GOALS! GOALS! GOALS!

In order of importance:
#1 Attitude (a great mindset is essential)
#2 Goals (clear, concise, specific, with a set date will allow us to achieve the goals we set our minds too)

Day 89: Introduction to Goals

I can begin this article writing about getting in a car without having a destination, shooting a bow and arrow but not having a target, or any of the other hundreds of goal setting analogies, but I am not going to. If you passed the fourth grade, you have probably heard most of these analogies anyway so I won't insult your intelligence. I will get right to the point: proper goal setting is an important part of success. Over the next three lessons you will read about why we need goals, how to set goals, and most important, how to achieve goals. By the end of this three-part article, you will have taken a major step toward your success.

What is a goal? By definition a goal is "the purpose toward which an endeavor is directed". In this sense, everybody has goals. Unfortunately for most people, their goals are as simple as making it through the day or making it home for dinner before six o'clock. In terms of success, I like to define a goal as "an outcome that one strives to achieve by proper planning". There are two main differences between my definition and the dictionary's definition - the words "strive" and "proper planning". For a purpose to be goal, you must exert much effort or energy toward its achievement. In addition, a goal must be consciously planned beforehand in such a way that makes its achievement more possible in your mind, and therefore more probable.

To illustrate the importance of having goals, let's examine why most people do not have goals.

1) Unsure of need for goals. At the very, very least, goals allow you to put conscious effort into taking regular "baby steps" to achieve an outcome. For example, one really does not need to set a goal to go to the store and pick up some bread. This is something that can be easily and immediately done at a subconscious level. However, setting a goal for learning how to make bread would be appropriate because one can't simply just start making bread. There are several steps that must be taken before one can get to the point of actually making the bread like 1) buying a book on bread making, 2) reading it, 3) buying ingredients, etc. It is goal setting that allows one to take these small steps that will eventually lead to the achievement of the goal..

- Creating goals provides your life with purpose and direction
- Having goals allows to you focus on the future when the present seems bleak
- Reviewing your goals can fill you with excitement and motivation

2) Unsure of wants and lack of decision. Too many people wander through life waiting for opportunity to find them. They know they want things like a good job, a nice car, a nice home, love and friendship, but they have never really taken the time to be specific about what they want. They despise being broke, yet they fear success; they love the single life, yet want the security of marriage; they want to do something meaningful, yet cannot seem to get the motivation to do it.. This is where the power of focus and decision comes in. If you have trouble deciding on the things you want, remember that most decisions you make today can be changed tomorrow if needed. Flexibility is an extremely important part of goal setting. Without decision, you cannot move forward.

3) Lack of belief in the power of goals. This reason is one of the easiest for me to understand. There are so many goal setting books, tapes, workshops, seminars, and gurus out there who preach goal setting as "the key to success" or the magic bullet to instant financial, spiritual, and emotional success. While I do believe having goals is an important part of success, it won't do much good without applying the many other principles of success described within this course. With authors exaggerating the benefits of goals, it is easy to see how so many become discouraged and lose faith in the power of goals.

A great example of this exaggeration is a story told by many goal setting gurus about a 1953 study done at Yale, where the 3% of the students that had goals did better 20 years later than the other 97% combined. The fact is, goal setting is a powerful step toward the achievement of success; however, like anything else, it is the continual persistence and effort that makes goal setting as powerful as it is.

4) Belief that goals are too rigid. Assuming that you never change your goals this is true, but an important part of goal setting is being flexible and allowing new opportunity to change your goals. Columbus did have a goal... to sail to India. However, a new opportunity arose when he found America. Without his initial goal, he may never have made the discovery he did.

5) Unsure how to set goals. This will be covered in detail in the next article "How To Set Goals".

6) The fear of both failure and success in achieving goals. If this applies to you, review the articles on "The Fear of Failure" and "The Fear of Success". Along the same lines, a common objection to goal setting is, "Focusing on goals that you have not achieved leads to disappointment." The excitement and anticipation of the achievement of a goal is a much more positive thought than focusing on the fact that you have not yet achieved it. True disappointment comes from not having any goals at all.

7) Poor self-image. Believe it or not, many people just do not believe they are worth the effort. If this applies to you, it is best to refer to the article on "Self-Esteem".

A goal is an outcome one strives to achieve by proper planning. It is something one puts conscious effort into taking regular steps to achieve. This systematic process, or formula, makes the impractical practical, the unreachable reachable, and the improbable probable. With clearly defined goals, your chances for success increase significantly.

Day 92: How To Set Goals

There are many goal setting strategies available and, just as expected, some strategies work well for some people, and other strategies work better for other people. I cannot stress enough the importance of using a goal setting strategy that works best for you. This usually requires adapting a general strategy and removing the steps you see little value in and/or adding steps of your own.

I will list all of the goal setting steps that are used to make up the strategy I have found works best. You can either adopt mine as is, or create your own strategy by using some or all of the steps listed below. Have fun with this!

