Reaching Your Goal

Are you forever trying to accomplish things but never seeming to get them done? You know you should set some goals but you don't know how to get started? Here is an easy way for you to set goals. Each step is represented by a letter forms the word GOALS.

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The GET Step

Decide what it is you want to get. 

Do you want to get a new car? A degree? Better at something? Do you want to get away from it all on a vacation? 

Decide what it is you want to get and write it down. 

Make a list of all the things you'd like to do and be, a list of all the places you want to go, and the things you want to accomplish.

The ORGANIZE Step

Organize your plan. 

First develop a plan by listing every step that it will take to get you what you want. One easy way of doing this is to imagine yourself as having already attained your goal. Then “look back” and make note of all the steps it took you to get there. Don't worry about the order yet; just list as many steps as you can think of.

Organize your plan by prioritizing your list. 

Make a list of the order that will best accomplish your goal. For instance, if your goal is to get to abroad you would need to plan the dates before you make hotel reservations. You would need to have a plan for saving the money before you booked your plane.

If some of the items on your list look overwhelming, break them down into smaller pieces. If you want to write a book, break it down. Start with the table of contents. Write a chapter a month. Write four pages per day. Make each task manageable.

The ACTION Step

Take some action every day to move you toward your goals. 

Every week write down the three or four things that are most important to do to move you toward your goals and plan when to do them. Then do them.

I often use my Weekly Prioritizing worksheet. You can too. Write down your top three priorities for the week. Next, list three actions you need to take this week to honor these priorities. The next step is the most important—list the possible distractions you will encounter and how you will eliminate them.

For instance, if one of my priorities were to get my first book published, I would write “book” as one of my priorities. I would then list, “write chapter four before work on Tuesday.” Now, what could distract me? How will I eliminate those distractions? 

By looking ahead and preventing possible distractions before they occur, or by having a secondary plan just in case “plan a” doesn't work, I will get those things done one way or another.

The LIST Step

Make lists as you go. 

List what you want. List how to get there. List the obstacles that might get in your way. List how to overcome them. List your action steps. By writing things down, you form a commitment to get them done.

The SUCCESS Step

Enjoy your success each time you accomplish part or all of a goal.

Each small success will boost your confidence and give you the motivation to go on and finish something else.

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Never Lose Hope

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Sometimes, even when one works hard, toils day and night to achieve ones aims, the efforts becomes futile.And no matter how hard one tries, swimming the vast ocean of trials, we fall short, given to the frailties of being a human and given to the people aiming at the very same prospects, knowingly impending, or worse, walling up the path the other is taking.
Then one asks himself, will my honest labors work bear fruit?
One might say, I’m getting too old for this kind of things, it has taken the best years of my life and my best efforts seemed amounting to nothing.The only thing that can be summed up in one’s life is that, “you have been a jack of all trades, but until now, the master of none”.
The lines of an age old hymn became a comfort in one of my own daily struggles to survive in this mundane world, “If I do not bring you solace, then at least I bring you light, nothing is more precious than hope!”
If possible it is best to plant and harvest the fruits of your labors unseen by many. One doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone.We alone should conquer our own faults and inner fears.
Many have said that to surpass our own victories will bring us more fruitful rewards, than trying to outshine the capacities of others. In our own way, everybody is special. A beautiful creation of our Father in heaven, it is a blessing, freely given to us, a precious gift that others have chosen not to see. If we could just realize that we have our own little Eden deep inside ourselves, happiness will never be out of our reach.

No human being can take that away from us.

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Managing Your Time Wisely

How much time are you spending on creating change in your life? Are you spending time constructively or are you actually wasting time? And if you are, do you realize how this will affect your chances of success?

When you know what you want to do, the next step is to start working towards making it happen. But how much time do you actually allocate to your chosen goal(s)?

