to this question.   Every so often go back and revisit your goals to determine how you are progressing.  

Remember:  Excellence is not a destination, but a journey.

Note:  I found this goal chart on Pinterest "Become a Better You" with space for ten areas of your life to set goals.  Included is a line to name the goal, give it a deadline and check off whether or not you accomplished it (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/8796161750433493/).

http://assistedlivingaboveandbeyond.com/2016/11/12/goal-setting-for-2017/

Are You Ready to Succeed?

We've come to the end of the month, a month that I have dedicated to strategies for reaching your goals.  You possess the tools now to set and achieve your goals successfully.  If you have followed the principles of Brian Tracy, author of Goals, as I have blogged about them, you are working on the following steps.

Write down your goals on a calendar or paste them into a scrapbook or on a vision board.  Set a timeline for your goals.  Examine your values and incorporate them into your goals, making sure that none of the goals conflicts with any other goal.  Choose a major definite purpose for which you have a burning desire.  Find someone to be accountable to as you progress towards your goals.  Seek out a support system, whether it's your best friend or your Facebook community, to cheer you on.  Nurture your creativity, whether through prayer and meditation, or through exploring nature or a visit to the art gallery.  Plan to work hard and sacrifice smaller rewards now for larger ones later on.  Plan to manage your time wisely.  Visualize your goals on a daily basis, bringing you one step closer to success.  Be prepared to fail successfully, knowing that you will likely make mistakes on the journey. Be prepared to practise an attitude of gratitude.  Be prepared when that golden opportunity presents itself.  Call on the Holy Spirit, or superconscious mind, to guide you along the way.  Above all, believe in yourself!

I posted my vision board on the rec room door right beside my computer chair where I can study it everyday, burning the images into my mind.  I hung a calendar on the wall beside my computer desk, marked with my monthly goals.  I am ready, willing and able to put my plan into action.  I look forward to measuring my progress at the end of the year.  I hope you will join me in my journey.  Are you ready?

For more information, read Are You Ready to Succeed? by Srikumar S. Rao at http://www.amazon.ca/Are-You-Ready-Succeed-Unconventional/dp/1401301932.

amazon.com

Take Charge of Your Life

"When you take charge of your life, there is no longer need to ask permission of other people or society at large." (Geoffrey F. Abert)

In his book Goals, Brian Tracy devotes a chapter to taking charge of your life.  He says that only you are responsible for everything you do.  It is up to you to create opportunities for yourself to achieve your goals.  Don't just wait for the right time -- act!  If you stay in your comfort zone, you will never realize your true potential.  Take the risk.  Step outside of your comfort zone.  

"Action springs not from thought but from a readiness to take responsibility," according to Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  Taking charge of your life means taking responsibility for it -- the good, the bad and the ugly.  It means accepting what can't be changed and changing what can be changed (the old Serenity Prayer).  

Tracy points out that blaming others gets you nowhere.  When you blame others, you give up your power to change.  You become a victim rather than a victor.  Don't wait for others to change.  You only have the power to change yourself. When you change, often others will follow suit.  For instance, the fiance who thinks she is going to change her future husband's bad habits is usually sadly mistaken.  However, she can work on her own bad habits.  Changing her own behaviour might be a positive influence on her future husband's behaviour.

I'll leave you with one thought:  "If you don't build your dream, someone will hire you to build theirs." (Dhiruhbai Ambani)

For more information, visit www.positivityblog.com.

Read Take Charge of Your Life by Dr. William Glasser at http://www.amazon.ca/Take-Charge-Your-Life-Choice-Theory/dp/1462037437.

media.licdn.com

  

Identify Your Major Definite Purpose

"What would be the one thing that would wake you out of bed in the morning and get you fired up for your day?" (www.sourceofinsight.com)

Brian Tracy devotes a chapter to "Your Major Definite Purpose" in his book Goals:  How to Get Everything You Want -- Faster Than You Every Thought Possible   Imagine what you would like to be known for long after you die.  What would you like your tombstone inscription to read?  

Tracy outlines steps to identify your major definite purpose:

1.  It is something that you personally want, not that someone else has suggested.  It should excite you, make you happy.  

2.  It should be clear and specific.  When written down, it should be something that a child could understand.

3.  It should be measurable ex.  I would like to earn $100,000 by June 1, 2016.  Or, as an ESL instructor, I would like to teach ten people how to speak and write English fluently.

4.  It should be believable and achievable (at least 50% success rate).  For instance, if you want to become a millionaire within a year and you have no money in your bank account, such a goal is likely not within your reach.  It might serve to discourage rather than motivate you.

