Goal setting is a well known means of giving any self-improvement plan a greater likelihood of success. Whether it’s in your personal or professional life, you’ll stand a better chance of realizing an ambition if you have a clear idea in advance of what you want to achieve and if you’ve planned the steps you’ll take to reach your target.

Motivational experts call this the S.M.A.R.T approach to setting goals: the acronym helps you to remember the critical success factors in any development plan. Your goals need to be:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Time-based

Organizing your goals according to these principles helps to establish a priority of objectives in order to make good progress. It also leads you towards a step-by-step program which breaks down large scale goals into a series of smaller, more achievable tasks.

The SMART approach also addresses another vital aspect of intelligent goal design: the need to stay motivated. It’s one thing to make elaborate plans to develop your career, improve your relationships or start an exercise regime; after your initial enthusiasm wears off, maintaining your efforts is a different challenge altogether. It’s said that ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’ — but what fires this drive to persevere?

If you’ve given your goals SMART design, you’ve built in a mechanism to give you regular encouragement and the reassurance that you’re actually getting somewhere! Here are five favorite tips to maintain your determination and spur you on to even greater achievements:

1. Set a realistic date to achieve your goal. If you don’t give yourself a target date, you risk allowing other deadlines to take priority. Many people find they’re spurred on by the knowledge that there’s a time limit in which to get a job done.
2. Make a step-by-step plan. Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by the sheer size of your goal or the length of time you need to achieve it all. Breaking it down into smaller stages makes each step easier to take. Keep a daily ‘to do’ list of operational goals that will build your progress over time.
3. Write your goals down. You need reminders and incentives to stay focussed on your plans: stick a list on your fridge door or make a customized ’start page’ on your computer! Keep your list in front of you to remind you of your ambition every day.
4. Visualize your success. There will probably be times when you feel frustrated and want to give up your plan. Help yourself overcome such setbacks by imagining what your life will be like when you have reached your target.
5. When you’ve passed an important milestone on your journey, share your success with others. Give yourself an appropriate reward — you deserve it!

A successful goal setting plan needs to build in opportunities for motivation and incentives. As you see how much progress you have made towards your target, you’ll be inspired to achieve even more.

Rob Sherman is a writer for http://goal-setting.all-your.info, an online guide to setting goals to help you achieve more in life, improve your self-confidence and eliminate negative attitudes.

Visit the site for information on achieving career goals, lifetime goals and self-improvement ideas and tips.

It’s time to change the way we think and speak about our dreams. Transforming a conversation, just like manifesting a dream, begins by setting an intention. Your intentions will assist you in taking greater control of your life.

A working definition for intention is: “to have in mind a purpose or plan, to direct the mind, to aim”. Lacking intention, we sometimes stray without meaning or direction. But with it, all the forces of the universe can align to make even the most impossible, possible. My intention is to transform the conversation around dreams from fear and doubt, to hope and possibility, followed by action and results.

Some might say this is not the right time to dream. The media and masses say, “It’s time to be realistic.” Consider this. Without our dreams all we have is our present reality. Reality is not a bad thing. We have to know where we are so we can design the appropriate strategy for getting to where we want to be. The challenge is our attitude around “reality” and being “realistic” and what being realistic has cost us. Often that’s our passion and joy, our hopes and dreams.

Given the unknowns and sometimes craziness of life, there’s never been a more important time to dream and setting your intention is the first step. When should you set an intention? You could set an intention every day. Your intention could be to work less and make more, or to find a new career that you are passionate about. It could be to get healthy and physically fit, or to spend more quality time with loved ones or alone. It can be specific and about something in particular or more like a quality, such as to be more relaxed or involved with life.

At seventy, Bessie set an intention to become a world famous photographer. Although many thought she was too old, she didn’t. She entered a photo contest where she won the first prize of $10,000. Her prize-winning photo toured around the world with a Kodak exhibit. She told me, “We’re never too old to make a dream come true.”

People set intentions on all kinds of dreams; to get married or have children, to get a job or make a career change, to write a book, lose weight, or move to a foreign country. When you set an intention and then act on it to demonstrate your commitment, amazing things occur. Intention can also give us fortitude for dealing with tough times.

