The dictionary defines a goal as the end toward which effort is directed. Most people are turned off by the thought of effort. Goal setting then usually gets put off or put aside for a future time. Goal setting gives direction to your life. Setting a goal is like having a pesonal road map to guide you daily. You should no more take chances on conducting your life without direction than you would consider taking a trip without a map or Google directions.
In everything I have ever read and every seminar I have attended, one theme is constant: all successful people - the world's top achievers, the real movers and shakers - are goal setters. AND, they WRITE THEM DOWN. So, it seems to me that to be successful, an achiever, one needs to not only set goals but write them down. Goals are personal and uniquely yours. If you are not convinced about the benefits of goal setting, let me ask you this: If you don't know what you want from life and therefore don't set goals for your future, what do you think you will get? Where will you end up? You will drift through life like a ship without a rudder. You'll find yourself at the end of your life wondering what happened to your goals and dreams for you and your family? What happened to the fun you were going to have?
Sidney J Harris has said: Regret for things we have done can be tempered with time, it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.
There are many ways to approach goal setting, this one is called PERSONAL POWER PLAN. Get a pad of paper and pen - a pad large enough to contain all your notes,yet one that will fit in a file folder. Divide your goals into six categories: mental, physical, spiritual, relationships, career-professional, and financial.
Mental - education of any kind, reading, writing, planning , thinking and self-improvement.
Physical - health, nutrition, exercise, self image and appearance.
Spiritual - your personal philosophy, morals, ethics and values; meditation and prayer.
Relationships - your family and partner, your social life and community relationships.
Career-professional - job oriented skills - degrees, titles, licenses; business ownership.
Financial - your savings, investments, retirement plans; your child's education, personal security and long term health requirements.
Now take 6 sheets of paper and write one of the above categories at the top of each paper. Now list each and every wish or dream or desire or goal pertaining to that category. Don't limit yourself - list things as if a perfect world exists. Now it is time to translate these things into an affirmative manner.
And remember: Regret for things we have done can be tempered with time, it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.
They must be stated as if the result were an actuality.
Goals must be definite, not vague.
A feeling of gratitude, appreciation, or thankfulness must be present.
Experience the feeling or emotion accompanying the expected result.
Now you must follow through. Writing your goals down is only the beginning. As Webster said - ...the end toward which effort is directed.
1. Determine the specific date or time frame for accomplishment.
2. Decide the steps you need to take toward accomplishment.
3. Plan your work and work your plan for accomplishing your goal.
4. Put all this in writing too.
5. Review this daily - make a daily list of mini-to do's.
The most important thing to utilize in your goal setting efforts is your power of belief. Just like the Bible says - "if you can believe, all things are possible".
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
DAY 2 of 21 - EXPERIENCE THE EXCITEMENT OF ENTHUSIASM
You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm. Collette
Enthusiasm is the spice of life, the quality that delivers excitement to every pore of your being. Enthusiasm is like the key to your car's ignition. Just like your car requires a key to start the engine, you require enthusiasm in order to function above and beyond the norm. Sometimes your car needs a little boost. So, too, do we often need a boost. Our boost is excitement. Excitement and Enthusiasm go together.
But, how do we add it? We need to turn to the universal laws we explored yesterday. They apply to all things. They apply to our enthusiasm, excitement and energy. When we look at the Law of Substitution, we will see that we have to substitute the negative and unenthusiastic thoughts with energetic and positive thoughts. You may hate to clean the house, but it has to be done sometime. If you substitute "I love a clean house and I feel really good when things are neat, clean and orderly" for hating to clean the house, you will actually feel the emotion that a clean orderly house will bring.
You must surround yourself with people who are doing things and who are excited about what they are doing. Stay away from those who will bring you and your performance down by their negativity.
Three rules for enthusiasm, excitement and renewed energy:
1. Every day when you wake up - before you get out of bed - say to yourself "This is a great day! Good things are going to happen to me today!" Regardless of the weather or your personal circumstances or any outside influence - start your day with a positive attitude.
2. Act as if this were the big day you have been waiting for. A day of sunshine and smiles. The first day of the rest of your life.
3. Believe that your thoughts, choices and decisions made on this day will be the right ones. Give thanks for the day. Psalm 118:24 says - This is the day which the Lord has made - rejoice and be happy in it. You must believe. And, if you believe, your day will be magnificent.