5.  Your major definite goal should be in harmony with all of your other goals.  

6.  Your major definite goal will likely help you achieve many of your other goals.

Don't think that you need to have a paying job to have a purpose.  As Rick Warren says "If you're alive, you have a purpose."  Your purpose might be to raise the next generation as a stay at home mom.  Your purpose might be to help others as a volunteer at your child's school, at the general hospital, at the local playhouse or at the neighbourhood soccer field.   Volunteers really do make the world go round.  Your purpose might be to start a daily blog.  I still derive great joy from mine, even after almost five years of blogging!  Having a purpose makes you feel alive; it gives you a feeling of self-worth.  Everyone needs a major definite purpose.  What's yours?

For more information, read The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren at 

http://www.amazon.com/Purpose-Driven-Life-Rick-Warren/dp/0310205719.

Create Your Future

"Where there is no vision, the people will perish." (Proverbs 18:29)

In his book Goals, Brian Tracy highlights a study of 3300 successful leaders.  The number one quality that they all possessed was vision.  Their long term perspective led to financial and personal success.  

Tracy recommends that you envision a five-year plan.   Idealize what your business or family life will be like five years from now.  Practise "blue sky thinking":  just as the sky seems limitless, so too are your plans for the future.  Imagine anything is possible.  Write down what your job situation will look like:  your co-workers, tasks, level of responsibility, goals and status.  Estimate what your finances will look like: your salary, mortgage, bank account, investments, retirement.  Envision your family life:  spouse, children, extended family.  How will your health fare ex. appearance, weight, diet, exercise?  Will you be involved in the community ex. charity, volunteering?  Will you practise self-improvement strategies ex. go back to school, update your skills?  The author maintains that often people overestimate their yearly goals and yet underestimate their five-year plan. 

I remember back  to the Christmas of 1997:  my sister Lisa had us all do a visualization exercise at my parents' house.  She handed out pieces of paper and asked us all to write down ten goals and put them in an envelope to be examined five years hence.  My number one goal was having a child, as was Lisa's, I suspect.  At the time we had both been married for several years and yet remained childless.  Well, we didn't have to wait five years.  The following Christmas, I brought my bundle of joy to my parents' house and my mom snapped a picture of him under the Christmas tree.  Two years after the goal writing session, Lisa brought her bundle of joy to my parents' house and my nephew and son played together by the foot of the Christmas tree.  

Have a long term vision.  Write it down.  The sky's the limit!  Watch how God acts in your life.

Note:  For more information about visualization, read my post "Conceive, Believe, Achieve" at 

http://alinefromlinda.blogspot.ca/2015/01/conceive-believe-achieve.html.

bdhls.org

Measure Your Success

"What gets measured gets done." (Peter Drucker)

If you have been following my posts this month, I am focussing on goal setting and achieving, something Brian Tracy talks about in his book Goals:  How to Get Everything You Want -- Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible.  If you want to learn more about how to set goals, visit my post "Chasing Butterflies vs. Digging for Gold" at http://alinefromlinda.blogspot.ca/2015/01/chasing-butterflies-vs-digging-for-gold.html.  

Once you have set your goals and put your plan into practice, you need to measure your goals.  One blogger suggests the following:

1.  Track your daily goals at IDoneThis, an e-mail based productivity log started in 2011.

2.  Join a goal setting website like www.goal-buddy.com (set your goal; build new habits; manage your tasks).

3.  Use the Seinfeld Method.  Keep a daily calendar in which you check off every day that you complete your goal.  A chain of checks starts to develop.  Try not to break the chain.  Visit here for a Don't Break the Chain Calendar:  http://www.writersstore.com/dont-break-the-chain-calendar.

4.  Keep a journal.  If you are working towards something intangible, like being more content, journaling is a good forum for showing the progression of your daily feelings and state of mind.

5.  Schedule a weekly dinner with your family, friends or colleagues to review your weekly goals.  Accountability goes a long way.

6.  Schedule a monthly review of your monthly goals.  Are you focussing on your major goal?  What are you goals for the following month?

7.  Assign each goal a measurable unit ex. chore chart with tasks and time allotments; a chart to spend more time with your family ex. weekly date night with spouse; # of activities with children.

8.  Other ways to measure your goals are:  rate your goal achievement on a scale of 1 to 10 (very unsatisfied/unhappy versus very satisfied/happy).  Assign a monetary value to your goal ex. If you don't follow your plan one week, you give so much money to charity.  

9.  Each month ask yourself:  Whether the goal is still worth pursuing.  How you're doing?  What action steps are needed to bring you closer to your goal?

Note:  There is a difference between tracking your goals, recording what you have done, and measuring your goals, calculating how far you've progressed towards your goal.