I am currently rebuilding my home. I simply wanted to add on a new bathroom, but with all the surprises an old (and charming) house can offer, every turn has been a shock, sometimes even a nightmare. It looks like the entire building may need to be rebuilt. My intention is to live through this process with dignity and grace. I am tested daily. It’s often not easy, but this intention has helped me maintain composure, sanity, and on a good day, a sense of humor. Intention can be used for community or social issues, global events or (literally) in your own backyard.

For example:

• Before you get out of bed, you can intend to have a fun or productive day.

• Before you leave the house, you can intend to have quality time with your family or roommate.

• Before you start your car, you can intend to have a safe ride to work.

• Before you enter your workplace, you can intend to learn something new or be helpful.

• Before the meeting begins, you can intend to be brilliant or calm.

First Steps:

1. Get clear about something you want and write it down.

2. Share your intention with someone in a way that will supportively hold you accountable to taking action.

3. Do something today to demonstrate your commitment to your intention.

4. Acknowledge that you did what you said you would and then, take the next step.

By setting an intention, you make it clear to yourself and others, just what you plan to do. Set an intention to redefine what it means to be serious about your dreams.

Marcia Wieder is a best-selling author and speaker who is known as America’s Dream Coach®. She’s known for giving inspiring and moving talks to AT&T, The Gap and American Express. She appeared several times on Oprah and The Today Show. She’s also a syndicated columnist for The San Francisco Chronicle. For more information, to receive a free audio e-book, "Jump Start Your Dream", or to join her community of Dreamers, visit http://www.dreamcoach.com. Come Experience a Powerful Weekend Designed to Help You Exceed Your Expectations & Achieve Your Dreams, visit http://www.dreamcoach.com/dream_weekend.htm to register for the event.

STEPS TO ACHIEVING YOUR DREAM

Having a Dream . . . a Passion . . . a Vision . . . is like having a reason for living — a reason for being. Our dreams provide a strong sense of purpose and the motivation to great each new day with enthusiasm. The dreams we truly desire for ourselves are how we create life. The time arrives in all lives to create a new potential. We may ignore the signs, but they are there. They can be felt inside when the body constantly tells us we’re not happy, we don’t feel good, we don’t have enough love or spirit flowing through us. The life currently being led, the available levels of joy and abundance, were created from one set of beliefs, thoughts and strategies. We’ve outgrown an old way of being. Another potential reality can be created if we are ready to cultivate new beliefs, thoughts and strategies. To do so requires willingness to take ourselves on an adventure into the unknown.

Can the secrets of achieving dreams be broken down into a series of steps? Well, it isn’t always as simple and neat as a set of defined steps, but there is a general process for success:

DREAM FROM THE HEART.

The imagination is the place from which we begin. From imagination born within the core, we are the catalysts of possibility. The life we wish to live can only be imagined by self, can only be created by self. It is inspired by the passions, desires, feelings and intuitions existing within. The body is the guide leading us into alignment with living a potential higher then the one currently being lived. We dare to believe a better life exists outside the beliefs which form our comfort circle. We dare curiosity, adventure and the risk of finding out if angry lions, tiger and bears really do or do not live outside the boundaries of the comfort circle.

Every human being has the ability to paint a new life. We are the canvas, the paint and the paintbrush of our life. If we don’t like the way we feel in the life already painted, it is time to pick up the paintbrush and paint a new life. We don’t need to know exactly all the details of what a new life would look like. Start somewhere. Begin with a feeling of excitement. Bring decisiveness and willingness to the canvas. The rest begins to unfold.

We can begin painting the doorway to a new and better life. A life in which we feel good. Only self can begin to imagine what feeling good would look like. If it’s unknown, guess. Pretend. Make something up. We get to paint an entire new life and do it poorly. If it turns out not looking and feeling quite as expected, we’re still holding the paintbrush and the paint. We can adjust, modify, paint over something not quite right. Of course, the choice is always available to begin again.

Set aside some time to reconnect with your heart’s dream. What has been placed on the back burner that now can be brought forward? These dreams are the ones we want for ourselves — not for our spouse, not our family, not anyone else. Ours alone. When we let other people determine our definition of success, we sabotage our own future.

Dreams and desires bring excitement and life to our body. We learn how to stay focused on what is wanted, how to remain in a place of feeling good. We learn how to connect with spirit, bring spirit into the body, how to fill ourselves with power. We are here to create. To do this, dreams must have excitement and importance. They are not going to be easy to achieve, and an internal leader must be able to refocus on the vision when times get tough or obstacles are encountered.

DECISION.

