Posts Tagged ‘what is goal-setting’
How to Achieve More by Dealing with Resistance
Today I want to discuss the missing link in goal attainment…
Your personal success and achievement depends on your ability to act upon what you know. Yet this is where most people stumble.
It is easy to find out what to do. Simply ask the right people for advice, read the best books on the subject and attend the seminars that will fill in the missing details.
It is following through on what you know that makes the difference between the people who are achieving and everyone else.
Think about something you want to do…
You probably already know enough to get started. You will never have certainty you will succeed but you can have a good sense that with adequate preparation you will do well.
What is stopping you?
Resistance – that feeling of not being able to do what you want to do.
Resistance has many symptoms. You may feel tired, not able to concentrate or an inability to get started even when you have everything you need to begin.
Even if you know all there is to know about how to succeed and you have a plan and you know what to do – resistance can keep you from making any progress.
You need to let go of this resistance.
When you let go you still have goals and purpose in life only you get to enjoy the journey more. And you feel more relaxed and at peace.
When you let go you will think more clearly and you will find it easier to come up with solutions to tough challenges because your limiting emotions will not cloud your judgment. It is always easier to cope with setbacks when you feel at peace.
Make a point of releasing the resistance that is holding you back.
If you don´t… success will elude you!
About The Author
Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced a very popular free report that reveals how to crush procrastination and sustain lasting motivation. Apply now because it is available for a limited time only at: http://www.getmotivatedstaymotivated.com/special.htm
Goal Setting – The Facts Behind The Fiction
To have hopes and dreams for the future is a wonderful idea. If you want to call them ‘goals’ that’s fine also but do learn to get things in perspective. They are NOT achieved in the way you have been led to believe.
The much talked about conscious mind, subconscious mind, the will, belief patterns, etc. are simply descriptions of mental procedures and do not exist in isolation, as many people believe.
They are all part of the same ‘mental cooperative’.
Ah, there lies the rub!
The moment you set a goal you instantly cause an ‘inner conflict’ to take place between various departments of this mental cooperative.
This is unavoidable due to the way we were brought up, our parents, how we were educated, where we grew up, our religious beliefs or lack of them. The list is almost endless.
All these factors make up our core beliefs. These beliefs give rise to our very own particular and personal creative patterns of thought which dictate our own individual realities which, in turn, give life to our very own set of ‘Living Laws’.
‘Living Laws’ means laws that we follow, in other words, adhered to, for the sake of leading a ‘normal’ acceptable life. But it also means that they have a life of their own and can be changed, amended or completely abolished to make way for new ones.
Each one of us has a set of these laws. Some of the laws you live by are similar to other people’s but never 100% – that’s what makes us individuals.
Sure, we are all human beings – but we are NOT the same. We are all different, albeit only slightly, but we all differ.
The inner conflict arises when what I call ‘The Judge’ evaluates, compares and checks out your goal to see if it is valid. That is to say, if it complies with your current set of internal laws.
When your goal is found to be contravening these laws, for whatever reason, and reasons you are very rarely aware of, it is immediately and unceremoniously overruled and thrown out of court with no hope of appeal.
The secret to achieving our goals, therefore, is to cause a new creative pattern of thought and thereby amend our current set of Living Laws.
We must become an active and willing member of the cooperate. We must, in fact, cooperate with the cooperative!
The modern day idea that you can use visualization techniques or repeat endless affirmations in order to change these laws and therefore The Judge’s mind is totally erroneous – it will not make the slightest difference.
This is totally misguided thinking.
Sure, after many years of constant repetition of your affirmations/visualizations you may eventually get some reaction from The Judge even if it takes a lifetime, that’s if they don’t lock you away in a funny farm first!
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Meme machines
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Before we go any further let’s just take a look at these beliefs and where they come from and see why they are so darn difficult to change.
It’s all very well being told to change our beliefs and we will change our lives but just how do we do it?
We know from experience that simple visualization doesn’t work, nor do affirmations or anything else for that matter. So, what’s the answer?
The DNA of beliefs are MEMES (pronounced as in cream). Memes are a relatively new discovery and seldom, if ever, talked about in books or courses about personal success and achievement.
Why? If memes are the very foundation of our personality why are they never mentioned?
The main reason is that few people actually understand how they work or the significance they have in our everyday lives.