For more information, visit http://www.wisebread.com/get-it-done-how-to-measure-your-goals.

www.linkedin.com

Chasing Butterflies vs. Digging for Gold

"Realize what you really want.  It stops you from chasing butterflies and puts you to work digging gold."  (William Moulton Marsden)





whicdn.com

In his book Goals:  How To Get Everything You Want -- Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible, author Brian Tracy references a study conducted on a group of Harvard MBA graduates in 1979.  One group upon graduation did not have any specific goals (84%).  The second group had goals, but did not write them down (13%).  The third group wrote down their goals (3%). Ten years later, a follow up study was conducted.  It turned out that the second group, who had goals, was making twice the amount of money of the first group, who was goalless.  The third group, however, who had written down their goals, was making ten times the money of the first two groups!

Brian Tracy says there are seven keys to goal setting:

1.  Goals must be clear, specific and detailed.  Vague statements like:  "I'm going to be a happier person" will not be beneficial to you.  Goals must be written down.  The act of writing it down helps transform what might seem like a pipe dream into a realistic goal.

2.  Goals must be measurable and objective.  A third party should be able to evaluate them.

3.  "Attaching a deadline to each goal is like ending a statement with an exclamation mark!" says Brian Tracy.  A deadline keeps you dedicated to the task at hand.  Goals can be set at one week, one month, six months, one year or five years.  Daily goal setting is also recommended.

4.  Goals should be challenging.  They must take you a bit out of your comfort zone.  At the same time, they should be attainable (50% probability rate).

5.  Goals must be in harmony with your values and with your other goals.  For example, building a successful business and playing golf every afternoon do not go hand in hand.

6.  Goals should be balanced among the many aspects of your life:  career, family, finances, health, spiritual life, community involvement.  A well rounded person is a more happy and fulfilled person.

7.  You must have a major purpose for your life.  You must have one goal that strives towards this purpose.  As you move towards the one major goal, you will likely find yourself achieving the smaller ones as well.

It's up to you how you want to organize your goals, whether in list form or as a chart.  You can write them on a calendar or on multi-coloured notepad paper.  You can save them on your cell phone or IPod or tuck them away in a secret drawer.  I would recommend that you keep them somewhere that is easily accessible and visible to you.  If they are handwritten, use pencil just in case you need to made changes or additions.   Brian Tracy suggests that you revisit your goals frequently to see how you are progressing.

For more information, read:

1.  Motivation and Goals:  How to Set and Achieve Goals and Inspire Others by Jim Cairo (1998) at http://www.amazon.com/Motivation-Goal-Setting-Jim-Cairo/dp/1564143643.

2.  Goal Setting and Self Directed Behavior Change by David A. Kolb and Richard E. Boyatzis (2011) at http://www.amazon.ca/Goal-Setting-Self-Directed-Behavior-Change/dp/1178802795.

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Conceive, Believe, Achieve

"Imagination rules the world." (Napoleon Bonaparte)

Since today is the first day of 2015, I thought it would be a good day to focus on goals.  Anyone who reads my posts regularly knows that my dream is to publish a book.  My goal is easily identifiable.  Is it achievable, though?

Read my post "Whoever Believes Will Achieve" (http://alinefromlinda.blogspot.ca/2012/11/whoever-believes-will-achieve.html).  What stuck out in my mind when I re-read it recently was that the mind makes little or no distinction between image and reality if the image is vivid enough.  That is powerful stuff!  

Successful athletes use visualization techniques to improve their performance.  Once such athlete, Mary Lou Retton, used to carry around index cards to help her visualize nailing a gymnastics routine. Her Olympic medal haul included one gold, two silver and two bronze.

"Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve." 

Napoleon Hill, author of the above quote, is a believer in visualization.  According to Brian Tracy, author of Goals:  How to Get Everything You Want -- Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible (see http://www.amazon.ca/Goals-Everything-Faster-Thought-Possible/dp/1605094110visualization) visualization activates "the law of attraction", drawing people, circumstances and resources into your life to help you achieve that goal.  Tracy also maintains that visualization activates "the law of correspondence".  If you change your mental pictures inside, it will change your outside world. You become what you think about most of the time.  

Brian Tracy says visualization includes four parts:

1.  frequency:  how often do you spend visualizing an image 

2.  duration:  how long do you spend visualizing an image 

3.  vividness:  how vivid or clear is your image

4.  intensity:  the amount of emotion you put into that image

If you are an archery expert, you will appreciate Tracy's analogy:  You can't hit a target if you can't see it.  The author recommends that you visualize late at night, thereby enabling your mind to accept that at a deeper level during sleep.  The other optimum time to visualize is early in the morning, before the mind is filled with the day's activities.  

"Have complete faith that your pictures will materialize."

According to Tracy, "[Visualization] can do more to help you step on the accelerator of your own potential than any other exercise you engage in."  So, as you write a list of new year's resolutions for 2015, remember:  Conceive a goal.  Believe that you can reach that goal!  Achieve it!

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