Decide to achieve this. This may seem basic but many people never decide and commit fully to their dream. They simply keep “thinking” about it. Or the first obstacle appears and they give up. Make a commitment to self that this is what is wanted. Right now is not the time to worry about how to make it happen. This is the moment of developing an internal leader who will carry the vision and come back to it time after time. Honor the commitment to self. No one can let us down more than we can. Make a commitment about what is wanted and choose to honor and stand behind it 100 percent. No matter how challenging, how fearful, or overwhelming it may seem, decide you are going for it! Why? For no other reason than because you want it — no should’s, have to’s, or weak choices. Decide and commit.

What do I want to have?

How will I generate daily feelings of excitement around this dream?

What am I prepared to do to maintain excitement even in the face of doubt and discouragement?

BELIEF.

Believe in the outcome of the dream. We may have no idea how to get what is wanted, but it is essential that we believe, ultimately, we will have what is wanted. We don’t need to know exactly what to do. The first steps are acknowledging the dream, being excited by the dream, developing a committed relationship with the dream and believing we are worthy of having it.

Use affirmations, pictures, positive thinking, motivational tapes, prayer, self-love, visualization and whatever it takes, to reaffirm this dream and the belief we can have what we want. Using these techniques daily is required to slowly, but surely, change thinking patterns, create new beliefs and give dreams momentum.

It’s okay to have fear. Fear often means we are headed in the right direction. The fear signals that this is something that is wanted. It’s just that we don’t know how to get what we want, so fears pop up to stop us from risking failure. Acknowledge fear as part of the journey.

VISION.

Great achievers have a habit. They “see” things. They walk around with pictures of what they are wanting to create. They already see themselves as having what they want. Everything starts out with a dream. Visualize success. See the light at the end of the tunnel before even starting. Create an inner dialog of success and allow self to already feel the feelings of achievement.

Imagine the difference between these two scenarios. The first person, Gail, walks around with a clear vision of herself having already achieved her goals. Multiple times each day, she pulls up her dream and spends time with the physical excitement of imagining a successful outcome. Each day she speaks loving words to herself, and leads herself with strength, kindness and compassion. She plays with her dream, offering it a relationship of love. When obstacles occur, she may fall flat, but at some point her internal leader remembers the vision. Her focus and attention are drawn back to feeling good combined with what is wanted.

A second person, Ben, hasn’t yet developed he ability to hold strong to a vision. The first obstacle comes along and knocks him flat on the ground. Ben stays there, accepting his defeat. His dream is buried as decides the failure is proof he can’t have what he wants. His inner dialog is self-critical. He feels frustration, anger, discouragement, disgust and the hopelessness of “What’s the point?” Both Gail and Ben are going to run into obstacles. Both will meet with disappointment, fear, failure and other obstacles. There is no avoiding them. Who is more likely to achieve their dreams, Gail or Ben?

ACTION.

Decide where you are at now, and what seems like the right place to begin. Action means starting at the right place at the right time. Action steps may mean first spending time imagining what is wanted, what a joyful life would look like. Action steps may require writing the dream, defining meaningful positive affirmations, allowing time each day to visualize the dream, adding exciting emotions to the dream, or breaking down an overwhelming change into smaller, manageable steps. It might take weeks or even months of doing these steps before we are ready to move on to the next level of action.

ENJOY THE PROCESS!

Each person has within them individual ideas of what is exciting. An exciting idea does not come from left brain logic. It comes from deep within, from center. It has no logical basis. It is an idea of creation. An exciting idea which brings more life, more energy. Perhaps our ideas lie in the creation of a flower garden, a home redecorating project, a self-initiated business or the physical embodiment of spirit. The size of the desire is irrelevant. Relevance lies within excitement. Does the idea stir up passion, bring more life, bring a twinge of awakening? Our purpose to stay true to inner desires, come back as often as possible to the excitement of carrying those dreams. We allow ourselves to intentionally feel good, right now, even as the dream is but an illusionary reverie.

Remember no one is making you do this. This is your dream for yourself. Other people may support us, and then again, they may not. Remember, it is not their dream and not their obligation to make it happen for us. We have to believe in our dream, summon the excitement for ourselves, stay true to the process of creation. Creating our dream will require much effort, emotionally, spiritually and physically, to get what is waned. Fall in love with the journey itself — not just the outcome. Fall in love with yourself for having a dream.