The dictionary defines a meme as “a unit of cultural information, such as a cultural practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another”
Memes have been likened to viruses and the comparison is indeed very apt. The Oxford zoologist Richard Dawkins defines memes as a set of ideas that can replicate itself like a virus and spread from one brain to another.
For example, it took only 300 years for the meme of Christianity to overrun the Roman Empire and less than 130 years for the meme of communism to “infect” 1.8 billion people across the face of the Earth.
So you can imagine that memes such as: “life’s a constant struggle”, “there ain’t no free meals in this life”, “money doesn’t grow on trees” etc. etc. and all that these silly memes represent (that life is not easy and you have to constantly struggle to make ends meet) have had many generations to set up home in our psyches and become part of our everyday lives. Besides, it’s got to be true ? our parents said so!
Memes come in all shapes and sizes. Some are relatively innocent, such as the ‘hula-hoop meme’, ‘the pet rock meme’ and ‘music memes’ normally associated with a particular race or creed.
But some are extremely dangerous and far from innocent.
I don’t wish to enter into the religio-political arena, so, suffice it to say that the ‘religion memes’ and the ‘political memes’ are particularly virulent and in some cases deadly!
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Paradigms
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Memes then form what are known as PARADIGMS.
A paradigm is “a set of assumptions, concepts, values and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the community that shares them.”
We must be very clear on the understanding of the power of paradigms and how they affect us in order be able to exercise our right of free choice.
For, whatever paradigms we choose to accept determine the form or our perceptions, which in turn shape our decisions, actions, experiences, social systems, worlds and futures.
If you don’t understand just how much of a grip paradigms have on your life and shaping your experiences then you will be under the impression that you and the world are set in stone and there’s nothing you can ever do to change that.
Ian S.N. Randall
Author of Accelerated Goal Manifestation
http://www.tinyurl.com/6zbsf
The Great American Dream Challenge: Faith Restored
Years ago, people came to America in pursuit of their dreams and still do to seek a better life. Work hard, stay focused and you can achieve the American Dream. But our nation, in fact our world, changed on September 11, 2001. Our hearts and spirits were broken, fear and cynicism crept into our collective consciousness, and many are still in need of restoration.
To prove that we are still a country that dreams, I launched the Great American Dream Challenge. Nationwide, people are pledging to use the next twelve months to embark upon new dreams, demonstrate our belief in these dreams and to actually attaining them. What is unique and exciting is that we have forged a community with a common bond dedicated to helping each other realize these dreams. It’s called My Dream Circle.
Here’s How It Works
? Identify a dream that you are passionate or excited about. Find something that matters to you.
? Put it in writing, tell another person, or post it on my website.
? Join a community like MyDreamCircle.com that is committed to helping you overcome obstacles and achieve results.
? Learn to make specific requests and share your resources.
? Create a system for support and accountability.
? Take serious action.
Even if you tend to be overly realistic, you still have dreams or things that you want for yourself and others. During tough times or those days when there is no evidence that your dream is possible, much less a good idea, it’s essential to have a place to turn. In our community, help is available 24/7 via our website, phone calls with me, other experts and coaches. Members have a cadre of specialists on hand to provide the gentle or tough nudge needed.
Throughout the entire year, we will keep abreast of stories, obstacles and wins, but then we’ll gather to commemorate something more substantial than just our personal accomplishments. We will have raised the proverbial bar because when we see that our dreams can come true, we are willing to dream bigger dreams.
The Reality
Many of us think, “I’ll believe in my dream when I see that it’s a sure thing or at least when there’s proof that it’s likely to happen.” But the secret to living a “dream come true” life is to believe in your dream simply because it matters to you. In other words, looking for certainty “out in the world,” is not the place to begin. The place to look is in your own heart. Choose to believe in your dream. Then, take action to demonstrate (to yourself and others) that you really do believe.
The reality is we all have good days and bad. Personally, there are days that I forget to trust, days that I get distracted and forget my dreams, and days when the doubters and dream killers (internally or externally) become so overwhelming I want to give up. That’s when I turn to My Dream Circle, to others who help me remember and reclaim my belief in myself and in my dreams. This community has assisted me through hard times and I continue to do the same for them daily.
