Have you ever felt that you have lost your path towards your goals or have forgotten your goals? As I look at my life in retrospection, I have begun to realize that somewhere in the humdrum of the routine struggles I lost my path, digressing from my goals. In fact, I realize that I have forgotten those goals and stopped setting any new goals for myself. If you are treading a similar path, you could read on for some ideas I have come up with to help set/achieve goals:

• Set Realistic and Measurable Goals – When you set goals you have to assess your capabilities and situation. Once you have your goal set you can break it into smaller and quantitative units or activities. This will make your success measurable because the goals are finite and measurable. For instance, A goal to lose weight. You can break it down into losing a set ‘X’ amount of weight every week/month (whatever is feasible) and track your progress at defined intervals.
• Plan and Organize – Once the goals are quantified you get a clear picture of what you need to work towards. Based on that you can have a plan of action and organize your activities around that. In case of the above example you can plan your diet and exercise regimen based on your set ‘X Lbs/Kgs’ and schedule.
• Reward – Set a reward for every successful step. Positive reinforcement and rewarding is a proven technique to motivate people to perform better.
• Involve Friends/Family – Yes, it is ultimately your goal and your effort that goes into achieving it. But, I believe that it is always a good idea to get different perspectives, opinions and in some cases help from close friends/family. You never know, you might find a friend with a similar goal and you can partner with him/her in working towards achieving it.
• Maintain/Retain the Goal – The journey doesn’t end when you achieve the goal. You have to maintain/retain it. Consider this the beginning of a new journey towards a new goal. In the above instance, if you have achieved losing the weight you wanted to, you will still have to continue maintaining that weight and ensure that you do not bounce back to your previous weight.

Remember not achieving a goal is not the end of the world. You should not get disheartened and stop trying. Give every effort your best shot and never give up, success will come to you!

By,

Mary-Ann Roche

Tags: goals, Setting Goals

The Power of Affirmations

For me, daily affirmations are a must! They really do affect me by lifting my spirit and keeping me going when things get tough, and sometimes that can be more than once a day! Daily affirmations keep me on track and help me to remain postive about life.

Affirmations work for me when I take the time to write them myself,  this makes them personal to me and are specific to some situations or circumstances.

Some tips for writing your own affirmations:

1. Make sure when you write them you use the word “I”. These are personal to you remember.

2. Use the present tense. Affirmations are built on the here and now, which is why at any point in time when you want to be positive you can say something like “I am strong and in control right now”.

3. Use your own writing style and be concise with each affirmation, really think through what you want to say.

4. Be short. Affirmations are meant to be simple and clear. If you can, make them a one-liner. If its too wordy you wont repeat your affirmation daily.

5. Affirmations are positive statements, so be sure not to include any negative words in the sentence.

6. Make them believable. Your affirmation has to be something you will take seriously and something your subconscious will believe. In my experience, affirmations have helped cure illness and certainly helped me to remain in control during the most trying of situations.

Take the time to sit down, write out your affirmations according to how you are feeling then double check and check your list to ensure it meets the above criteria. Remember to read your affirmations at least once a day. I read them in the morning before I get out of bed and again before I fall asleep, so discover what works for you.

Some people write their affirmations as notes and stick them to the ceilling and walls, others keep them in a small notebook they carry around with them, or you could put them on dvd and keep the dvd in your car! Affirmations will ensure you reach your goals, and daily practice will ensure that you very quickly begin to notice subtle differences in your life.

By MaryAnn Roche

Tags: achieving your goals, Affirmations, goals, Positive Affirmations, stress

Goals, Set and Forget?

My regular readers know that each month I have a goal setting weekend and it’s this weekend!
My own opinion says that goal setting is something that should be continually tweaked, just like anything else!

So, I have decided to write and remind you about goal setting and give you a few more tips to help you out, before I turn off the computer today and get on with my plans.

No matter where you are in life you can use your current place as a starting point for great success. All you need to do is learn how to set clear, concise, and actionable goals that push you forward and build momentum.

Keep these Goal Setting Strategies in mind:

1. SHOOT FOR THE MOON

Define greatness, challenge the limits, double the goal, or try something new…These are just some of the sentiments that put our plans into action and move us towards revolutionary results.

Look around and witness the very essence of commonplace activities being tested and re-imagined. Such as schools re-defining Physical Education by bringing in activities ranging from kickboxing to more esoteric offerings like tai chi and Yoga

Raising the bar on a project can simply mean taking one extra step, having an allegiance to a weird idea, or devoting to a regular practice.