POSITIVE NOTES

I dare to dream of a new life.
I dare to stay true to my dream.
I dare to feed excitement my dream and my body.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Helping people let go of self-destructive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors has been the life work of Dr. Annette Colby. Her fascination with the power of the mind, emotions, spirituality, and physicality has led her to become a leader in the field of personal growth and consciousness. She is a valued counselor, and an inspiring teacher, as well as an independent writer, mentor, and guide. She is a highly sought-after trainer with a unique ability to inform and inspire individuals to open their hearts, love more openly, and pursue their dreams.

Dr. Annette Colby, RD
Nutrition Therapist & Master Energy Therapist

Subscribe to our FREE content filled newsletter and see why it’s been called the best e-zine on the net!

http://www.LovingMiracles.com
Miracles@AnnetteColby.com
972.985.8750
"Opening Creative Portals to Success"

Introduction

There were two incidents, which inspired me to write this write-up, “When Expectations are not clear”. Sometime back, I had this interaction with a CEO of one of the most famous company in Bangalore, in his words, “it is impossible to give clear-cut job responsibilities and job specifications to an employee”. Second incident was an e-mail from one of my friend from Noida, stating, “Sanjeev, I expected a lot from you but you failed”. Well, having expectations are important and equally important is to communicate it properly.

Why Expectations?

Before I start expecting anything from others, I must be clear as what I am expecting from myself. Those, who have no expectations from themselves, have no right to expect anything from others. So, just ask your self:

- What are your expectations from yourself?

- Where do you see yourself in next 5-7 yrs?

- How you wish to be remembered by your family members, your friends, your sub-ordinates and your colleagues?

Expectations in Relations

Imagine, if you don’t know, what are the expectations of:

- Your parents
- Your Children
- Your gurus/teachers/faculties
- Your Students
- Your Spouse

Your Friends, family members and people around you Don’t presume things? Don’t think that everybody knows everything? If there are no expectations, there will be no challenge, no passion, no motivation, nothing. That is where, I mentioned, that “Silence is a crime”

Expectations in Profession/work-place

- How often do you appraise your employees/team-members?
- What are your expectations from your employees/team-members?
- What are the parameters to measure their performance?
- Have you communicated to them?
- What will be the consequences, if they fail?
- What will be the rewards, if they exceed the expected level?

If you are not having any expectations, how you are going to appraise, your employees? Yes, you are going to be biased, because you don’t have set standards. The role of a CEO, HR Manager is like a director of a movie; choreographer of a stage show, where there is a defined role for each character, each participant.

Setting expectations initiates the process. Managers need to sit down with each employee and clearly define what’s expected of them. Management consultant, Kenneth Philips, states that when expectations are not clear, employees may not be in sync with their job’s current demands and priorities. Setting expectations is not a once and done activity. Jobs change.

Priorities change. Resources change. Managers need to revise and set new expectations throughout the year. Setting expectations revolves around the following three areas:

1. Key job responsibilities
2. Performance factors and standards
3. Goals

Why is a setting expectation important? Quite simply, this process can be the cornerstone of improving the motivational climate within your sphere of responsibility. If your employees know what is expected of them, it allows them to focus on results and to monitor themselves against the set standards. Environments in which expectations are not clear, or change from week to week, seldom create high-performing work groups.

Three Principles that Drive Expectations

The three principles that should drive expectations are clarity, relevance, and simplicity.

1. Clarity

Expectations should focus on outcomes, not activities. In other words, you achieve clarity when you identify the expected results rather than the method for achieving them. Managers often make the mistake of attempting to direct the process that an employee will use rather than being clear about results. The advantage of identifying the outcome is that you, the manager, focus only on the goal; after all, the employee will develop the method for achieving the desired results.

Defining the objective often requires some thought on the part of the manager because it is easy to fall into the "activities trap." While developing a strategic plan for a department or division is a worthy activity, it does not represent an outcome. In the activities trap, developing a plan is the goal, rather than increasing your market share.

2. Relevance

The principle of relevance helps define the "why" of the assignment. If your employees have a full understanding of the project’s importance, they can make adjustments as unanticipated factors crop up within the process. They probably also will be more committed to the result because they can see more easily how it fits into the big picture and how their efforts impact the company.

This understanding typically is accomplished through dialogue between the manager and subordinate, which allows for a more thorough review of the situation and for feedback and discussion. This process builds good will with the employee and sets the stage for additional responsibilities.