Brainstorm. Before you choose a single goal to set and focus on, use a blank sheet of paper to write down as quickly as possible all the things you want in the following categories: Artistic, Career, Educational, Ethical, Family, Financial, Mental, Physical, Pleasure, Social, Spiritual, and any other. There is no need to include detail here. Once you have created this list, prioritize each of the items on your list. This will allow you to begin immediately focusing on the potential goals that are most important to you.

Goal Setting Steps

1. Identify your goal. Pick the goal you will be setting and write the goal in positive terms as if you have already reached the goal. For example, "I weigh a lean, mean 170 pounds". Make sure your goal is quantifiable, that is, do not simply say "I want to be lean". Write your goal with as much detail as possible at this time while remaining flexible. For example, on your way to purchase a red Ferrari, if you find that you like the silver Ferrari much better, then buy that one.

2. Put your goal through the test by asking questions. Is this really your goal or someone else's goal? Is this goal bold enough? Do you honestly believe you can achieve this goal? If not, why? List the limiting beliefs you have and change your beliefs. Does this goal conflict with any of your other goals? How would you feel 5, 10, 20 and 50 years from now if you never achieved this goal? Would it really matter? Having asked and answered all of these questions about your goal, do you still want this goal?

3. Set a "maturity date" for your goal's achievement. It is important to have both long and short-term goals. Set the exact day that this goal will be achieved.

4. Identify the obstacles you must overcome in order to achieve your goal. Who or what will be an obstacle for you in the process of pursuing this goal? How can you overcome these obstacles?

5. Identify the people, groups and organizations you need to work with in order to achieve your goal. Must you rely on others to meet this goal? Or perhaps with help from others this goal can more easily be met?

6. Identify the skills and knowledge needed to help you achieve your goal. What can you learn that will help you achieve this goal?

7. Ask yourself if you are willing to pay the price in order to enjoy the benefits. A goal is a goal because of the effort it takes to achieve. Is that effort worth it to you? Are you willing to overcome the obstacles, work with the people, and acquire the skills needed to see this goal through? Are you 100% committed to this goal?

8. List benefits of achieving and reasons why you are committed to your goal, and visualize yourself having already achieved the goal. What pain will you experience in your life if you do not achieve this goal? Here you create enough leverage to convince yourself that you must absolutely reach your goal. It is this step where you turn the want into desire.

Repeat the steps above for each of your goals. Once you do this, you will have created a clear strategy to the achievement of your goals. Tomorrow, we will conclude this three-day section on goals with the most important aspect of goals, which is the achievement of them.

Day 93: Achieving Your Goals

By now, you should be absolutely convinced of the importance of having goals and its direct relationship to success. You should have also defined and set at least three goals using some or all of the steps in the goal setting strategy in the previous article. Now it is time to create your plan of action and see your goals through.

Create your plan of action. A plan of action in this sense is essentially a "to do" list. However, the plan of action includes a list of monthly, weekly and most important, daily actions that will bring you closer to your goal. The concept of taking small, daily actions toward the achievement of your goals is, to me, the most important factor in achieving goals. Do your best to find some action that you can do on a daily basis that will bring you closer to your goal. Add, "review goal" or "reevaluate actions based on progress" to your daily, weekly, or monthly action here.

The second part of the plan of action, or to do list, is the list of non-recurring actions. Here you list the action, the date it needs to be done on or by, and the approximate time it will take. You can even implement your plan of action in your existing to do list if you already have one.

Here is an example of our plan of action for weighing a lean, mean 170 pounds:

DAILY: cardio exercise for one hour, eat a light lunch
WEEKLY: weigh myself and take measurements
MONTHLY: reevaluate actions based on progress

Action: lift weights at gym with trainer
Date: Sept 1,3,5,8,10,12,15,17,19,22,24,26
Time: about 1 hour per session.

Follow your action plan like you would follow a written prescription from your doctor (assuming you listen to your doctor). An action plan is worthless unless you honestly plan to follow it.

Without question, you will meet adversity. For some reason, at some time, you will find yourself not as committed to reaching your goals as you were when you first wrote them down. Do not despair, for this is all part of the process. Here are some suggestions to help you stay committed to your goals and follow them through.

- Change what isn't working. Be flexible. If you are not making progress on your goal, or you are not satisfied with the level of progress you are making, change the action steps you are taking to reach your goal. Don't confuse activity with accomplishment. Be sure to reflect on the progress you have made, not on the time or effort you have put into the goal.
- Know when to share your goals with others. Here is a simple rule for when to share your goals with others: share your goal only with those who you feel will be supportive of your goals; otherwise, keep your goals to yourself.
- Don't procrastinate. Your goals have maturity dates and dates associated with action steps for a reason. Practice self-discipline. If you don't have any self-discipline, make getting some your #1 goal.
- Keep motivated. If you are taking this course and have made it this far, this should not be an issue for you. Motivation comes from within so whip some up when you need it.
- Believe in yourself. Millions of people reach their goals every day. Why can't you be one of them?
- Reward yourself. Whenever you reach a goal, celebrate. Treat yourself to something special, give yourself a pat on the back, post it on our forum and let other members know about it, eat a Scooby snack--whatever it takes. Show appreciation for yourself and your commitment.

