If you are anything like me, the end of the year might just leave you a little disappointed that you could have achieved more but didn’t.

With 2005 already on us when we look forward with great hope and enthusiasm, we must also prepare for the end of the year when we can look back with lot of satisfaction.

A year has begun with many new plans, resolutions and goals. All these resolutions are made and implemented with a tremendous resolve. But these resolutions slowly vanish in the rush of the daily routines and pressures.

Here is a three step formula I have devised to achieve all that I set out to do.

Set goals

As they say, if we don’t know where we are going how would we get there. We have many intentions but no specific goals. The best way to convert all the good intentions to goals is to put them in writing. I know it is easier said than done. Where to start? How to write them out? What to add and what to leave out? It is always a lot of work to create all those pages of goals.

So I have created a workbook where all you need to do is simply answer a few questions and follow directions and your lifetime goals are set. There are also some great tips, quotes and affirmations to build a daily routine. Of course you can make changes as frequently as you want. Try it out. All you need to do is send me an email at indiaventurelinks@yahoo.co.in with ‘Send Goals Builder’ in the subject header.

Take action

Action is the second key. Don’t worry if you are not getting results. Every day action builds up into definite results though they may take some time to show visible results. There is also a lot of talk going on about taking massive action if you want to succeed. It is not the absolute truth. You can succeed with whatever action you can take.

Only be consistent about taking action. Small steps taken one after the other may yet take you to the Himalayas if only you keep walking albeit a bit slower..

Review Results

Just spend 10 minutes in the evening to review results. The habit of reviewing results achieved on a daily basis would help to initiate correctives where ever and whenever you go wrong or proportionate results are not achieved. The review also helps to take pride and pleasure in the progress made which would motivate you further towards your goals.

I Wish you a great and the most fruitful year of your life.

R.G. Srinivasan is founder of Born to Win Forum. He is a certified trainer and a small business consultant. He is also the author of e-books, publishes 2 ezines on success & motivation and Home Business.

Check out his small business resource site at http://venturelinks.tripod.com.

1. Recognize that you are the source of everything that you want.

Stop waiting to inherit it, win it; marry it, or expecting it to come from any source other than you. You can have anything that you want, all it requires it working with thoughts, feelings and intentions.

2. Understand that the process of attaining what you want (the how) is more important than the end result (the what).

It’s really a matter of personal growth, changing your thinking and expanding your beliefs about what you deserve to have. Once you have mastered the how, you can have what you want when you want it. It is the old adage about teaching a man to fish in order to feed him for a lifetime.

3. Don’t underestimate the power of your thoughts, emotions and intentions.

Your thoughts are the model of what you want. Everything that was invented in this world began as a thought in someone’s mind first. Emotions energize thoughts. The more passionately you want something, the more rapidly you bring your thoughts into form. Intention acts to direct you thoughts and emotions. The clearer you are as to your purpose or intention the more likely you are to get what you want.

4.Think about what you do want as opposed to what you don’t want.

I want a loving relationship is a far cry from; I don’t want to be alone for the rest of my life. I want an abundant life is not the same as; I don’t want to be poor. I want to be healthy is not I’m tired of being fat. Your thoughts form the model of what you want. Whatever you focus on is what you are likely to receive, as your energy follows your thoughts. We work perfectly to produce the results that we are getting, so choose to intentionally program the results that you really want.

5. Ask yourself what you think, having what you want, will give you that you don’t have now.

If you had more money, or a relationship or children or a better job, or were thinner, what needs or desires would be satisfied? Usually the underlying answer to this question is something like security, freedom, love, happiness or inner peace. Dig down until you get right to the essence or core of what you really want in your life.

6. Determine ways that you can bring the essence of what you want into your life right now.

Don’t wait to get what you want, how can you be happier, more secure, have more love or inner peace right now? Ask yourself what it would take to feel and believe these things now. If you think that being thinner would attract more love into your life, how can you attract more love now? Perhaps you can be more loving towards family, friends, people in need in your community. Perhaps you can start by loving, nurturing and pampering yourself more.

