New Year Resolutions
No doubt many of you have made (and possibly already broken) New Year Resolutions. As long as you take them seriously they are a fantastic motivational tool. You’ve no doubt heard the expression: ‘A person who is going nowhere normally gets there.’ It is extraordinary when you ask people what they want, how few really do know what they want.
The New year is as good a time as any to sit down and really work out what you want. I am not talking about the normal New Year Resolutions that are as soon broken as they are made. If you spend the time to sit down and work out what you want to achieve then you are well on your way. To help put you on the right track here are the stages of goal setting and achievement.
How to motivate by setting goals
List your desires: Make a list of the things you really want, both long term and short term, in your business life and in your private life, both tangible and intangible. When making this list, be realistic. There is a danger that short-term goals that are too big don’t become believable and are not achieved. We become what we think about.
Select a goal: Now select from your list of goals a primary one, taking into account these three points that are so important to remember:
- It should be high enough to be worth the effort.
- It should be achievable in months, not years, and ideally within a maximum of three months. - Remember success breeds success.
- Be realistic about any financial considerations if money is involved.
Define your target: Define your chosen goal in complete details. Ensure you are crystal clear as to what the goal is. Be specific - losing weight is not a goal, how much weight exactly do you want to lose. ‘What the mind of man can accurately conceive and believe, it is forced to achieve.’
Imagine the achievement: Imagine that you have achieved your goal. Let your conscious and subconscious mind vividly imagine being in the position of attaining your goal. Many people question this stage, but all I can say is that this is one of the greatest principles of all personal development and success.
Set a deadline: Now set a deadline for your goal’s achievement. Decide the exact date by which you want that goal. We all respond to deadlines. Every year I hear people say that they will do their Christmas shopping earlier. But every year, Christmas shopping seems to be done by the vast majority in the last two weeks - I’m sure this year was no different! The human brain does respond to deadlines!
Carry a reminder: Carry your goals. Every person who is ambitious and striving for achievement should carry their goals with them as a reminder and a purpose.
Success by the inch is a cinch and by the yard it’s hard.