Personal Goals Achievement

Do you remember that feeling at the beginning of a new school year starting with brand new school supplies? That sense of freshness and new beginnings as you open up the first page of an untouched notebook and hold a new sharp pointed pencil poised to make the first mark? Usually the first few pages of my notebook would have my best neatest writing, which then deteriorated as the time went on. My desire to do my best, reaching for higher standards of excellence dwindled as the day to day routines of daily living took me back to standards of mediocrity and just getting by.

The beginning of a new year is often the time when we reflect on the year that has past and see things that we would like to change and do differently. A new year represents a new start, a new chapter and a clean unwritten page in life. There is a desire to live better, reach new goals, and make a fresh start. We make New Year Resolutions and promise ourselves that this year we will do them. We summon up our will power and determination and step into the New Year with the greatest and sincerest of intentions.

New Year Resolutions have become almost the joke of this season. It is well recognized that those well intentioned New Years resolutions often fail as quickly as they are made. One common resolution is the goal to lose weight by eating sensibly and exercise. It is the busiest time of year for Fitness Centers, but statistics have shown that new memberships are rarely kept up more than month or two. One thing that New Year resolutions do show is that good intentions are not sufficient to make permanent changes in our lives.

Why do most New Year Resolutions fail?

We are motivated by pleasure in life rather than pain. Many resolutions involve some kind of deprivation of pleasure whether it be eating, or stopping a bad habit. We know that although we enjoy our bad habits, their consequences are ultimately not beneficial for either our health or life. The desire for instant gratification for short term pleasure is far stronger than any mental logical sense of reason in most cases. We know in our head what we should do, but doing it when it opposes our immediate desires is tough.

Our mind is composed of two parts; the conscious and subconscious mind. Brain activity takes place through neurons. In one second of time the conscious mind uses two thousand neurons, and in that same second the subconscious mind uses four billion neurons. This means that every second there are two thousand neurons making conscious decisions and four billion neurons making subconscious decisions. Which part of your mind has the greatest control do you think?

The subconscious mind is trained by the constant repetition of the beliefs, values and lifestyle that you have taken and lived from an early age. It automatically follows the familiar and well trodden path of well ingrained thoughts, beliefs and behaviors. The subconscious operates from such a well established history that it responds automatically with learned responses and behavior. This is why it is so difficult to create new habits of thoughts and behaviours, the subconscious mind will always try to revert to old familiar way of doing things, because they have become so automatic. The conscious mind has a hard job to make permanent changes because of the power of those four billion neurons. It can be achieved, but it takes hard work by the conscious mind to retrain our subconscious mind.

It is said that you need to do something at least 30 times to create a new habit. For changes in life long learnt behaviors it can take far more than that. For example have you ever got in the car and driven to your destination, and not really remember the journey there. You have been driving using the learned behaviors of your subconscious mind, and your conscious mind has been thinking about something else. However if you were to drive in a different country whose custom is to drive on the other side of the road ? your conscious mind would be working very hard to correct the learned and instinctive behavior of your subconscious mind. In fact the whole experience of driving on the other side of the road feels wrong and uncomfortable, and if you lose your concentration you could find yourself automatically going back to familiar patterns and become a road hazard!

Here are tips for working on those New Year’s Resolutions:

Don’t expect instant results – it’s a process
Plan small attainable steps to your desired goal
Celebrate each successful step towards your goal and work on it until it feels automatic before progressing to the next
Don’t give up when you experience relapses and set backs
Review your new steps and goals several times daily.
Visualize what reaching your goal will look and feel like
Write down your steps and goals.
Find people who will support and encourage you on the way.

Welcome another year!

Why do most New Year’s Resolutions fail? By now, many New Years resolutions would be thrown out, forgotten, shrugged off. There is always next year.

Why do they fail? Perhaps, because theseBy now, many New Years resolutions would be thrown out, forgotten, shrugged off. There is always next year.

Diet? Lose weight? Cut down on the use of credit cards? Be more prompt with bill payments? Cut down on shopping. Read more, pursue that elusive dream, whatever that is. Be a better partner, parent, friend and employer or employee. This is a common one: Exercise!. Meditate.

Time is passing by, welcome to 365 days of procrastination. Time to change your strategy. Yes, life entails strategies, planning,action and implementation.

But, build it one step at a time.

Think of the company you work for. They have a business plan, a budget; they make sure they have the resources needed, financial, time and human . They assess their position on schedule. They implement, they act decisively when it matters.

This is their challenge in order to succeed.

So, what is your challenge?

Replace the worn out resolutions that you make year year.The words lost their essence, their meaning long ago. Re-think, plan a strategy to meet your challenge. Make it worth your while.

In a nutshell, are these pursuits challenging ?