7. Act like you already have what you want in your life.

If you want a successful business then act as if you already have one. Visualize what you would look like, feel like, and think like, if you were already running a successful business. Each morning just before you get out of bed imagine you running your successful business; start a picture scrapbook showing your perfect life as you are running your successful business. Where will you operate it from … your home, an outside office? Who will work with you? What services will you provide and to whom? What kind of income will it provide? What will you be able to do with this income for yourself, your family, friends, for your community? Put together an action plan that will move you in the direction of your dreams. Each night as you slide back into bed, ask yourself, “What did I do today that moves me in the direction of what I want?”

Lesley Cordero is President of Cordero Consulting offering personal growth solutions in the form of workshops, keynote presentations, and Internet information resources.

Subscribe to her free ezine "Deep Linking" at http://www.LesleyCordero.com and begin to connect with what is really important in your life.

Are you ready to ’see things differently?’®

If I ask you what you want to achieve in your life — your dream goal — your first answer will probably have something to do with money — lots of money. You want to win big at the casino. You want to hit the lottery when the jackpot is at $200,000,000. You want to be a multi-millionaire! Right?

Wrong!

Think about it. If your ultimate goal in life is to be rich, what are you going to do when you achieve that goal? Remember — a goal is the final destination of a journey. When you reach your goal, you’re at the end of your journey.

Example: Right now you’re in an ongoing dispute with your next-door neighbor. You dislike her with a passion. She makes your home life miserable. You win a lottery jackpot of $132,000,000. Remember — that was your goal. You’ve reached the end of your journey. Only there’s still a problem. You’re surrounded with stacks of green paper but you still have the same neighbor.

Example: Right now you’re struggling to keep food on the table for you and your family. Many nights dinner is peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Your goal is money. You think that will fix everything. A distant relative dies and leaves you a bundle. Since you’ve reached the end of your journey — your goal to be rich — everything should miraculously be perfect. But wait. Your goal was just to have money, so unless you and your family can acquire a taste for raw green paper, you’re still going to be eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Do you see where I’m going with this?

You thought your goal was to be rich. If you had enough money, all of your life’s problems would disappear.

That’s not the way life works.

If you can’t stand your next-door neighbor, your goal isn’t to be rich. Your goal is to move. Sure, you may need a lot of money to move to the perfect house in the neighborhood of your dreams and furnish it with the best of everything. So, yes, you need money. But you don’t plan to get the money and sit around looking at it.

You plan to spend it.

And what you plan to buy with that money is your real goal.

If you’re hungry, your goal isn’t money — your goal is food.

If your car stops running, your goal isn’t money — your goal is a new car.

If your roof is leaking, your goal isn’t money — your goal is a new roof.

So before you start mapping out your life’s journey, make sure you know where you’re trying to go. Uncover what you really want out of life and how to get it.

Don’t put it off — get started today!

©2005 by Brenda Lewis. All rights reserved

Brenda Lewis believes the path to happiness is to follow your passion. She has just released her 10-step way to get everything you want out of life on your own terms. Visit http://www.missionachieving.com/ for more information.

Dream it! See it! Do it! Be it!™

John was a police officer. He was on duty one evening when a car stopped outside the police station. An elderly man came out of the car and came over to him to request him for help. He wanted John to go over to the car and convince his son, who was a passenger, to take psychiatric help. A simple family matter, John thought, as he approached the car. As soon as he approached the car, the son opened the door of the car and came out. As John approached him, out of nowhere came a knife in his hand. The man lunged at John. Only for his police training, John could have died. He escaped with small injuries. The man was overpowered and taken to the psychiatric hospital under police escort. For John, life had changed. He started to have flashbacks of the incident. Two years later, he was still suffering with the images of the incident. Doctors said he had post-traumatic stress.