Wake up tomorrow and have a really great day!
Enthusiasm is the spice of life, the quality that delivers excitement to every pore of your being. Enthusiasm is like the key to your car's ignition. Just like your car requires a key to start the engine, you require enthusiasm in order to function above and beyond the norm. Sometimes your car needs a little boost. So, too, do we often need a boost. Our boost is excitement. Excitement and Enthusiasm go together.
But, how do we add it? We need to turn to the universal laws we explored yesterday. They apply to all things. They apply to our enthusiasm, excitement and energy. When we look at the Law of Substitution, we will see that we have to substitute the negative and unenthusiastic thoughts with energetic and positive thoughts. You may hate to clean the house, but it has to be done sometime. If you substitute "I love a clean house and I feel really good when things are neat, clean and orderly" for hating to clean the house, you will actually feel the emotion that a clean orderly house will bring.
You must surround yourself with people who are doing things and who are excited about what they are doing. Stay away from those who will bring you and your performance down by their negativity.
Three rules for enthusiasm, excitement and renewed energy:
1. Every day when you wake up - before you get out of bed - say to yourself "This is a great day! Good things are going to happen to me today!" Regardless of the weather or your personal circumstances or any outside influence - start your day with a positive attitude.
2. Act as if this were the big day you have been waiting for. A day of sunshine and smiles. The first day of the rest of your life.
3. Believe that your thoughts, choices and decisions made on this day will be the right ones. Give thanks for the day. Psalm 118:24 says - This is the day which the Lord has made - rejoice and be happy in it. You must believe. And, if you believe, your day will be magnificent.
Wake up tomorrow and have a really great day!
Friday, January 29, 2010
21 WAYS....your three powers
This 21 day series is being taken from the book " Putting the Positive Thinker to Work" by Alice Potter. There might be some paraphrasing, but for the most part it is from her book.
Welcome to the world of 21! If you stick with me in this blog for 21 days, you will be embarking on an adventure that can - i f you let it - be exciting and rewarding. The number 21 has always been a significant one. You become an adult at 21. You are able to drink, drive, and sign your name. It's the dividing line between growing up and being grown. In the world of chance, the game of black jack is the winning number. Then there is the 21-gun salute. And, they say it takes 21 days to develop a new habit. So, let's start our 21 days.
You are unique, special and wonderful. You are unlike any other living soul on this planet. You have abilities, capabilities and powers you have never known existed. You have potential. You possess three fabulous powers - powers that may have been dormant or rarely used until now.
1. The power of thought. The power that no one else can control but you.
2. The power of choice. The power that no one else can control.
3. The power of decision. The power that no one else can control.
You have been gifted with these awesome powers, but over all three, you have been given total and complete control. When you properly control these God-given powers you will have complete control over your life and that happens in it. Many people will say that something that happened was God's will. Forget that! It was God's will to give you the power of choice. If you messed things up by your wrong or inappropriate choices, be gracious enough to accept the blame, knowing that you now have the power to change things. You can turn your life around because you now understand the power of choice.
You come to a fork in the road, you have to choose one way or another. You may confer with others, but ultimately it your power of decision. Your life up til now is a direct result of your utilizing your three powers. Once you understand and accept that YOU are in control of your life - it is liberating.
Postive thoughts brighten our day, increase our enthusiasm, keep us young (!), maximize our health and improve our skills. We must eliminate negative thoughts and reprogram our thoughts with self-chosen positive thoughts. Your attitude is the "you" you present to the world. If you present a negative attitude, you will never succeed, you will never attain your goals, you will never create lasting friendships. You will never be happy.
You can do this - you and you alone are in control of your thoughts, choices and decisions. Constantly clear your mental house. Stop - Halt negativity. Replace it with a positive thought. Do this for 21 days - every day.
Welcome to the world of 21! If you stick with me in this blog for 21 days, you will be embarking on an adventure that can - i f you let it - be exciting and rewarding. The number 21 has always been a significant one. You become an adult at 21. You are able to drink, drive, and sign your name. It's the dividing line between growing up and being grown. In the world of chance, the game of black jack is the winning number. Then there is the 21-gun salute. And, they say it takes 21 days to develop a new habit. So, let's start our 21 days.