Healthy lifestyle:

1. good , healthy nutritious food

2. healthy portions of food

3. balance work, family and recreation, each area gets a time of their own

4. exercise choose what is best for you, a lot to choose from

5. time for yourself- discover, nurture and listen to your inner self

Financial Health

1. budget- a well planned budget

2. outline major expenses for the year- car, house repairs, travel

3. analysis of spending habits- what you need and what you want

4. pay down debt- mortgage, credit cards

5. no matter what age group- a nest egg /retirement/emergency funds

Try a 21-day challenge.

This is not an original idea. But studies show that if you try your best for 21 days, it eventually results in developing a healthy habit. A forum I’m on has this 21-day challenge. It turns participants into doers. That’s what you need to become- a doer.

Take it one challenge at a time. What is important to you? Diet, weight loss?

Challenge yourself to adopt a healthier eating habit. If fast food and take-out food is your style, there are healthy choices in this area. BUT-is cooking such an aversion and bother that the convenience of take-out or frozen meals are so tempting. There are benefits to cooking. You can choose, experiment and be creative. It’s actually a rewarding endeavour. Surprise yourself.

You love food, eat very healthy portions, you never feel full. More food is good for you. OK- think aboout this seriously.

Vegetables. Yuk. What wants them? Think again. You do!!! Get the idea?

Try this for 21 days. Focus on this challenge,with dedication and enthusiasm.Do it! If you succeed, your 21 days would act as your spring board to the next challenge .

One challenge at a time, you can build it up to eventually meeting all those New Years Resolution you’ve dropped by the wayside.

Are you feeling motivated to set some strong goals for this year? Write down those New Year’s resolutions and get going, right? Most people write down lofty resolutions that they think they should want and rarely stick to them, losing motivation and focus within three weeks of their “good intentions.”

This is a brand new year of limitless possibilities. Do you want to:

Increase your income?
Write a book?
Attract a relationship?
Start a new business?
Become a professional speaker?
Have more personal time?
Take a really great vacation?

I’ve got a gut feeling it’s going to be a GREAT year, a BIG SUCCESS year. So, forget writing down resolutions. They don’t work. In fact, the whole idea doesn’t really inspire action. So, let’s change that.

Start thinking about 3-5 things you want, really want for yourself this year. Not what you should want, or what you think would please others. Dream a little. Think big. What are you passionate about? Entertain several ideas that make you smile, excite you, make you giggle, make you feel really good inside, no holds barred. Remove all mental barriers to holding these ideas clearly in your mind.

Now, put your attention fully on one of the things you want for yourself this year. Visualize and see yourself already there, living it! Creative visialization is a powerful tool of attraction.Our minds cannot tell the difference between something real and something intensely imagined. Hold that picture in your mind. (Do this daily!)

Does this picture excite you – make you want to have it?

How would your life change if you got (achieved) this one thing you really want?

What would you have in your life that you don’t have now?

Now, the next step is very important. You must decide to go for it. Choose to have what you really want NOW, not someday or tomorrow. NOW. Say YES to yourself instead of saying no. Making the decision fuels your intent to take action.

3 Tips to Get on Track

1. On paper, clearly describe the 3-5 things you really want. I suggest using statements beginning with the phrase ” I intend to” vs. I want, I hope for, I wish to, I’d like, I desire etc. (too wishy-washy). Taking a stand with strong definitive statements reflects your commitment to succeed. (This first step is important in creating your road map to achieving your goals. If you don’t define the results you want, how do you know where you’re going?). Feel like being creative? Make a collage or dream board for a visual aid in keeping your focus.

2. Moving forward, break down your action steps into smaller steps over a shorter time period like 30 days. For example: your goal is to increase your income, your first step may be to explore options to generate more money. Another step may be to look at your skills and talents for further ideas. A third step may be choosing something you have always wanted to do, something that you love that has the potential for additional income. Maybe it’s a total change of career. The first month may be devoted to doing research and personal exploration.

3. Identify potential obstacles and struggles that could prevent you from reaching your goals. Develop strategies to keep yourself motivated and focused such as reading and listening to positive materials, surrounding yourself with encouraging, uplifting people, joining a mastermind group. HIRE A COACH! Note: let go of using the “money excuse” that you can’t afford to get what you want. Invest in your success. It costs money to make money. How much do you think NO is costing you to stay where you are?

5 Tips to Stay on Track

1. Resolve unfinished business. Either clear the past ( make apolgies, speak your mind, forgive someone or yourself) and let it go.

2. Stay strong if you’re feeling FEAR. Bring your attention back to the present. Fear creates uncertainty, worrisome and anxiety producing thoughts. (“What if” thinking, Am I going to be okay?) Fear looks at the future and worse case scenarios. Focus on past successes for confidence.

3. Eliminate negativity. Notice the chatter in your head. How do your emotions speak to you inside? What you think affects how you view a situation. Ever heard the phrase self-fulfilling prophecy? Your viewpoint affects your decisions and actions; therefore your attitude directly affects the outcome. Take a look at the people you associate with. Are they uplifting or do they bring you down? Be selective about who you’re with, being around consistently negative or fearful people is draining and disheartening.