3. Simplicity.

Simplicity creates a sense of grounding for employees as they endeavor to carry out assignments. If managers identify the work in simple, straightforward terms, employees will find it much easier to follow through on managers’ wishes. To accomplish this, a manager must identify the key message in a fashion that the employee can embrace.

Now What?

After setting expectations, the manager should maintain a level of discipline and consistency that can be applied in all situations. The next steps involve monitoring, providing feedback, and, finally, either rewards or consequences depending on the level of achievement. This four-step model can be applied in most managerial situations that involve goal achievement.

1. Monitoring

Monitoring is the follow-up that the manager provides after expectations have been set. It can take many forms, from a formal status-review meeting to a casual conversation in the hallway.

Regardless of the form, monitoring is the component that indicates that the project or assignment is important to you as a manager and that you are keenly interested in its outcome. It enables you to assess the progress and assist if unexpected roadblocks emerge.

2. Feedback

Feedback is the process of coaching subordinates as they complete their goals.

During this time it is important to focus on progress, any additional resources that may be required to meet the timeline, and the subordinate’s view of the project. It is key to allow employees to debrief their experience during this phase. As the manager, you will be in a better position to evaluate not only their progress on this project, but also what future assignments they may be able to undertake.

3. Rewards and Consequences

The reward or consequences phase involves either positive or negative reinforcement, depending on the outcome and the process.

Certainly, you want to reward a positive outcome. Rewards can take a number of forms, but regardless of the type, they should be timely, specific, and relevant to the employee. Consequences also should be timely and specific while focusing on how the employee can improve performance. While giving negative feedback often is uncomfortable for many managers, on-the-job behavior is shaped by both circumstances and consequences. If there is no downside to poor performance, it is difficult for managers to raise the performance bar for any of their subordinates.

This approach has the advantage of simplicity and—if consistently followed—will yield results for managers as they try to do more with less. While it may appear time-consuming at first glance, the alternatives create more rework and missed deadlines and often are far more expensive in time and resources.

Conclusion

Having expectations, Setting expectations is important and equally important is to communicate them. If you are having expectations, you are having parameters to measure those expectations, you are the judge, you appraised the person, but you failed to communicate to that person, what is the use of such expectations?

Have expectations from your self. Have Expectations from people around you. Incase of self-expectations, write it properly, and incase of having expectations from others, communicate it properly. Just because, we are not having clear-cut expectations, we are having high-attrition rate at corporate level and broken families at personal level. True, I may fail. I may not be able to live up-to the level of your expectations but then I will know the margin of failure.

Looking forward to your comments and feedback Have a great time and yes, pleaseee pleaseee do take care of your good self.

Regards,

Sanjeev Sharma
Pune-India
Mobile: +91-9890788259
E-mail: ss_himachali@yahoo.com; s070976@yahoo.co.in
Blog: http://sanjeevhimachali.blogspot.com

When it comes to New Year’s Resolutions, I’m kind of a scrooge. I’m not a big fan of resolving each year to solve all of my bothersome issues or problems, whether they are personal or work-related. In many cases, we set ourselves up for failure by making blanket statements about how this year we will change, and how things will be different.

Instead, it might be better to start the New Year by planning achievable, baby-step goals (not resolutions, of course), especially when it comes to business planning for the New Year. For instance, take your three most pressing business issues or goals that need attention first. Then, for each issue, break the tasks into manageable chunks and concentrate on these one at a time.

Step by step, you will find yourself achieving your goals and being successful a little bit at a time. If you look at your projects as a whole, it can be overwhelming or even paralyzing. If you break them down into manageable baby steps, you increase your chances of actually completing these projects using manageable, baby-step goals!

Using the power of incremental progress can help you improve your performance, reach your goals, and even have an impact on your overall business results. The more successful you become at mastering baby-step goals, the more productive you will become in all areas of your business.

So if you’re not a fan of New Year’s resolutions, try using the baby-step goal approach and watch your progress take off in the New Year.

Lauren Hobson is the Editor of Biz Talk Newsletter, a free monthly publication designed to provide small businesses and non-profits with tips and techniques to help them make the most of their web sites and marketing efforts without spending a lot of money. Biz Talk is published by Five Sparrows, LLC.

"Excellence is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, skillful execution and the vision to see obstacles as opportunities."

The above anonymous quote was displayed prominently in an office, where, oddly enough, it seemed to attract very little attention. In any case, it has made enough of an impression to invite a look at these words of wisdom and see where these words may apply.