This is a negative example of imagery. But our mind appreciates the language of images and no other language. When we remember anything good or bad, the sounds, the smells, the colours, the feelings are remembered. As long as the image and the emotions remain in our memory, the incident remains alive in our mind and our body. If there are many incidents from our past that are negative in feeling, we tend to live in the present carrying their ‘emotional weight’ and their images. This is the major cause of most psychiatric conditions.

On the other hand, you can also use imagery to your advantage. If you want to achieve anything in life- and this means anything- you have to do very little work.

Just make an image in your mind having achieved what you want to achieve. It is important to consider that what you want to achieve has already been achieved. Then add on the feelings, the sounds, the colours, the smells to this image.How would you feel if you achieve what you want to achieve. Simply imagine whatever you want to achieve, every day. If you can visualise this achievement many times a day, it is all the more better. Trust and have faith in the visualisation. Be patient with this exercise. Sometimes one has to do this exercise for upto two years. Sooner or later, whatever you want to achieve will become reality.

Do this exercise, focussing on only one goal at a time.

This is one simple exercise that can change your life. The secret behind its success is that for Nature at large, what you imagine or visualise is reality for you. Nature tends to reinforce our imagination by creating reality out of our images. In order to trust the process, you need to experiment with it. You can change your life and take it into any direction you want.

Pradeep K Chadha is a psychiatrist who has been using imagery with his patients for the last decade. He is based in Dublin, Ireland. He is the author of- The Stress Barrier-Nature’s Way To Overcoming Stress, published by Blackhall Publishing, Dublin. His website address is: http://www.drpkchadha.com

Here are some strategies to help you achieve your goals. Using these strategies* can help you reach your goals faster and with far less effort!

Strategy #1: Make sure your goal is inspiring. Take a look at your goals – are they merely interesting? Are they goals you feel you ‘should’ or ‘could’ or ‘ought to’ do? Make sure you feel really excited and inspired by your goal.

Strategy #2: Outsource or delegate your goal. Who says that you have to reach your own goal? Why not cheat a bit and have someone else do the work for you? This is often a win- win situation.

Strategy #3: Set goals that express your values. If your goals are value based, they are often easier to achieve because they are an expression of what is important for you. Clarify your vision and your values then set your goals.

Strategy #4: Work with an achievement partner / coach. Reaching goals is much easier with synergy and support that a partner provides - even if you are certain you can reach the goal on your own.

Strategy #5: Have your goals “in your face”. Have your goals ‘pop up’, constantly reminding you about them, makes achieving them easier. There are some great tools / products to help you with this, including Goal Genie.

TIP OF THE DAY – Look into some tools such as Goal Genie to make achieving your goals easier.

My challenge for you: is a stretch strategy – go for an impossible dream AND be comfortable that you may never reach it. But in the meanwhile, you’ll reach lots of smaller goals along the way.

Final thoughts: Knowing your destination is half the journey. Anon

* Source: Coaching School of Coaching

Michelle Zelig Pourau of Personal Power International is a successful business & life coach & professional speaker. She has considerable experience in all types of coaching around the world. Michelle started her coaching career when living in New York in 1992 & continued coaching in New York, while still working on Wall Street. On return to Melbourne Australia in late 1996, she returned to Management Consulting. In 1999 she decided it was time to re-ignite her coaching career & has been coaching since. Given Michelle has had over 20 years corporate experience, one of her speciality areas is executive/corporate coaching – helping people to understand & distinguish behaviours that are effective & those that impede their success. Once these are understood, Michelle then works with clients to work through these issues. Other coaching specialties are motivation, building confidence, de-stressing, setting &achieving goals, creating balance & life transitions, relationships and wellness. Michelle is past President Interntaional Coach Federation 7/2002 - 12/2003

This is how to get things done: one step at a time.

Whether you’re launching a global initiative, getting your finances in order, or potty training your child, one step at a time is the ticket to completion. Keep your focus on the step you’re ON, and take that step. Resist your inclination to get discouraged or confused.

Last summer I learned how to cycle long distances and up hills in preparation for a charity ride. At first I got overwhelmed and panicky at the big hills, but I learned, gradually, to keep my mind and attention on my pedaling. Can I handle this pedal stroke? Yes. Can I handle this one? No problem. Each minute was do-able, and soon (or eventually) I was at the crest of the hill.