4. Keep up your self-care. Taking good care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually is a key factor in staying strong and focused under pressure.

5. Celebrate along the way. Taking the time to recognize measurable successes motivates continual commitment to your goals.

“The big challenge is to become all that you have the possibility of becoming. You cannot believe what it does to the human spirit to maximize your human potential and stretch yourself to the limit.” Jim Rohn

I was thinking about my New Year’s resolution today. Out of curiosity I decided to do a little research to see just how many resolutions are actually kept.

I found that 50% of resolutions are broken within the first two weeks. I went on to discover that by the end of January a full 95% of resolutions are abandoned.

Only 5% of New Years resolutions are kept beyond January.

This caught my attention. I looked a little harder for the reason so many resolutions fail within such a short amount of time. I found that the majority of resolutions fail due to:

1. Procrastination
2. Lack of discipline
3. No game plan
4. Doing it alone

In summary, I concluded that the majority of resolutions fail because only a small percentage of people with resolutions ever do something about it.

Don’t let this happen to you.

Whatever your goals are for the New Year, I urge you to put them into action. Don’t wait any more. Action creates results.

If you’re really serious about making some changes this year, here are some surefire ways to make them happen.

1. Schedule a Meeting to Map Your Way

Stay with me here. You wouldn’t drive anywhere without knowing the way, why would you feel any different for something as important as you. Ask yourself an important question like “Where do I want to be, one year from now.” And write down your response. This will give you a clear indication on the direction you need to go.

2. Have a Daily Planning System

We know from above it would be just plain wrong to drive somewhere without knowing the way. It’s just as important to know why you’re going there. Writing down your goals will effectively prove their worth to you, and give you the reason to start driving toward them.

3. Define Your Key Results

Key results provide an indication of your progress toward your goals. These will be milestones or signs that you’re heading in the right direction. It’s important to determine your key results and write them down, so you know you’re on track.

4. Take Action

Action creates results. Now is the time to take everything you know about your desired goals, and prioritize your activities to achieve results. You can do this by selecting the most productive actions to reach your key results.

The important thing is that you take the actions that will give you the best chance of reaching your objectives. Remember to write these down so you have a concise roadmap to succeed.

5. Give Yourself a Reward

If you’ve followed the above for any length of time you’re bound to be making accomplishments. Rewarding yourself will motivate you to further reach your goals. You can now appreciate the fact that you are one of the motivated 5% who made it! Pat yourself on the back – you deserve it.

Once you’ve experienced the power of this kind of goal-setting, it will be hard to do it any other way. But don’t delay; take the time right now to define your goals for 2006.

Create your plan and take action. You’ll be glad you did!

Kind regards
Matthew Sherborne

If you have some resolutions for the New Year or if you set some goals for yourself or your business for the next year, here are some ways to keep yourself on track and focused.

1. Less is more. Have 3 or 4 resolutions at the most. Any more than this will make them hard to focus on. If the resolutions you have can be achieved in less than a year, create others once you have accomplished these.

2. Visualize success. Know what accomplishing your resolution(s) will do for you. Day dream about it. How does it look and feel? Reaching your dream only happens if you are motivated enough to stick with it. If you don’t keep thinking about how much you want it and how good you will feel once you either accomplish it or make it a habit (or get rid of a habit!), you will lose interest.

3. Write them down. Here is another way to stay focused on your resolutions. There is something more permanent about the written page than just having it in your head. Sometimes just the act of writing it down is enough to keep you on track and focused.

4. Tell someone. Have a friend, a mentor, or a coach hold you accountable. Once you tell someone else it is just downright embarrassing to admit you didn’t stick with it. Sometimes we know that is the only way we’ll get it done. Some people are motivated completely by the positive aspect of getting it done and others need the fear of the consequences of not accomplishing it. Both can help you.

5. Post them. Put a copy of your resolution(s) where you see it/them frequently. Just seeing the list will continually remind you of what you are trying to do. Where can you put the list so you see it continually? How about the bathroom mirror or the refrigerator door?!

6. Read them. Say them out loud at least once a day. Make a little ritual of this. Do it at the same time every day. This would be a good time to visualize your success too (2). The more you think about your resolutions the more in focus they become.

7. Take action. Ask yourself at the beginning of the day what one action can you take today to keep you making progress on your resolution(s)? Moving forward one step at a time is what you are after.

8. Hire an expert. An expert can help you to overcome blocks, improve the way you are approaching the tasks or just boost your spirits. Depending on your resolution an expert might be a coach, a personal trainer, a nutritionist, or an organizer.

9. Use affirmations. Create a positive statement that you can use when the voice in your head tells you that you are not going to achieve whatever you are striving for. When you become aware that the voice is telling you can’t do it, substitute your affirmation.

10. Reward yourself. Give yourself something special when you cross a milestone or survive a particularly difficult period in your journey to achieving your resolution. Celebrate successes along the way and feel good about what you have done.