"It's a new year. It's time to get my life in order and make some changes!"
It seems like we say that every year but by mid January we already find ourselves off track.
"Ah, but this year is going to be different" you say.
Well, it can be!
We all have dreams, perhaps even big dreams. We fantasize about how good life would be if only we could realize those dreams. And then...we wait...hoping for them all to come true. Oh, to live our dreams! But a dream is not reality. The dream is just a seed. It is a seed that needs to be planted, fertilized, watered and constantly tended to if we want it to grow and bear the fruit of reality. Anybody can be a dreamer. And simply dreaming will get you nowhere. Only a disciplined and committed person, who is willing to go after their dreams and who is willing to make the sacrifices necessary, will see those dreams become reality in their life.
I'm going to show you how to put together a plan that can keep you on track and that will continue to move you forward towards those incredible dreams you would like to see become a permanent part of your life! By putting these simple strategies into practice and adhering to them, before you know it....you will become a new and improved you! You will be living the dream!
It's all about setting goals...
A goal is a destination. It is about where you want to go. But a goal is not just about where you want to go. It is also about mapping out how you will get there. A goal is a well defined process of how you will get from point A to point B. Without goals, you will find yourself constantly missing the mark and staying in the same place or possibly even moving backwards or off course. A goal is the bridge between your dream and your dream becoming reality.
It seems like we say that every year but by mid January we already find ourselves off track.
"Ah, but this year is going to be different" you say.
Well, it can be!
We all have dreams, perhaps even big dreams. We fantasize about how good life would be if only we could realize those dreams. And then...we wait...hoping for them all to come true. Oh, to live our dreams! But a dream is not reality. The dream is just a seed. It is a seed that needs to be planted, fertilized, watered and constantly tended to if we want it to grow and bear the fruit of reality. Anybody can be a dreamer. And simply dreaming will get you nowhere. Only a disciplined and committed person, who is willing to go after their dreams and who is willing to make the sacrifices necessary, will see those dreams become reality in their life.
I'm going to show you how to put together a plan that can keep you on track and that will continue to move you forward towards those incredible dreams you would like to see become a permanent part of your life! By putting these simple strategies into practice and adhering to them, before you know it....you will become a new and improved you! You will be living the dream!
It's all about setting goals...
A goal is a destination. It is about where you want to go. But a goal is not just about where you want to go. It is also about mapping out how you will get there. A goal is a well defined process of how you will get from point A to point B. Without goals, you will find yourself constantly missing the mark and staying in the same place or possibly even moving backwards or off course. A goal is the bridge between your dream and your dream becoming reality.
You have your dreams, wishes and desires. It is now time to figure out how you are going to achieve them. So, let's set some goals!
1. Define your goals. What is it that you really want to accomplish? It is important that your goal is well defined and not just a vague idea. For example, if your desire is to lose weight, your goal should not simply be, "I want to lose weight". A better defined goal would be, "I want to lose 20 pounds." Now the goal is measurable and you will be able to track your progress and know when you have succeeded. By doing this, you now know exactly where you want to go. And when you know exactly where you want to go, it is easier to get there.
2. Map out your Goals. How will you lose the 20 pounds? Is it just going to magically fall off? Of course not! So we need to plan our strategy. Our plan may actually be comprised of other smaller goals all geared towards helping us achieve our ultimate one. For example, I will lose 20 pounds by:
-going to the gym three times a week and exercising
-eating 200 less calories per day
-running one mile every day
You get the idea. Construct a plan that will guide and direct you. You should never wake up in the morning saying, "Now what am I going to do today to help me to lose 20 pounds?" You should face the new day already knowing what is required of you to reach your goal. When you know exactly what it is that you need to do, it will be easier to stick to achieving your goal. Life is so much simpler when we have a sense of direction and we know exactly where we are going.
3. Each goal must have a deadline. Deadlines help to define your goals even more because they create a measurable time frame in which you need to complete your goal. This creates a sense of urgency. If there is no urgency, your goal will tend to be put on the back burner while you allow other things to take precedence over it. Knowing that your goal must be completed within a certain time frame will help keep you excited about the process because you know that an end is coming and that with that end there will be positive results.
4. Your goals must be stated in the positive. For example, you know that you need to start exercising more regularly. Your goal should not be, "I will not sit on the sofa all day." Instead, it should sound like, "I will go the gym to exercise three days a week." Or better yet, "I will enjoy going to the gym to exercise three days a week."
Stating goals in the positive helps to affirm them and it increases your likelihood of pursuing them.
There is no room for negativity here!
5. Your goals must be close to your heart. If you do not have a sincere passion for what you are trying to achieve, then no amount of effort or work is going to move you forward. Be honest with yourself and prioritize your goals. Are they simply whimsical wishes or are they important objectives that you are trying to achieve? Anything that will make a positive change in your life should be pursued with passion.