The individual steps are usually completely within our capability. And that’s actually where progress is made.

Yes, the overall task needs to be within your range. If you’re not an astrophysicist, you’re unlikely to make progress in figuring out what’s up with quasars. But chances are, the challenges you have on your plate right now ARE within your range of capability.

COACHING TIPS

For each major project on your plate, answer these questions for yourself:

1. What, exactly, is the goal here?

2. How will I know when I’ve reached it?

3. Is this goal within my range, even though it may be a stretch? (Or am I tackling quasars?)

4. Do I have at least a rough game plan?

5. Do I know what my next step is?

6. Am I taking it?

DON’T ALLOW YOURSELF THE LUXURY OF GETTING PARALYZED! If you can’t answer these questions, get some help! Talk to a colleague, partner, or friend. Or contact me. I have helped many highly effective people get back into action.

Copyright 2003, Sharon Teitelbaum, all rights reserved.

Sharon Teitelbaum, http://www.stcoach.com, a Work-Life and Career Coach, works with high achieving women with young children, people at mid-career, and professionals seeking greater career satisfaction and work-life balance. She coaches by phone and in person in Boston. Her newsletter, Strategies For Change, offers practical tips for work-life success.

Getting Unstuck Without Coming Unglued: Restoring Work-Life Balance, Sharon’s first book, was published in 2005.

A motivational speaker, Sharon also also delivers keynotes & workshops on work-life issues. Clients include Children’s Hospital Boston, SunLife Financial, Arnold Worldwide, and many parent and alumni groups. She’s been featured in national publications including The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, and Working Mother Magazine.

Married for 30 years, she is the mother of two amazing young women.

If you’re considering hiring a coach to help you with challenges like these, contact me for an initial consultation at no charge.

One simple tip for staying on track towards your goals is to write your weekly goals on a marker board in your office. This isn’t a to do list. It’s a list of the important items you expect to have accomplished by the end of the week. On the left side I write my primary goals for the week (maximum of 3), and on the right side I list my secondary goals (this week I have 9 of those). I setup my primary goals such that achieving even one of them is better than achieving all the secondary goals combined.

Whenever you achieve one of your weekly goals, just draw a line through it. Don’t erase anything. Then at the end of the week, your marker board contains your accountability record for the week. You can see which goals you achieved and which you didn’t, and then you can think about how you can improve next week. Maybe you tried to do too much. Maybe you succumbed to too many distractions. Maybe you achieved most of your secondary goals but none of your primaries. Or maybe you achieved all your goals and believe you can push yourself a bit more next week.

I keep most of my planning docs and lists on my PC and then print them out on paper periodically, but I like using the marker board in my office for posting my weekly goals. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the actions of the day and not be able to see the forest for the trees, and when you look at your long-term goals, they may seem very distant. So I like having these weekly mini-milestones, since there’s a natural rhythm to a week, and when I do my weekly review and update all my planning docs, a quick glance at my marker board helps me set new mini-goals for the coming week.

I also like that whenever I see my marker board, I see my goals for the week, and this reminds me of where I want to be by the weekend. Again, these are goals — outcomes — not just tasks.

For example, this week my top two primary goals involve sticking with a new exercise program. The first goal was to do my new morning exercise routine every day this week, and the second goal was for the evening routine. This split routine takes about 120 minutes per day, most of it doubled-up with reading or listening to audio programs. My third primary goal was to complete the outline for my first info product. I’m on track to achieve the first two goals (haven’t missed a day), and I’ll complete the second goal today. I know some people wouldn’t place a new exercise program as their primary goal, but based on my goals for the year, it’s the most important thing for me. In fact, my #1 goal for the year is actually a health/fitness goal, not a business one. So your primary and secondary goals need to be based around what’s most important to you, whether they’re personal or business related.