Now, with members from all over the world, My Dream Circle provides support through ongoing encouragement, coaching, inspiration and most importantly, accountability for taking risks. There is even a Dream Fund available. We are finding new dreams, partners, investors, volunteers, answers, creative ideas, mentors, friends, and fellow dreamers. But beyond networking, educating, challenging and celebrating, we are a community with a shared commitment that is profoundly impacting lives.
Your Invitation
If we bring our intentions, offer support and resources to aid each other, what could happen? Just reading this might activate a healthy cynic, but during a time when many have lost hope, are afraid of dreaming or taking risks, this is the essential time for us to be bold. What would you do if you believed in yourself? What might you change if you believed in your dreams? And how would you alter your life if you knew people would stand by and help you to achieve your heart’s desire?
Find out by going to www.dreamcoach.com where you can get what you need to achieve any dream. You don’t have to go it alone. Even if you are in need of a new dream, we’re here to offer a hand. Our goal is that everyone who participates in the Great American Dream Challenge will be successful in reaching their dreams.
It’s unheard of and outrageous! Yes, it’s a dream. We intend to prove that as a nation we still have faith and dreams. And we demonstrate that our dreams are important by pursuing them. The conversation about dreams will change from one of fear, uncertainly and doubt to one of hope and possibility as we dream out loud for all to hear.
Marcia Wieder is a best-selling author and speaker who is known as America’s Dream Coach®. She’s known for giving inspiring and moving talks to AT&T, The Gap and American Express. She appeared several times on Oprah and The Today Show. She’s also a syndicated columnist for The San Francisco Chronicle.
For more information, to receive a free audio e-book, “Jump Start Your Dream”, or to join her community of Dreamers, visit http://www.dreamcoach.com.
Come Experience a Powerful Weekend Designed to Help You Exceed Your Expectations & Achieve Your Dreams, visit http://www.dreamcoach.com/dream_weekend.htm to register for the event.
The Influence of People Who Surround You
It is known that the human body sends out vibrations: some are positive, while others are negative. We have orbits formed by people who surround us and with whom we associate closely throughout our entire lives. In my book “The Art & Craft of Success: 10 Steps” by Ostaro, I expand fully on the impact people have upon us.
Through observation and experience we will notice that the association of a certain person or persons will help us finish a project successfully. It is not just a matter of know-how or funding what makes a venture a success. It is more than that. When a person constantly exercises a positive (harmonious) influence upon another human being, it has a great influence on the brain that gives rise to a clearer judgment of a situation or a better solution to a lingering problem. These processes go on quite unnoticed by people ? but they do work. In case of a negative person in our orbit, the result of a contradictory or negative vibration could lead to a bad judgment of a situation or problem, poor solutions and utter failure of the project.
The underestimation of all difficulties or challenges involved could mean higher costs and longer time periods to get the job done.
The success in a project is largely dependent upon correct estimation of all factors involved like choosing the right people in a team, carefully considering essential character traits of the human personality (dependability, punctuality, efficiency, capacity for hard work, persistence when faced with difficulties) in order that a venture be completed successfully and yield the desired results.
Cost estimation in terms of human involvement requires a profound knowledge of human nature and business experience. We don’t achieve success by chance. It requires very solid efforts on the physical plane like burning the midnight oil plus utilizing the formula consisting of three major factors, such as choosing the right team for that particular project, the appropriate location (for example: drilling for oil must be at a calculated spot), and proper timing for completion. A multi million dollar movie, if released at a wrong time without regard to competition, could lose you millions and may never get you an Oscar. There are many examples of successful or failed projects. A careful analysis of a successful project reveals the points mentioned above. In fact, timing is more important than proper funding, as evidenced by Michael Moore’s documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 which became a worldwide hit. At a time, when competition is less, the chances of success increase tremendously.
The stakes in a large venture are very high. Choosing the right people, right time to start the project and right location can make the difference between success or failure.
Ostaro is a veteran media personality and has appeared hundreds of times on television, radio and in print media. A film maker, he frequently appears on radio nationally. He is the host/producer of the Ostaro Show (Time Warner and RCN Cable TV every other Fri and Sun in NYC) featuring the best in celebrity horoscopes. Listed in Who’s Who in America, he is a positive thinker and the author of the “Art & Craft of Success: 10 Steps” published by Svarg Syndicate Inc, NYC. Mr. Ostaro is a Premier Hindu Astrologer of New York City, and is a Kentucky Colonel. http://www.ostaro.com; ostaro@ostaro.com.