When embarking on a road trip, unless a bout of aimless wandering around the country is the intent, it is essential to have a destination in mind and a map. Most people in the world are living someone else’s agenda, which was obtained “by default.” Stated differently, most people are on a path of aimless wandering – much like a traveler without specific destination or map. It would be most valuable to look at different areas or aspects of life and ask “what is the intention here?” Consider the areas of family, business, spiritual practice, financial means, retirement, education, self development, health, and social interaction. Most people, by their own admission, are not living fully actualized lives and full potential. One main cause is a lack of clear and focused intention and direction.

Without clear direction, “sincere effort” is impossible. Perhaps effort becomes sincere when clear intention is established. Most people merely do an adequate job of trying whatever it is they’re doing because they are relatively un-inspired by the task. Sincere effort stems from high intention. It flows naturally. Look at the areas of life where one is just “hanging out” or “clocking time.” This indicates insincere effort – an opportunity to create a more focused and clear intention!

Assuming that intention is present, intelligent direction is also vital. In his timeless classic, “Think and Grow Rich,” Napoleon Hill recommends and promotes the “mastermind” group. The mastermind group is any group of like-minded individuals that assembled for counsel and participation in the attainment of a worthwhile goal. The mastermind group act very much like the directors of a large corporation, providing guidance, advice and direction essential to success; the use of the mastermind principle is the use of “intelligent direction.” From the combined intelligence of several comes new possibility that simply cannot come from a single mind.

Michael Jordan, who practiced over ten hours a day even at the height of his career, said practicing the wrong thing eight hours a day only makes a person excellent at doing the wrong thing. Consider the practice devoted to the essential skills that bring success as parents, spouses, employees and people in general. To excel, practice is much more important than actual presentation or performance. Out of the harsh discipline of practice comes skillful execution.

As humans we tend to see in purely linear “cause and effect” terms. “When given lemons, make lemonade” is certainly simplistic, but most people who are successful have had to become adept at taking some perceived challenge and using it as an opportunity for benefit, value and profit. This comes from introspection, the counsel of open minded and visionary people (of which there are few).

Each of these steps, when applied, provides opportunity, challenge, impact and benefit. With these steps in mind, it is a matter of will to trade in mediocrity for excellence!

More of Mr. Johnson’s work can be viewed by visiting http://www.valueview.net

Eric Johnson is a regular contributor to Investor’s Value View, a nationally distributed financial newsletters featuring value and growth-oriented stocks picks, financial news, market insights for both new and experienced investors, tips on efficient money management, and special email alerts to keep you abreast of the most critical information.

Stop for a moment and dream. That’s it, just close your eyes and imagine life the way you really want it to be. No stress, no problems, your needs met, relationships healthy… it’s your dream. Now comes the hard part–why can’t your dream become a reality? It’s a simple question with a complicated answer.

Many people have the idea that work is something to be hated. You give 40 years of your life in service to a corporation that is looking for ways to get rid of you before your pension plan kicks in. It’s a battle of wills that produces angry people who wear their hopelessness like a badge of honor.

It doesn’t have to be that way. As I write this, I am sitting in my home office sipping on a cup of coffee. I work for "Me, Inc." and I love what I do! But I didn’t just fall into this situation… getting here involved a process that I’d love to share with you.

1. You need to dream! Imagination fuels creativity and creativity fuels your determination. I’m not sure who said it, but it has become my mission statement–"Only those who see the invisible can do the impossible!" Your dream is that place where stress is minimized, creativity is maximized, and personal peace is realized. In reality, only the lazy among us dream of sitting around the house doing nothing. I work harder today than I ever did when I worked for a corporation. There is personal satisfaction in doing work that matters–and the work that really matters to you might be wrapped up in the dream you have yet to explore. So, dream a little!

2. You need some goals! Goals are component parts of a dream. Your goals might include obtaining more education, getting out of debt, raising your children to adulthood, etc. You might look at goals in terms of the obstacles that stand between you and your dream. If you want to change career paths, you might need some specialized training. Rather than focus on the negative–"I’m not qualified for that type of work"–choose to focus on the positive and use the goal as motivation to sustain your progress. What are the goals that contribute to the realization of your dream?