Instead of using a marker board, you could post your weekly goals in other ways, but I like the simplicity of the marker board. And there’s just something so satisfying about drawing a line through one of the goals that’s been achieved, much more satisfying than erasing it. It may be because when you erase your completed goals, you only see what you have left to do. But when you see some items crossed off, you can still read them and recall, “Hey, I finished that one.” So there may be a hidden self-esteem boost that comes from reinforcing the message that you’re getting things done. At the end of a week, I don’t just want to see a list of what I didn’t get done. I also like seeing what I actually did accomplish.

Copyright © Steve Pavlina

Steve Pavlina
Personal Development for Smart People
http://www.stevepavlina.com
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog (blog)
http://www.stevepavlina.com/articles (articles)

Steve is intensely growth-oriented. He trained in martial arts, ran the L.A. Marathon, and graduated from college in three semesters with two degrees. He can juggle, count cards at blackjack, and make damn good guacamole. Steve is also a polyphasic sleeper, sleeping just 2-3 hours per day and only 20 minutes at a time. So chances are good that he’s awake right now.

One of my favorite techniques for achieving goals is to use the word ‘anyway’ as often as necessary.

If you don’t feel like doing something or start doubting whether the activity has any value, do it ‘anyway’ and then see what the results are later after you have completed the activity.

Some results can be seen or felt almost immediately. You reluctantly go for a walk but feel great as soon as you get home. Other results may take a week or so. You start eating less and feel slimmer in two or three days’ time.

A few days ago I started eating less before going to sleep instead of having a large evening meal. Today I had my reward. I was walking past a local farm when the farmer took a long look at me and then patted his stomach saying:

"You are losing it!"

He is no lightweight himself but I took his encouragement in the spirit in which it was meant and replied: "Thanks; that will encourage me for the next six months"

You can always stop doing whatever activity you think is a waste of time at a later date but if you stop too early you will never know whether it would have worked or not.

Another example is the key task of keeping your room tidy. You decide to tidy up your room and plan to move 5 less used items out of the room every day. After a day or so, you may feel your plan is making no difference whatever - your room still looks a complete mess.

Keep following your plan anyway. After a week you will probably see a difference and this fairly quick result will encourage you to keep going with your plan until your room is a model of tidiness. Try it out and see what happens.

I tried this plan yesterday and not only moved 5 books out of the room but created a database to record where I put them plus a database for my internet courses (the numerous ones I have not yet read). On top of that I changed a light bulb that had been out of action for several days!

However, my room still looked a mess!

I tried the plan again today and immediately benefited from the side effects of tidying up. I discovered several videos I could use again and found where I had put my video of ‘The Hulk’.

Another result was that the left side of my room was now looking almost tidy!

However, the main benefit of carrying out any plan is not the results produced. It is the character produced. Our self-esteem and confidence rise every time we carry out a plan however small it is.

As Marlon Sanders, the great internet guru, would say: "If a thing ain’t done, it ain’t done."

Unfinished products are useless. No money can be made from them and no one can benefit from them. It is vitally important that we complete what we begin even if we lose interest and start having doubts.

We need to finish our projects anyway. We will then start believing that we can achieve anything.

At the time of writing this, Ellen MacArthur, the great yachtswoman, is sailing round the world on her own. She has just passed the Canary Isles and is two hours ahead of her nearest competitor.

She is fulfilling a giant plan but what preceded it was the fulfilment of many smaller plans like learning how to tie a useful knot and how to take part in sailing competitions.

At least one of these yacht races was so stressful that she was in tears for much of the voyage. But she kept going anyway.

Carrying out her plans built her confidence and will power to a point where sailing round the world in record time became a real possibility.

Lloyd Scott has just finished cycling across Australia from Perth to Sydney on a penny farthing bike to raise money for leukaemia research.

He is, not surprisingly, rather sore even though he has probably prepared by cycling shorter distances on his penny farthing.

Doubtless, there were many days when he felt like giving up but he kept on cycling anyway.

He celebrated by swimming in the sea at Bondai Beach.