Of course for a lot of people it depends on how much time they have. But do you actually need a lot of time? What about if you don't have a lot of time, perhaps you have work commitments and a family to consider? Maybe you work 10 hours a day then have to come home and feed the children. Or are you one of the lucky ones who has many hours in the day to spend on your chosen goal.

But just how important is having a lot of time exactly?

I think what is important is not how much time you spend on your goal each day, (although the more time you spend the quicker you will get to where you want to be) but rather how you spend the time that counts. Just how constructive are you with the time you have?

Are you making monthly goals, weekly goals, daily goals or none at all and just doing stuff as and when you feel like it? How much time do you want to spend on your goals? Are you making enough time for yourself? Are your goals really a priority for you? Are your monthly goals being achieved? If not, why not?

Time becomes a precious commodity when you realize you aren't getting any of it back.

This is important because it isn't just about the time it takes to complete something, it is more than that. It is about showing yourself how committed you are to your chosen goal, it is about being more than just the words you speak, it is about understanding the long term gains to your short term movements / actions.

10 minutes a day spent actually doing something towards your goal is better than 1 hour thinking about it.

If you know something has to be done, why don't you go and do it the moment the thought enters your head, rather than making a mental note to do it later, (unless you are driving or some other similar activity) because more often than not in the time that follows you will think of more things that need to be done, which will then relegate the initial activity further down the list of priorities.

Become good at getting things done. Need ideas for a business? Spend time 10 minutes a day brainstorming ideas. Need to lose weight? Spend 15 minutes a day walking to the shops, or wherever. Need to learn Spanish? Spend 20 minutes a day with an audio CD learning new words.

Learn to be more constructive with the time you have got, you may be surprised by just how much you accomplish.

If need be write down a list of 2 or 3 things that you must complete each day and make sure they get completed no matter what, doing this will ensure you are constantly moving in the right direction.

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Being Consistent: The Key to a Successful Life

Taking control of our consistent action means directing our lives well. This is not something that we do once in a blue moon that shape our lives, but it’s something we must do consistently.

To be successful, you must take consistent action...

Yes, and I have learned the importance of consistent action from my job as salesman.

The first thing I did when I joined the company was to take endless training that are needed to become effective salesman.

But when I went out to the field my training failed me. Nothing really happened! And so I thought, “this isn’t really working.”

So I went in search of something that would. I joined a couple of other opportunities and with each one I did the same thing. I went through the training and did what I was supposed to do for a short period of time, and when I didn't see results as fast as I wanted to, I moved on to something else.

You can see the problem with this strategy. I didn't stay consistent with anything for long enough to see any success. Then I recommitted myself. I knew this was for real. And once I did, and was doggedly consistent, the magic happened! And it will happen to you too... But you must be consistent, even when you don't feel like it...

Keep these tips in mind...

1. Do something you enjoy - you'll be more apt to stick with something you enjoy rather than forcing yourself to do something you don't. I love to blog and share with others so I'm not dreading what I have to do every day. I look forward to it.
2. Develop a schedule/routine - I find that without a schedule, I am constantly being distracted by other things that consume my time. The end result is that I often don't get the things on my priority list done, but I've wasted valuable time of other things. Show up every day and follow your routine.
3. Prioritize your time - understand and recognize things that are potential time-wasters and allow yourself a structured time period to deal with those (ie 30 min. per day on Facebook, or only check email at the end of the day, etc.) I find that I can't check email throughout the day because then there are several things that come up that I have to deal with and it pulls me away from my routine. I want to be able to deal with them on my own terms and put them into my schedule. Also, even though Facebook is a powerful marketing tool for my business, I only allow myself 30 min. per day because it can completely consume me.
4. Write things down - this is a must for me. I need to keep a visual reminder of my goals for the day and I don't stop until they're completed. (I even write things on my list that I did but weren't on my list just so I can cross it off! - I know, but I love to cross things off!)

If you want to be successful in your business, in life, in any area, consistent action will get you there!

Take consistent action and great things will happen...

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