3. Stay on task! This is where it gets tough. Goals are made up of tasks; and tasks are those activities that can really get on your nerves! I remind my adult students of this fact when they lower their eyes from their dreams and goals and focus on the painful tasks of writing papers and going to class. When you see the task as an end, you rob yourself of the educational benefits of the task in light of your goals and dream. Some of your day-to-day tasks are painful, yet in the long run, they are valuable parts of your goals and, therefore, your dream. As you complete the tasks, keep things in perspective.

Now a word to the parents out there–you can’t implant dreams in your children. Many parents live vicariously through their children and push them toward careers that are prestigious and financially promising. Those children, when they become adults, are responsible for the explosion in adult education programs because they are returning to school at age 40 to obtain the education they need to pursue their dreams! It means my classes at the university stay full. Yet students often express their regret over the years they wasted in pursuit of a borrowed dream.

The greatest gift you can give to someone you love is the freedom and encouragement to dream. But, before you can give it away, you first must master the art yourself. Dream big dreams and change the world–what could be more rewarding than that?

Dr. Terry Hadaway is an author, motivational speaker, university professor, and conference leader who is recognized as a leading authority on elearning, decision-making, and adult education. For more information, visit http://www.rapidfirelearning.com

We Need Dreams

Dreams are important. Not the dreams you have when sleeping. I’m talking about the dreams you have for your future – the dreams that keep you going – the dreams that make each day worth living.

Dreams Aren’t Enough

As important as dreams are, they aren’t enough. Why? Dreams don’t take you where you want to go. A dream needs wings – to become a tangible vision – a passion that will take you where you REALLY want to be. Bethany Hamilton lives in Hawaii – her passion is surfing – her dream is to become a professional surfer. She spends every available minute in the water, even home-schooling so she can have more time to pursue her vision. At 8 years of age she entered her first major competition taking the division championships that year. Bethany’s dream had become her passion – a tangible vision.

When Your Vision Is Attacked

Bethany’s vision was viciously attacked on Halloween morning, 2003, when she was 13 years old. Bethany was lying on her board — left arm dangling in the cool water. She remembers a flash of gray, pressure, and a couple fast tugs. She also remembers watching the jaws of a 15-foot tiger shark cover the top of her board and her left arm. The shark was gone as fast as it appeared. So was her arm.

What It Takes To Keep Your Vision Alive

Fast thinking friends and surgery saved Bethany’s life. Everyone – including Bethany – believed her surfing days were over. But within a week her vision returned — she rejected thoughts of defeat. Less than 30 days after the attack Bethany was back in the water. Her family and friends were there to cheer her on. Her first attempts were failures. She struggled to push herself up with one arm and keep her balance. She was afraid her dream would die in the water that day – the shark victorious after all. Bethany pushed down her fears, gritted her teeth, and kept trying. And then it happened. Tears rolled down her face — the crowd cheered – she caught her first wave and rode it in.

The Dream Takes Wing

Only months after the vicious attack, Bethany amazed thousands by achieving the unimaginable — taking 5th at the 2004 National Scholastic Surfing Association Nationals Championships. In September she struck again, winning the Open Women’s Division of the NSSA’s Hawaiian conference season opener. Having placed in the finals of the National Surfing Championships Bethany has secured a spot on USA’s National Surfing Team.

Five Ways To Put Wings On Your Dreams

Bethany’s story shows how to put wings on your dreams:

1) Your dream must become your passion – a tangible vision.

2) Everything you do needs to fuel your vision.

3) When your dream is attacked, face the adversity squarely and choose to overcome it with whatever it takes – face your fears and do it anyway!

4) Make necessary adjustments – regain your balance — and keep your eyes on your goal.

5) Accept help when it comes – with grace and gratitude – let it fuel your vision.

From Dream to Vision to Reality

Bethany’s vision overcomes her fear of sharks and her continued nightmares. Her story teaches how to create dreams with wings that push you toward your life-goals. Follow her example and your dreams will become reality, too.

The story used in this article is taken from Daily Secrets For Success. You can receive motivational stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things by going to: http://www.DailySecretsForSuccess.com

Ginny Dye is the author of 18 books and owner of two other online companies also designed to inspire and give back to the world: Shop For Charity Day.com and http://www.TogetherWeCanChangeTheWorld.com

I love the New Year, the energy and possibilities that come alive at the turning of the year. However, I’ve never loved New Year’s resolutions and I’ve never kept most of the ones I’ve made. Today, I know that I am in good company with the majority of people who make resolutions. I stopped making them a few years ago and actually felt relieved. I started setting goals instead. By February, I usually didn’t know where they were. Whenever I would run across them, I would immediately get tense. Sometimes I’d find them a year or more later and still get tense.