The more we make use of the word ‘anyway’, the more we will achieve our goals and celebrate reaching them.

If we keep on using this amazing word, celebration will become a way of life for us.

John Watson is an internet info publisher and martial arts instructor. He has received several awards for teaching religious education to teenagers and for instructing all ages in the martial arts.

He has a degree in English and blackbelts in several martial arts. He has played drums in pop bands and the bagpipes in a pipe band and achieved several other goals.

He has recently completed two books about achieving your aims. These can be found at http://www.motivationtoday.com/awesome_acronyms.php

“To accomplish great things we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe.”(Anatole France) While these three items define success, without all of them success would be unattainable. Without a dream, you will be without desire and without desire, you will be without action. If you can unlock the dream, then you can unlock success and make your dream reality.

Take a look back across your life and at the difficult things that you have already accomplished. For some, finishing high school seemed impossible only to graduate from college. Others set out for a career and ended up owning their own business. No matter who you are, you have accomplished many things in your life. I venture to say that many of your accomplishments were at one time or another, a goal. Goals and dreams give hope and the ability to achieve things otherwise not realized. If you can institute the following keys into your daily routine, you can realize more goals and reach new heights of success. What are the keys and how do they work?

1. Identify the Goal

In order to achieve, you must set and accomplish goals. Goals give purpose and make us feel good about ourselves.

Think about the horse pulling a cart with the carrot dangling out in front. What purpose does the carrot serve? It’s the dream and the desire. When the horse wakes up each morning, I doubt that he is very excited about pulling a cart all around town. But add the carrot and we have created purpose and motivation. All day long the carrot hangs out in front and all day long the horse chases it. People laugh at the horse because of its simplicity. But during the first five minutes of the day the horse has identified the goal to get the carrot. At the end of the day, the horse is rewarded for its perseverance. While we all might laugh at this little analogy, what would happen if we inserted this horse mentality into our daily lives?

I agree that it isn’t that simple; however, do not make it harder than it has to be. There is a simple system to creating and accomplishing goals. You cannot just wish your goals; you need to install structure in your life for establishing goals and achieving your desired success.

First, goal statements need to be specific. Simply setting a goal to lose weight isn’t enough; being specific will allow you to better define the goal and create a stronger plan for success. “I would like to lose 10 pounds by June 1st” is a much stronger goal. This gives the goal more credibility and creates the need for a specific plan.

Next, your goals need to be achievable. Achievable does not mean easy. Goals should require you to move outside your comfort zone. Goals are meant to help us accomplish things, but do not make them impossible. Sometimes the accomplishments might be small and other times they might be great. But, each one should require you to elevate yourself in order to see through to the accomplishment. This stretching will make you stronger and build your confidence to achieve greater goals. When I think of this process, I visualize athletes pushing themselves and their bodies beyond where they have ever been. Why? In order to build larger and stronger muscles, the weight must be gradually increased. This weight increase in turn develops the muscles and new, higher levels of strength. Without the increase of weight, the muscles will not get stronger. I believe the same principle holds true in the setting and accomplishment of goals. Goals need to require more effort than the last, thus making you stronger.

Third, establish a deadline or date for accomplishment of your goal. The date can be just around the corner or somewhere in the distant future; setting any date is the important part. A date will allow you to keep your eyes looking forward and not looking back. The goal lies in the future; now let’s get after it!

Finally, make a list of your goals. Create a “Goal Contract” with yourself. Write down your goals, include all of the specifics and sign it. This further solidifies your commitment to the goal(s). Now, find a moment each day to review your goals. Make them part of your daily routine.

2. Create a Battle Plan for Success

I like to use the words “battle plan”, because accomplishing goals is not easy. Around every turn there will be obstacles. You will quickly recognize some obstacles and others will appear without warning, like an ambush. You may have control over the outcome or you may be reliant upon another for help. Either way, it is going to be a constant challenge for you to keep moving forward, even through the setbacks. The key to overcoming setbacks is to learn from what has happened and then alter or strengthen your battle plan. Mel Gibson said regarding his making of the Academy Award winning epic, Braveheart, "You have to go in with a plan. You can deviate from it, though — it’s just a jumping off point."