6. Your goals must be realistic. This does not mean that they shouldn't be difficult. Anything that is worth pursuing is going to take hard work and more than likely, lots of it. Keeping your goals realistic will enable you to keep moving forward knowing that they are achievable. If your goal is too easy, you may get bored with it and feel like you can accomplish it at anytime, so why not put it off till later. If it is too difficult, you might become frustrated with your inability to move forward and your level of confidence in completing it will begin to disappear. Set goals that you know you can achieve with a constant, disciplined and concentrated effort.
7. Write down your goals. You must put your goals in writing. When you put your goals on paper it helps to lock them into your memory. It reinforces the fact that this is something you want and need to do in your life. If you do not write our goals down, they will soon be forgotten in the hustle and bustle of life and eventually they will become distant memories. If you are absolutely sincere about achieving a particular goal, then it is worth writing it down. Once you put it on paper, post it somewhere that you will see it everyday as a constant reminder.
The cool thing about goals is that as you achieve them you become a more positive, confident and motivated person. And the more positive, confident and motivated you are, the more you want to set new goals and achieve them! You'll become a goal achieving machine!!!
Now your goals are concrete! You know where you want to go and you know how you are going to get there. The only thing left is for you to start moving forward. It's time to Live Your Dreams!
Happy Goal Setting,
Mark
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about setting your personal goals.
You may also contact me if you would like to post a personal goal on this site. By sharing your goals with others it helps to hold you accountable as well as providing you with encouragers.
1. Define your goals. What is it that you really want to accomplish? It is important that your goal is well defined and not just a vague idea. For example, if your desire is to lose weight, your goal should not simply be, "I want to lose weight". A better defined goal would be, "I want to lose 20 pounds." Now the goal is measurable and you will be able to track your progress and know when you have succeeded. By doing this, you now know exactly where you want to go. And when you know exactly where you want to go, it is easier to get there.
2. Map out your Goals. How will you lose the 20 pounds? Is it just going to magically fall off? Of course not! So we need to plan our strategy. Our plan may actually be comprised of other smaller goals all geared towards helping us achieve our ultimate one. For example, I will lose 20 pounds by:
-going to the gym three times a week and exercising
-eating 200 less calories per day
-running one mile every day
You get the idea. Construct a plan that will guide and direct you. You should never wake up in the morning saying, "Now what am I going to do today to help me to lose 20 pounds?" You should face the new day already knowing what is required of you to reach your goal. When you know exactly what it is that you need to do, it will be easier to stick to achieving your goal. Life is so much simpler when we have a sense of direction and we know exactly where we are going.
3. Each goal must have a deadline. Deadlines help to define your goals even more because they create a measurable time frame in which you need to complete your goal. This creates a sense of urgency. If there is no urgency, your goal will tend to be put on the back burner while you allow other things to take precedence over it. Knowing that your goal must be completed within a certain time frame will help keep you excited about the process because you know that an end is coming and that with that end there will be positive results.
4. Your goals must be stated in the positive. For example, you know that you need to start exercising more regularly. Your goal should not be, "I will not sit on the sofa all day." Instead, it should sound like, "I will go the gym to exercise three days a week." Or better yet, "I will enjoy going to the gym to exercise three days a week."
Stating goals in the positive helps to affirm them and it increases your likelihood of pursuing them.
There is no room for negativity here!
5. Your goals must be close to your heart. If you do not have a sincere passion for what you are trying to achieve, then no amount of effort or work is going to move you forward. Be honest with yourself and prioritize your goals. Are they simply whimsical wishes or are they important objectives that you are trying to achieve? Anything that will make a positive change in your life should be pursued with passion.
6. Your goals must be realistic. This does not mean that they shouldn't be difficult. Anything that is worth pursuing is going to take hard work and more than likely, lots of it. Keeping your goals realistic will enable you to keep moving forward knowing that they are achievable. If your goal is too easy, you may get bored with it and feel like you can accomplish it at anytime, so why not put it off till later. If it is too difficult, you might become frustrated with your inability to move forward and your level of confidence in completing it will begin to disappear. Set goals that you know you can achieve with a constant, disciplined and concentrated effort.
7. Write down your goals. You must put your goals in writing. When you put your goals on paper it helps to lock them into your memory. It reinforces the fact that this is something you want and need to do in your life. If you do not write our goals down, they will soon be forgotten in the hustle and bustle of life and eventually they will become distant memories. If you are absolutely sincere about achieving a particular goal, then it is worth writing it down. Once you put it on paper, post it somewhere that you will see it everyday as a constant reminder.
The cool thing about goals is that as you achieve them you become a more positive, confident and motivated person. And the more positive, confident and motivated you are, the more you want to set new goals and achieve them! You'll become a goal achieving machine!!!
Now your goals are concrete! You know where you want to go and you know how you are going to get there. The only thing left is for you to start moving forward. It's time to Live Your Dreams!
Happy Goal Setting,
Mark
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about setting your personal goals.
You may also contact me if you would like to post a personal goal on this site. By sharing your goals with others it helps to hold you accountable as well as providing you with encouragers.