You are unique, special and wonderful. You are unlike any other living soul on this planet. You have abilities, capabilities and powers you have never known existed. You have potential. You possess three fabulous powers - powers that may have been dormant or rarely used until now.
1. The power of thought. The power that no one else can control but you.
2. The power of choice. The power that no one else can control.
3. The power of decision. The power that no one else can control.
You have been gifted with these awesome powers, but over all three, you have been given total and complete control. When you properly control these God-given powers you will have complete control over your life and that happens in it. Many people will say that something that happened was God's will. Forget that! It was God's will to give you the power of choice. If you messed things up by your wrong or inappropriate choices, be gracious enough to accept the blame, knowing that you now have the power to change things. You can turn your life around because you now understand the power of choice.
You come to a fork in the road, you have to choose one way or another. You may confer with others, but ultimately it your power of decision. Your life up til now is a direct result of your utilizing your three powers. Once you understand and accept that YOU are in control of your life - it is liberating.
Postive thoughts brighten our day, increase our enthusiasm, keep us young (!), maximize our health and improve our skills. We must eliminate negative thoughts and reprogram our thoughts with self-chosen positive thoughts. Your attitude is the "you" you present to the world. If you present a negative attitude, you will never succeed, you will never attain your goals, you will never create lasting friendships. You will never be happy.
You can do this - you and you alone are in control of your thoughts, choices and decisions. Constantly clear your mental house. Stop - Halt negativity. Replace it with a positive thought. Do this for 21 days - every day.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
HOLIDAY WOES AND HOLIDAY LOVE
This has been one of my most interesting holiday seasons. We went to Canada to visit our son and daughter in law, plus their two children - my fabulous grandchildren. One is two years old and the new one is our granddaughter born Dec 9th. How fab is that!!! The trip has been fabulous - I love being a grandmother.
While here I have had a gall bladder attack to end all attacks. I spent two separate days in the hospital. Thank God for demerol and some other shot they gave me. Surgery in the States would have been immediate, but here in Canada it's not that way. Then, the day I got to Canada someone hacked into my email accounts and Facebook accounts. As many of you know, an email was sent to all my contacts saying I was mugged in London and needed money. I eventually got back my two email accounts, this blog, my photography site (what? you haven't looked at it yet? http://www.judithmariephotography.com/) , but still I have no Facebook. However, they wiped out all my contacts and my feeble brain has a hard time remembering all your email addresses. So, if you are reading this and have not gotten an email from me recently, please send me an email so I can be back in touch with you.
The weather here in New Brunswick has been brutal. Cold blustery winds - like pictured in Winnie The Pooh, and snow snow snow. My skin would normally be taking a beating - but - yes, here comes the commercial - I have been slathering on my Rodan and Fields creams and my skin has stayed wonderful.
If I am able to download or upload a picture - you will see the Holiday Love in my new granddaughter.
2010 is the dawn of a new decade and the dawn of a new me. I have some resolutions that will make a difference in my life in 2010 and some of these resolutions will make a difference in YOUR life - if you jump on board.
My Holiday best to all of you - whatever holiday you are celebrating.....
While here I have had a gall bladder attack to end all attacks. I spent two separate days in the hospital. Thank God for demerol and some other shot they gave me. Surgery in the States would have been immediate, but here in Canada it's not that way. Then, the day I got to Canada someone hacked into my email accounts and Facebook accounts. As many of you know, an email was sent to all my contacts saying I was mugged in London and needed money. I eventually got back my two email accounts, this blog, my photography site (what? you haven't looked at it yet? http://www.judithmariephotography.com/) , but still I have no Facebook. However, they wiped out all my contacts and my feeble brain has a hard time remembering all your email addresses. So, if you are reading this and have not gotten an email from me recently, please send me an email so I can be back in touch with you.
The weather here in New Brunswick has been brutal. Cold blustery winds - like pictured in Winnie The Pooh, and snow snow snow. My skin would normally be taking a beating - but - yes, here comes the commercial - I have been slathering on my Rodan and Fields creams and my skin has stayed wonderful.
If I am able to download or upload a picture - you will see the Holiday Love in my new granddaughter.
2010 is the dawn of a new decade and the dawn of a new me. I have some resolutions that will make a difference in my life in 2010 and some of these resolutions will make a difference in YOUR life - if you jump on board.
My Holiday best to all of you - whatever holiday you are celebrating.....
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