As you are formulating your plan, ask yourself these questions: “What tools do I need to accomplish my goal(s)? What resources do I have at my disposal? How long do I have to accomplish my goal? Whose help might I need to realize success in my goal?” Answering these questions will help you think through what is needed to ensure success.

Another critical factor in your plan is other people. George Washington said it this way, “Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.” If you need support from others, be certain that they support and are in alliance with your goals. Surround yourself with strong supporters and let them become your battle warriors. Rely upon them to help and encourage you. It is unimaginable that you could achieve any goal without a few obstacles. Because of this possibility, you need to surround yourself with positive thinkers. The introduction of negative ideas or feelings into a situation can sabotage your plan. Cheer yourself on every day and surround yourself with others who do the same. Be your biggest fan. Support and motivate yourself with a positive attitude, even when you stumble. In John Maxwell’s book, “Think on These Things”, he offered a quote that resonates this type of positive thinking: “I am never down. I am either up or getting up!” What a positive image.

3. Charge into Action

Welcome to the battlefield! You’ve assessed your goals and created the battle plan. Now it is time to charge and get going. Often, goals are set with the best of intentions only to fail because they never get started. Inaction is an enemy of success. It will even seek to destroy the work that has already occurred.

In the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes, “Finding the great things in this world are not where we are standing, but is in what direction we are moving: to reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it, but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor.”

First, in either your personal or professional life, be courageous. Do not limit yourself or settle for being average. You were not created for ordinary, but for extraordinary. Believe in yourself and your ability to succeed. In order to be above average, you must think and act above average. If you dream and accept mediocrity, you will always fall short of your true potential. Dream great things and move into action to accomplish them.

There are moments when you are offered opportunities to accomplish great things only to accomplish little because you fail to act upon the opportunity. Create your own success, seek greatness. Abraham Lincoln once said, “Beware of rashness, but with energy and sleepless vigilance, go forward and give us victory.”

Next, be committed. Earlier you took the time to write down your goals and dreams. This was an exercise of commitment. Once you move into action, this exercise will need to expand. Keep your goals nearby, so as to never lose focus. Each day recite your dreams aloud. Move into action each day toward your dreams. Strive to keep your goals in the forefront of your mind.

Finally, you must also be critical. As you encounter opportunities, ask yourself how this will affect your goals. Will this lead you to success or move you farther from your goals? If they point towards success, accept their challenge. If they don’t, let them pass. Even meeting new people is an action exercise. Ask yourself, “Will this person support, encourage or push me to new heights or will they pull me away or hinder me from achieving my goals?” Charging into action is probably the most difficult step in this process. Be courageous, stay committed and be critical. When you have mastered these skills, hold on tight and prepare yourself for a wonderful ride!

4. Celebrate Victories both Large & Small

Celebration is the final key. Rewarding yourself gives you an opportunity to reflect upon your achievements and to celebrate the hard work required by the journey. Celebration is an important part in the goal process. It allows you to enjoy the fruits of your efforts and to express joy and fellowship with those who helped in your accomplishments. It provides a forum to share with others the self-satisfaction you have received from your success.

A common misconception is that celebration comes at the end of the journey. Says who? I challenge you to celebrate early and often. Recognize that some of your goals can be accomplished in a short time, while others might take years to accomplish. With long-term goals, the end is distant and thus you might become discouraged or bored with the goal. It’s very easy to get caught-up in the end-result and forget all of the small things you accomplished that were essential to the mission. Take time each day to celebrate your accomplishments.

I have heard my clients say, “I have not or cannot accomplish anything.” Nothing could be farther from the truth! The truth is that these persons have not seen the end goal, but have accomplished many things that have led them toward their goal. Certainly you need to stay focused on the ultimate goal, but don’t forget to celebrate the critical accomplishments along the way.