The major obstacle was that the resolutions were things I thought I “should” be, do or have. “Shoulds” are most often quite different than the dreams and desires of my heart and soul. The resolutions were driven, not inspired or truly meaningful.

Being, doing and having are wonderful elements of the human experience, however, it is when each of these is authentic that we are inspired to be, do and have whatever it may be and are fulfilled on the path to it’s accomplishment.

Our spiritual purpose is to use our natural gifts and talents to add value to life, to experience and spread more love, joy and aliveness. How we do this is unique to each of us, as our individual purpose may be.

It is through our dreams and deep desires that we are called toward living out the unique expression of our natural & spiritual purpose. It is by saying “yes” to these and being committed, through our actions, that we are inspired and given the means to fulfill them.

About the Author
Reggie Odom LICSW, CPCC, PCC is the founder of Inspired Works a Life Coach, inspirational speaker, and lecturer at Simmons College School of Social Work. She is considered a master teacher and unforgettable speaker. Reggie coaches professionals and practice-based entrepreneurs who want more joy and greater aliveness. http://reggieodom.com

Are you having trouble achieving your goals, or getting through a period of no success? Then take the time to learn how to set SMART goals. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Tangible.

Specific
Setting specific goals is the key to all sorts of success. Most folks know the story about the 1954 Harvard class where they measured those who made goals and those who did not. Each time they grouped the goal-oriented graduates into smaller and smaller groups: those who made goals every now and then, on a yearly basis, and on a monthly, weekly or daily basis, each subset of individuals ended up making more money, having free time and far more happiness than the others.

And guess what? The no-goal folks were left out in the cold and achieved almost nothing in comparison to those who set goals.

Measurable
The more measurable something is, the easier it is to see if we’ve achieved, or not achieved, the desired outcome. If you’re vague in your goals, and don’t have a way to measure it, how will you know you’ve achieved it? You won’t, it’s that simple. So make sure your goal can be measured, and you’re done with step 2.

Attainable
When you set goals that are the most important to you, you will find a way to make them happen. That’s a fact! You begin to find things that fit in with your goals, you develop a positive attitude, you work to develop new skills and abilities, and you somehow find the financial capacity to achieve them. You think of all the opportunities that you’ve left unanswered and you uncover new opportunities to help you achieve your goal.

You can do almost anything when you plan out the steps necessary to reach the goal, and set the time frame that holds you accountable to that goal. Things that never before were possible now are not only possible but are in fact probably, because you’ve learned and grown to match these tough goals. Listing your goals helps you feel better about yourself, as you learn to see yourself worthy enough to achieve these goals, that you deserve these goals, and you reach these goals!

Realistic
Do you want to aim for something you’ll never reach, or for something that is within your power? Remember, you have to be willing and able to do something, so make sure you’re realistic in your goal setting. You definitely want to stretch and not set something you could do without effort, but if you know that there is absolutely no way you can physically run a 4 minute mile because you have arthritis, then don’t make that your goal. Now keep in mind that with the Internet, e-mail, and the globalization of the marketplace that you can achieve more than you ever thought possible, there still may be things that just aren’t possible. Don’t set these as goals, set these as dreams, and point towards those. But set the attainable goals so you can get satisfaction from achieving more and more of your goals.

Tangible
A goal is tangible when you can experience it with one of your five senses. That means if you can can taste it, touch it, smell it, see it or hear it. When your goal is tangible, or when you tie an tangible goal to a intangible goal, you have a better chance of making it specific and measurable and thus see it as more attainable to you.

So be SMART about your goal setting, read a book or 2 about goal settings, have others help you be more accountable to yourself for achieving these goals, and you will do more and be more than you ever dreamed possible!

Phil Gerbyshak leads a team as manager of an IT Help Desk in Milwaukee, WI, and finds that sharing his knowledge is a crucial component for in his success as a leader and as a person. Phil’s personal philosophy is paraphrased from Tim Sanders’ fantastic book Love is the Killer App: "Share your knowledge, your network, and your love. The rest will follow."

Feel free to contact Phil at http://makeitgreat.org or call 414.640.7445 anytime. To check out his frequently updated blog, check out http://makeitgreat.blogspot.com