Know What You Want Out Of Life
At this point in time you have an opportunity to really analyze your life. Where you are right now and where you want to be in the future. Now is your chance to take a close look at what you would really like to do with your life. Perhaps you have never dared to choose a path based on your true desires, you have purely gone with the flow. This is now your chance.
Before you know how you are going to achieve your goals, you have to know what those goals are. You have to have specific goals. It’s no good saying I am going to be rich, you have to define “rich” in a monetary term.
I will earn $250,000 per year.
I will earn $500,000 per year.
When I retire I will be worth $1m.
The same goes if your goal is to run your own business. What business?
I want a new sports car. What make, model and colour will this sports car be?
You have to be specific. If you are not specific you haven’t got a clear goal.
Speaking personally I love Jaguar cars. My goal is to have a Jaguar car from each marque within the next 10 years. I set this Goal two years ago. Last year I bought a series 3 XJ6. I wanted a series 3 because it was what I consider to be the last real Jaguar to be built in Coventry. This year I purchased a 5.3 V12 1979 XJS. Again I wanted this specific model because it represented the first of the XJS`s before the HE, when they added chrome and made other various modifications. They are both rust free, low mileage examples with a full service history.
I have used a personal example to demonstrate that you have to be specific. I knew which series I wanted. It had to be rust free. It had to have a full service history. It had to be low mileage.
Whatever you might be planning, bear this in mind:
Whatever you can conceive and believe, you can achieve. There are no limits!
Do you want to achieve your dreams and your goals? And I mean REALLY achieve them?
By the way, if you are reading this thinking ‘I just don’t know what goals to set’, then don’t worry. I’ve got a solution for you.
I want you to really figure out what it is you truly desire. I want you to commit and focus your energy on achieving these goals. Goal setting is good. Even in its simplest form goal setting can help you achieve the things you want from your career and your life. Goal setting can and will free you from your mundane life.
So sit down and write down everything you want from and out of life until the day you die. These are your ultimate goals. Now right down everything you want within the next 10 years. These are your intermediate goals. Now do the same for the next 5 years. These are your shorter term goals. Now do the same for the next year. These are your short term goals.
You will never achieve your ultimate goals as these are just dreams, without setting shorter term goals to make your dreams a reality. This is where so many people go wrong. You have to set goals on a daily, weekly and yearly basis to achieve your long term objectives.
The reason for goal setting is simple. Without goals, you simply drift. People drift into unsatisfactory relationships, unsatisfying and poorly paid jobs and spend their lives looking at successful people, wondering how they do it. On the most basic level, it’s possible to set goals just for one day and achieve more than you ever thought possible, in the form of a simple “To Do” list – where you list all of the things you need to get done and cross them off as you achieve them.
Goal setting is a very powerful technique that can improve all areas of your life. The process of setting goals and targets allows you to choose where you want to go in life. By knowing precisely what you want to achieve, you know what you have to concentrate on and improve, and what merely a distraction is. Goal setting gives you long-term vision and short-term motivation. It helps to focus your acquisition of knowledge and helps you to organise your resources.
By setting sharp, clearly defined goals, you can measure and take pride in the achievement of those goals. You can see forward progress in what might previously have seemed a long pointless grind.
So get into the habit of goal setting. Your long term prospects depend upon it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Claridge specializes in teaching motivational and self-development skills. In his new e-book “Mindset and Match” he covers amongst other subjects how having the correct mindset can bring you all you want out of life and is available at http://www.mindsetandmatch.com.
Five Steps to Goal-Setting
What would you like to achieve in your lifetime?
Author Basil S. Walth once said, “If you don’t know where you are going, how can you expect to get there?” These are words well spoken, because whether you’re working toward freelancing full-time or selling your novels, you need a roadmap.
Goals are indispensable. They provide direction, long-term vision and short-term motivation. They separate the important from the irrelevant. Goals also build self-confidence by helping you grow as an individual.
Olympic athletes, successful business people, and (hint?) bestselling writers are goal setters. You aspire to greatness too, don’t you? If you do, and you’re not already setting goals, now is the perfect time to start.