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Commit to a goal in a meaningful way, personalize it & make it your own, and then watch an otherwise sleepy project wake up and give way to a new found energy, creativity and distinction .
Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”

– challenge the limits
– double the goal
– raise your standards,values or beliefs
– make it a game
– create a regular practice

2. SHOW ME THE SHORTCUT

Sometimes a goal deserves a break. TIME MAGAZINE reported that after 8 hours of sleep you’d be more than twice as likely to find a shortcut for solving a problem.

Suggesting that taking it easy is good for the brain, and what’s good for the brain is good for the overall psyche and soul. Are you doing too much, not getting nourished and being exhausted? Well perhaps its time to consider another path. Don’t re-invent the wheel.

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Pick up a book written by an expert, join a group that’s geared around your project, sign up for an informational newsletter , or ask someone to buddy up & help. For instance, if I was writing a screen-play and struggling with a self imposed deadline, I could simplify my project just by signing up for a writing class.

What with weekly writing tasks & in-class exercises this alone would expedite the development of my script. Another over looked short cut is to consider smaller steps.

The smaller the increments the easier the goal. Deng Ming-Dao, writes in EVERYDAY TAO, An inch in one direction, then an inch in another already makes a span of 2 inches. Gradually we can improve on that. Go the path of least resistance, it’s a gift of energy.

– don’t reinvent the wheel-find someone who’s done it before
– keep to minimum daily standards
– slow down or change the pace
– the smaller the increments the easier the goal
– write everything down–loose ideas vs. lost ideas


3. FOCUS ON SUCCESS

Beginning with the end in mind is the power of imagination . If you are the programmer, write the program, says, goal expert- Stephen R. Covey.

Goals help us to focus, and the quality of our attention is enhanced by a having a project so cool and interesting that we can’t help but make a leap.

Let’s say, you want to organize your workspace so that everyone is inspired to do their best work. The in-between steps: like ergonomic concerns & planning comfortable lighting, in-and-of itself can seem mundane, but joined together they name a bigger accomplishment and by doing so, asks us to spice up our expectations & upgrade who we are.

Focus on success & keep in mind how you want things to end up and you’ll soon be successful.

– name the accomplishment
– what needs to be done by when
– give your project a title
– identify upbeat reasons for pursuing the goal

Goal Setting Made Easy

You need to remember that you will be constantly setting new goals for yourself throughout your life. Many people become discouraged because they feel that every time they reach one goal, they still have even more work in front of them.

Unless you want to reach a goal and stand still for the rest of your life, it is a good thing to always be setting and revising your goals! Doing this means that you will continue to move forward, become a better person, and accomplish greater things.

When setting goals, you should take a moment to envision where you will be and what you will be doing in a month, six months, a year, five years, and ten years.

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A problem that many people have is that they set huge goals for five years from now. Although it is great to have lofty goals, if they are too ambitious you may feel easily intimidated or discouraged.

For this reason, you need to set small goals all along the way so you can continue to motivate yourself and build momentum. Short-term goals are just as important as long-term goals, and this is one of the most important things that you should keep in mind when setting goals.

Create goals for yourself every few months so that when you reach them, you will feel accomplished and excited to reach the next goal. These shorter-term goals are like stepping stones; they will keep you excited about the future and push you forward in moments of doubt or frustration.

Effective Goal Setting Techniques

Many people falsely believe the goals they set are far out of reach. Be like Nike and Just Do It! Spend some time goal setting and then get to work on achieving your dreams.

By using these simple strategies and tools you can implement a great plan that will help you accomplish more and get more of what you want in life! Start setting goals today!

Don’t forget to revisit your goals and reassess the situation regularly – that’s what this weekend, once a month is for with me! Talk to you later

Tags: Goal Setting, goals, Setting Goals

How To Set Smart Goals for Success

Goal setting is an art form really!
You can’t expect great things from any old goals! You need to set smart goals to achieve success!

Makes sense really, don’t you think?

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Whether your goal setting is for your business or your personal life, defining clear, concise goals or smart goals is very important. Without clear goals you can end up confused about what you want to achieve, and you may be putting yourself on the path to stagnation. Clear goals can give you tremendous momentum and intense purpose in your life.

Here are five important tips on hot to set smart goals for success:

1. A smart goal is a realistic one!

Ensure your goals are realistic. With realistic goals, you can almost guarantee that you’ll be able to achieve success, and you won’t stress yourself out trying to accomplish something that’s out of reach. A clear goal is a realistic one.

* Break your long-term goals into small, achievable action steps. Reaching multiple goals along your journey will give you a feeling of accomplishment and motivate you to continue.

2. Be specific when goal setting.

Clarify your goals with the details of exactly what you want. Avoid vague generalities. When you make a specific goal, you’ll be better able to accomplish it.

