Be Inspired: February 2014

Monday, February 24, 2014

A Goal Without A Plan is Just a Wish!

Goal Setting

Setting a goal provides you with the incentive and motivation you will need to stay the course for the task at hand. When I first started my entrepreneurial adventure my goals were S. M. A. R. T. By following the

S. M. A. R. T. goal setting idealology from the start my odds of success were increased.

S. M. A. R. T. goals are:

S. Specific
M. Measurable
A. Attainable
R. Relevant
T. Time-Bound

One of the first goals for my business for to generate $3,750 per month by 8/17/10.

It was:
Specific - Earn $3,750
Measurable - $3,750 by 8/7/10 (6 months after I launched my PTC business)
Attainable - I had a strategy and plan which I developed to achieve this goal.
Relevant - Of course my goal was relevant & critical to my own personal life plan.
Time-Bound - I had a deadline that was set based upon the strategy I was implementing.

Sometimes it can be quite difficult prioritizing your goals. Often, we will have so many needs, wants, and desires it's overwhelming. I realized I needed help so I turned to someone I trusted for assistance. I turned to Zig Ziglar for inspiration. Zig Ziglar has an excellent audio book called "Goals: Setting and Achieving Them on Schedule" Zig Ziglar recommends that you spend at least 10 hours planning your goal, which is why on only 3% of the population has clearly defined objectives for their lives. Zig's 5-step process will equip you with even more tools to become successful.

Zig Ziglar's goal setting process:

#1 Create your dream list. Let your imagination run wild and write down everything you want, desire, and wish for. EVERYTHING!
Wait 24-48 hours! Once the time is up consider "Why?" for each item on your dream list. (If you can't HONESTLY express in a single sentence why cross this item off your list.
With the remaining items on the list ask yourself these 5 questions. If you can't answer yes to these questions cross the item off your list. It's more of a dream than a goal.
- Is this really "my" goal?
- Is this morally right and fair for everyone concerned?
- Is it consistent with my other goals?
- Can I emotionally commit to completing this goal?
- Can I truly see myself achieving my goal?
With the remaining items on your list ask yourself these questions & if you can't answer yes to at least on of these questions cross it off the list.
- Will this goal make me happier?
- Will this goal win me more friends?
- Will this goal give me peace of mind?
- Will this goal make me more secure?
- Will this goal improve my relationship with others?
Divide the remaining goals into 3 categories;
- Short - less than 1 month
- Medium - 1 month - 1 year
- Long - greater than 1 year

There should be a mix of big goals to help you grow to reach your full potential; long range to keep you focused; and small to keep you on task daily.

Hard work does lead to failure, ooops, I mean success.

The truth behind succeeding.

You would be surprised by how many people are unaware of the amount of failure experienced when we set out to achieve a goal. Succeeding is not all of the glitz and glam portrayed on television. When we view another person's success we only see the result. We don't get to see the sleepless nights, the worry, or the failures. All we see is the result of their endurance.

Almost every successful individual I've encountered have shared with me how difficult and trying their journey has been. They speak of how much they've had to overcome in order to reach their goals. I've come to realize that the sooner we embrace and understand this principle the easier it will be for us to overcome the roadblocks and obstacles we face in our own journey. When we're able to associate these difficulties as being normal and part of the journey, we can begin to see success and achievement all lie on the other side of our failures.

"You always pass failure on the way to success." Mickey Rooney

Could you imagine what would've happened if Michael Jordan had given up on his hoop dreams when he was cut from his high school basketball team? People who succeed in life all possess these key traits;

Endurance. Successful people are ready to weather the storm. They know that the road may be difficult and challenging but the reward outweighs any challenges ahead.
Acceptance. Successful people accept their failures and learn from them. They don't allow themselves to be defeated by temporary setbacks.
Positivity. Having a positive attitude is an imperative trait to possess when pursuing a goal. You have to believe that you can achieve your goal.
Adaptable. Our world is changing at a rapid pace. In order to succeed you have to be able to adapt to these changes and change course quickly.
Reflection. In order to evolve and develop the skills needed to advance to your next level self reflection is key. How can you address that which truly stands to halt you in your tracks if you don't acknowledge it?
Curiosity. To succeed you have to be willing to constantly expand your current knowledge capacity. Don't let your own education be something you were told you had to learn!

“If you are not in the process of becoming the person you want to be, you are automatically engaged in becoming the person you don’t want to be.” - Dale Carnegie

Dare to Dream

I decided this year to face my fears! My fears were standing in the way of achieving my goals and living a better life. My biggest fear was my DREAMS. I was afraid of how large they were and how difficult achieving them would be. I realized that far too long I was sitting back and living my life according to what it should be instead of what I wanted it be. This was the result of my expectation that everyone would understand my goals and support me. It was difficult for me to understand that everyone was viewing the world through their own eyes. What was good for me may or may not have been what was good for another. Once I realized and accepted this I begin to embrace my own dreams, goals, and ambitions. I dared myself to dream. I dared to believe the impossible was possible. So the journey began.

Stay the course. The pursuit of ones dream is a road that is unique to every traveler. Consistency and perseverance are critical characteristics necessary as we pursue or goals and dreams. Motivation and endurance are key traits that many of us fail to realize dwells within in us. We question and doubt our abilities to stay the course and often lose focus on our journey. Thankfully, each day we are given an opportunity to try again; we're given the opportunity to achieve what was unachievable previously. In pursuit of our dreams we must embrace every encounter, difficulty, and achievement are thrust upon us in order to gain the wisdom necessary for the next leg of our journey.

"Don't let your excuses be bigger than your dreams."

Be Courageous. The difficulty in personal success is finding the courage to confront our fears. Everything we desire lies on the other side of that which we fear. You can't land your dream job being afraid to take the first step; whether it's soliciting a new employer, enrolling in school, or launching your new business venture. Be confident and step outside of your comfort zone, this is where your success and achievements dwell. Learn to take those fearful first steps in stride and accept that sometimes you will succeed and sometimes you will learn a valuable lesson.

Keep going. For some getting started is pretty easy, for most staying the course is obstacle. Learn to keep going, don't give up. Find the confidence within yourself to know that through persistence your efforts will eventually become the success you dream of. Rest, if you must but don't quit.

Be of service to others. Your journey and experience can be the motivation and encouragement that others need. Remember that when you started, you sought the expertise of those whom have succeeded before you. We are all integral elements in the circle of life, when we help others we are in turn helping ourselves. Even if you have just started pursuing your dreams there is someone who has not yet started; open your heart, lean on your faith and extend your hand to help another. Learn to see the light in others, even when they can't see it in themselves; treat them as if that is all you see. Our jobs are not to judge; our jobs are not to determine who deserves something. Our jobs is to encourage, motivate, heal, and restore. Don't add to the broken people in the world, help with the healing.

The road that leads to our goals and dreams will take us places, give us new experiences, and reveal strengths we didn't know we possessed. I encourage you to dare to dream, dare to dream that the impossible is possible.