Five Things to Remember When Setting Goals:
1. Write Goals Down
Always jot down your goals-this is powerful. The process of physically seeing your goals helps crystallize them in your mind. This process also better enables you to commit to them.
Interesting Fact: A popular Harvard Business School study once found that only 3% of the population records their goals in writing. Another 14% have goals but don’t write them down, whereas 83% do not even have clearly defined goals. More interesting is that this 3% earned an astounding ten times that of the 83% group!
2. Make Goals Short, Attainable, & Measurable
Set attainable short-term goals that can be measured. This means setting quantifiable goals.
Here are some examples:
- Commit to writing a certain number of words each week
- Submit at least two articles a week
- Find two new markets each week
- Take at least one writing course a year
- Attend at least one writer’s conference a year
Make your goals attainable so you won’t get discouraged. The short-term goals above are attainable for me, but they may not be for you. Or maybe for you, my short-term goals aren’t challenging enough.
Goals are very individual. You have to set your own goals?remember, you’re charting your own course to success!
On the other hand, don’t set wimpy goals simply because you’re afraid to fail. Talane Miedaner, author of Coach Yourself to Success (McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books, 2002) notes: “People sometimes give themselves ‘weeny’ goals-they play it safe so they don’t fail?But the bigger the goal, the more likely you are to achieve it.”
3. Create Deadlines
Without deadlines, your goals are merely dreams. Set deadlines for both short- and long-term goals, and I promise, you’ll get there sooner!
Remember that deadlines can be flexible. Life changes and so do goals. Never be afraid to adjust the timeframe for a goal. What’s important is to keep moving forward.
4. Look at your goals everyday!
Visual aids are an effective way to program your brain.
Reading and re-writing goals are two very effective visual aids. By physically rewriting your goals and pasting them in places you regularly frequent, you make them more real in your mind.
I read an article in this month’s Shape magazine that inspired me. The author mentioned that before Sarah Ban Breathnach, author of the bestselling book & Oprah Pick Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy (Warner Books, 1995) became a bestselling author, she pasted her name on the #1 spot of the New York Times bestseller list and posted it on her computer. Visual Aids like these give you that extra ammunition that will make a difference.
5. Make Goal Setting a Routine
Begin every morning with a “To Do” list. This will help you organize and better manage your time. Plus, your goals will be right smack under your nose every day. Do not get discouraged over any unfinished items. Simply transfer them to the next morning’s list.
The above said, keep your goals front and forward in your mind. Remember…you only get one chance to live your dreams!
In the words of Cecil B. De Mille: “The person who makes a success of living is the one who sees his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly. That is dedication.”
About The Author
Jennifer Minar is a freelance writer in the health & fitness and writing markets. She is also the founder & managing editor of Writer’s Break (http://www.writersbreak.com), a web site and ezine for fiction and creative non-fiction writers.
The Kaizen of Goal Setting
There is an old way of goal setting and a new way of goal setting!
The old way of goal-setting involved setting yor goals, preparing a list of sub-goals, and then carefully checking them off one after another (as and when they were being accomplished). Am I trying o pour cold water on the goal setting method many of us grw up on?
Not necessarily
While I am not saying the step-by-step approach does not work, I am advocating a flexible-goal setting approach.
The flexible goal-setting approach acknowledges the presence of chaos and unpredictability of our modern times, where change is rapid and conditions shift in an instant.
What’s more, a tiny weeny change nowadays has the potential to create major upsets and instability.
Enter the flexible goal-setting system. And, this is how it operates.
Set big-picture, life-enhancing goals with flexible sub-goals that you can adjust to fit in with shifting conditions. The simplest way of putting this into practice is to build into your goal-setting, daily incremental steps that aggregate into your vision. Add to this sub-goal A, sub-goal B, sub-goal C, maybe sub-goal D.
Remember, each sub-goal must be flexible enough to respond adequately to the requirements of the shifting conidtions.
You don’t want to throw your hands in the air in desperation because your plans and goals have been derailed, do you?
Well, the ‘Kaizen of Goal Setting’ is about knowing the difference between the old and the new, and applying it to your goal setting.
Ke o agile edits and publishes In TheZone, an NLP focused ezine that coaches creating an abundant lifestyle. To stay current, Ke o agile accesses http://inthezone.port5.com/2daedge.htm where attains a competitive edge.