Goal setting is not easy and achieving your goals is even more challenging. It has been said that you must pay the price for achieving your goals, but the truth is, you enjoy the benefits. You pay the price for not setting goals at all. Set goals in your personal and professional life that will provide your life with purpose and direction. The discipline you learn and character you build from setting and achieving goals is more valuable than the achievement of the goal itself, so enjoy the process and have fun!

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Success Through Goal Setting

Brian Tracy
Editor's note: Today's article has been guest-written by none other than Brian Tracy, best-selling author of The Psychology of Achievement.
Brian has consulted for more than 1,000 companies and helped more than four million people achieve their goals through the many seminars and talks he gives annually.
... And today he's going to help you!
Make sure you read to the end of this article because Brian offers you a great free gift at the end -- you won't want to miss it!
So without further ado, here's Brian...
People often ask me what the most important quality for success is. Throughout my career I have worked with hundreds of supremely successful people and they all had one easily identifiable trait in common: They all knew how to set goals for themselves and work hard to achieve those goals.
The ability to set goals and make plans for their accomplishment is the "master skill" of success. It is the single most important skill you can learn and perfect. Goal-setting will do more to help you achieve the things you want in life than will anything else you've been exposed to.
And yet according to the best research, under 3 percent of Americans have written goals, and under 1 percent review and rewrite their goals daily. Most people don't understand the importance of setting goals, or they don't know how to do it. Or maybe they're simply afraid of failure.
Today I would like to share with you five key concepts that will help you to reach your goals more effectively. Each of these keys starts with one of the letters in the word "GOALS." Whenever you find yourself getting off the track, simply repeat the word "goals," and think about how each letter stands for a key that just might apply to your current situation.

### G = Get to It!

Sometimes, the only difference between a successful person and a failure is that the successful person has the courage to get started, to do something, to begin moving toward the accomplishment of a specific goal.
You may have a long-range goal. In order to achieve it, you need to sit down and make a list of all the steps that you will have to take to get from where you are to where you want to be. Then begin with the first and most obvious thing that you can do on that list. Complete it, and then start on number two.
Don't worry about the long term. Just concentrate on the obvious first step that you can take. Surprisingly enough, everything else will take care of itself.
The Confucian saying, "A journey of a thousand leagues begins with a single step," is so popular in so many languages because it is so true.
O = Opportunity
Successful people do not wait for opportunities to turn their goals into reality. Instead, they make their own opportunities, because they are perfectly clear about the kind of life they wish to create.
Once you have taken the time to decide exactly what you want, you will experience an endless flow of opportunities that will help move you in that direction.
A = Ability
Many people hesitate to set high, challenging goals because they lack the ability necessary to turn those goals into reality. But remember that we all lacked knowledge and experience when we started out in our careers or fields of expertise.
Since you gain the ability necessary for high achievement through knowledge and experience, if you increase the speed at which you acquire both of those, you increase the speed at which you move ahead.
L = Leadership
Leadership is simply the ability to get results. And you begin to get results when you accept full responsibility for yourself, for your job and for the outputs required in your position.
You demonstrate leadership when you refuse to make excuses or blame anyone or anything for the problems you are having. The acceptance of the responsibility of leadership enables you to move ahead and take action.
When you are not satisfied with your job or income, and you sit down and make a written plan to change it, and then take action on that plan, without waiting for anyone's approval or permission, you are behaving like a leader.
S = Stay With It!
Between you and every goal that you wish to achieve, there is a series of obstacles. The bigger the goal, the bigger the obstacles. Your decision to be, have, and do something out of the ordinary entails facing difficulties and challenges that are out of the ordinary as well. Sometimes your greatest asset is simply your ability to stay with it longer than anyone else.
When you look around you, you will see that all achievement is the triumph of persistence. You will see men and women everywhere who are struggling with and overcoming adversities in order to accomplish something that is important to them.
... And so can you.
Goals enable you to do the work you want to do, to live where you want to live, to be with the people you enjoy, and to become the kind of person you want to become. If you set your goals and create a plan that will help you achieve those goals, nothing can stop you from finally winning through.
To learn more about how you can radically improve your life through goal-setting, please accept my free report, Goals!, as a special gift to you.
The report breaks down my proven goal-setting process into easy steps that will help you achieve the life you want faster and more easily than you ever thought!
To download the report, please click here now.
Thanks to success coach Brian Tracy for an inspiring guest article!