Try this great exercise: Create a celebration team and a weekly celebration list. This will help you more clearly recognize your progress and the reasons to celebrate. I am confident that you can find at least one thing each week to celebrate. Once you view the list, set aside some time to celebrate. You can celebrate alone or with friends. Develop an environment that allows for self and group celebration. Ask others if they would be on your celebration team, to support you and celebrate with you. Have fun with it!

In the end, it’s the accomplishment of goals and the achievement of dreams that will bring great joy to your life. Stay committed and focused, develop a plan, move into action and celebrate your success. With this powerful structure in place, you will amaze yourself and those around you with all that you accomplish. You can do it!

Copyright Anthony Mullins

Elite Coaching Alliance 2005

Anthony Mullins is the President and Life Coach for The Elite Coaching Alliance. He specializes in leadership, marriage, relationship and family,christian based coaching. He is the author of the upcoming e-book "Finding Fulfillment in and Unfulfilling World". He can be reached by e-mail: anthony@elitecoachingalliance.com or by phone at 770.587.3545. Visit our new website http://www.elitecoachingalliance.com

To dream is the first step to create a successful career. First you dream, then you build with confidence. Dreams are like seeds. Even after sowing them you need to nurture them for a long time so that they may bear the fruit of success. Many persons fail to achieve their goals because they sow the seed but don’t have any action plan to help the seed grow into a big tree of successful career. Never forget that action is the key to the door of fortune.

1. Set Realistic Goals

Write your goals in your personal diary (you can also create a personal file in a computer) or on a small card. Chief goals of your life should not be more than two or three. If it is only one than it will be much easier for your to focus all your energy on it. Too many big goals will only create confusion in your mind.

Every person needs to be realistic. Analyse everything - your personality, your circumstances, your resources, only then you will be able to set realistic goals. The goals should be in harmony with your unique talent. Suppose you have a talent for negotiations and you set a goal to become a big engineer it will be unrealistic. Choose a goal in which you have to negotiate with others like property dealing, sale-purchase of automobiles, marketing or any other business transactions. And if you have talent for acting or writing you can’t set a goal to become a businessman. If you set a goal that is unsuitable to your basic personality you will always be in conflict and may not get much success.

2. Deadline is Necessary

You must fix a deadline to complete a work or achieve a goal. Without giving deadline to a work we often scatter our energy and the work may linger on for days, months and sometimes for years. When you prepare a ‘to do’ list also write a deadline with every task - definite time and date when the work is to be finished. Then try your best to complete that work before the deadline. If you are able to complete a big task before the deadline award your efforts with a gift or tour.

3. Small Steps

Chief goal should always be divided into yearly and monthly goals. Then it should further be divided into weekly and daily tasks. Always keep in mind that small drops of water can fill a bucket. Construction of a magnificent building starts with a small brick. Take a step today and you can cover a distance of a thousand miles.

4. Delegate

As you make progress you need other persons who can share your work load. One person can’t do everything. So wise delegation can make remarkable difference between success and failure. If you can’t do a certain work you should appoint a person who can do that. Rule of right work to right person must be followed. Every successful person has a good team whom he delegates his work to achieve his goals.

5. Evaluate Every Week

Once a week you need to evaluate your work. Take the analysis in written - the work you did, the time you wasted, the deadlines you missed etc. It will help you to improve your next working schedule.

6. Celebrate Your Success

Every achievement in life must be celebrated. Celebrate it in the way you like. Also reward yourself with a gift. When you work hard to get victory, to hit the target or to succeed in your mission you deserve to celebrate. Celebration refreshes our mind and prepares us for our next challenging job.

Anandrahi
CEO: News of India Network
Director: LSE-India (for Communication
Skills and Personality Development)

Trained thousands of persons to get great jobs, improve personality and achieve goals in business.

Best-selling Books written by Anandrahi: 1. Think Your Way to Wealth and Power
2. Fire of Success in Your Mind
3. Speak English and Influence People (To get an ebook write an email).

emails:
anandrahi@newsofindia.net
anandrahi@yahoo.co.in