* For example, “make more money with your business” is a vague goal. Come up with a specific goal, such as, “I will make $1,000 more per month, three months from today.” This goal is specific, measurable, and realistic.

* Specific goals allow you to form your timeline and define your action steps. There’s no guesswork involved when dealing with specifics.


3. Understand what you want to achieve.

In order to define clear goals, your first step is to determine exactly what you want to achieve. If you don’t know where you’re going, you can’t figure out a route to get there.

Once you know where you want to be and what you want to achieve, you’ll be able to come up with the goals that will help you get there.

* Take the time to sit down and brainstorm your long-term dreams and desires.

* Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

4. Determine a timeline when setting goals.

Setting timelines will prevent procrastination and spur you on to action to meet your goals. Having a timeline for your goals also helps to clarify them because now you know what you want and when you want it!

* Make a plan that will keep you on track; however, don’t etch your plan in stone! Allow for changes along the way, but keep your eye on the main goals.

* Come up with goals that you want to meet in a month, year, and even five or ten years from now.

5. Refine your goal setting process.

Your goals may change as your life changes. During this process, you’ll be able to make them more specific, realistic, and achievable – they are then really smart goals!

* It’s okay to refine your goals several times in your life! What’s important now, might not be important to you six months or six years from now. Be willing to accept change. Revisit your goal setting process from time to time and make new plans if necessary.

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Some people flounder through life, unsure of their purpose or what they want to achieve. Don’t let this be you! Your life will have clear meaning if you put some thought into what’s important to you, refine your goal setting efforts and what you want to achieve, and what actions to take to make your dreams a reality.

Setting goals is a neccesity if you want success – setting smart goals is a neccesity if you wan to actually achieve them!

Use these tips on how to set smart goals and your goal setting, achievements and ultimate success will rise to a new level!

Tags: Goal Setting, goals, Setting Goals, smart goals, Success

Success, Overcome Obstacles On the Way

The road to success can be long and troublesome -but it doesn’t have to be! You can overcome obstacles and achieve your goals much quicker

There are always hills to climb in anything worthwhile. Some of these things are created internally and some are not. You can overcome these self-created obstacles with a little hard work and determination.

No matter what task you’re taking on, you can set yourself up for success!

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Here are some ways to overcome obstacles that may provide a left turn on your road to success:

1. Trust yourself.

You’re in charge of your journey to success. You set your goals and you’re the one making it happen, so you must trust yourself. If you truly have a great passion for what you’re going to do, then you’ll be the best judge of what you want.

* Follow your instincts. That little voice in the back of your head may very well end up telling you exactly what you need to succeed in your goals.

2. Never ever give up.

Nothing has ever been solved or accomplished by giving up. Vince Lombardi said it best: “Winners never quit and quitters never win!” This is as true as it gets.


* Being too rigid on something can be counterproductive. In order to find success, we sometimes have to change our approach completely. Keep at the problem until you find a solution. It’s there; you just have to find it.

3. Understand your goals.

Know exactly what it is you’re trying to do. You can’t just run in without a plan of some kind. Take the time to plan out your goals and the steps you intend to take to reach them.

* Identify the parts of your plan that may become problematic and lay out alternatives.

* Even with an exceptional plan, the reality is that things rarely go exactly as you’d expect. You’ll have to stop and make changes at times, and that’s okay! Be prepared for the unexpected with ideas on how to handle a situation if it arises.

4. Gain a fresh perspective.

There are times when, no matter how hard you try, things just don’t go your way. This is where you need to stop, take a step back, and look at things from a different perspective.

* You become used to your routine, so the fine details can easily slip past you. Take a break and walk away for a little bit. Change your focus for a time; then come back to the problem and you may see something you missed.

5. Get help.

If there’s something in your way and it’s too big of an obstacle for you to remove on your own, get help! You can’t do everything by yourself. As humans, we’re social beings and we need help from those around us.

* Get your friends, family or co-workers involved and welcome their input on how to overcome obstacles in your path. This will bring in new ideas and fresh perspectives on the problem in ways you may have never considered.

6. Start again.

Sometimes, despite all your efforts, you need to rebuild from the ground up. Maybe one of your fundamental ideas was wrong and had an effect on everything else. This happens, and while it’s a setback, it’s not the end of your dream.

* With a little more effort and hard work, you can do it!

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Being successful isn’t easy and it involves a lot of hard work, dedication and sometimes sacrifices. With these tips, a good plan, and positive people around you to help, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to and overcome obstacles easily, on your path to Success

Tags: goals, overcome, overcome obstacles, Success