Personal Goal Setting for a Purpose Driven Life
Are you ready to live a highly successful life, achieve all of your goals, and enjoy the success you know deep down that you really deserve? If your answer is yes then before you go any further you must answer the following searching question.
Just what is your purpose in life? If you dont have a ready answer, dont be too surprised. Even the greatest of the philosophers who have ever lived succeeded only in making this question more profound. Why? Because the answer lies not in simply knowing what is your purpose in life but lies in discovering what is your goal in life. The last one is only possible if you have already gone through the process of goal setting.
Soul searching is actually personal goal setting in its infancy. The only problem is that for many people that infant never grows up into maturity. The person involved in soul searching might dismiss this process as nothing but being sentimental. Without realizing it, the person has just killed the infant, or his chance to flesh out the course of his purpose driven life.
But luckily, soul searching is a recurring process. So the next time you have been given the honor of another visit, be mindful.
Personal goal setting is a powerful tool for setting a course for a meaningful and fulfilling life. The process of personal goal setting in itself is powerful enough so that if you are going through with the process you might think that your lifes meaning or purpose had been found. But it is not. The euphoria is only a result of your self finally realizing that you are on the right track.
For some, the process itself is motivating. Once you have found a way of making this a habit, you will soon realize that achieving your goals that look like impenetrable walls in the past is nothing but a purpose that needs a set of personal goals as the key.
Personal goal setting: what should be set?
Since there is more to life than the four letters that it represents, personal goal setting involves a review of all the aspects of your life, and all of these should have a corresponding goal. But before going to the process of setting up goals, you must have one general goal that encompasses all the other goals. In fact the other and smaller goals should work in the service of this large goal of yours.
1 Career. What aspect of your career do you think needs an improvement? Or perhaps, ask yourself, is it time for a new career?
2 Outlook or attitude. Is there a part of you, particularly on how you perceive things, that needs to be changed?
3 Financial. Do you have a clear projection as to how much you should be earning in a particular moment in your life? This aspect is closely related with career, so better review and come out with a goal with these two side by side.
4 Potential development. Perhaps some of your talents and skills need an improvement, or are maybe already clamoring for an improvement. Life, after all, is discovering your potential and developing it in the process.
5 Academic. Perhaps you are no longer getting any mental stimulation lately. Maybe your education related goals have expired many years ago. Perhaps it is time to go back to school for another degree, or engage in some thought provoking activities.
6 Family. What is your idea of a family? Getting married, having and raising kids? When? How?
7 Social involvement. Perhaps you want to help achieve something that would make the world a better place? Perhaps you are into animal protection, environmental concerns, and human rights issues?
These are just some aspects that generally come to mind when it comes to personal matters. If you feel or think that this list is not enough, or does not fit well with you, you may add or change it. Remember, personal goal setting is what its name is, a personal task. It is all up to you to device it and make it happen.
This article has just scratched the surface as far as goal setting is concerned. There is a lot more information out there in such places as the local library, the local bookstore, and also there are a number of very helpful Blogs on this subject.
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john savage has a Blog which gives you access to a Free, magical, Goal Setting System. Go To Goals Magic System
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Positive Affirmations Develop Positive Life Change
Using positive affirmations is a powerful positive thinking technique that you can use effectively in countering the negative beliefs that may be regularly sabotaging your attempts to live a happier and more fulfilled life.
How successful and happy we are is often defined not by what happens to us, but rather, by how we react to the events in our lives. It is our subconscious beliefs about ourselves and the world around us that determine whether the reactions are positive or negative and whether the resulting outcome helps us or sabotages us.
Poor self-esteem and other negative beliefs are often at the very root of many personal problems and can cause massive damage to a person's ability to succeed. The irony is that often these beliefs are often formed in childhood and are now either untrue for us or simply inappropriate for an adult and yet these underlying beliefs persist and are rarely re-assessed or challenged.
Positive Affirmations are positive statements; you can use them to reinforce positive aspects of the self and are effective in countering negative thought patterns. Positive affirmations also help start the process of self re-assessment, challenging those old negative beliefs about the self. By regularly repeating affirmations and keeping them in the forefront of your consciousness, you help develop new positive thoughts and a new positive mindset. By replacing the old negative thoughts with new positive thoughts, the positive affirmations open up a completely new set of life possibilities that simply did not seem possible before.
Breaking out of negative thinking is a cathartic experience. Suddenly instead of feeling "stuck", caged or trapped by the old negative beliefs, you are released. At last able to spread the wings of life without fear and follow your dreams and your destiny unencumbered by the old baggage of negativity.
To use your positive affirmations effectively, you must use them regularly and consistently. I often leave positive affirmation cards that I have written lying about in places where I know I will see them and be reminded of them regularly throughout the day.
Perhaps the most important thing to understand about affirmations and how to use them is to be aware that every word we speak, every thought we think is also a form of affirmation. It is vital that when we catch ourselves being negative about ourselves, or about those around us, or anything for that matter. We stop, and find a new positive way of expressing ourselves that reflects the new positive self that we want to be. Initially this can be hard, but the good news is that if we persist, not only does it get easier; our slip-ups come less often.
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For more information on positive affirmations or to view Positive Affirmation Cards , please visit VitalAffirmations.com The Positive Mindset Website . G Symond is an author and writer on the benefits of positive affirmations & positive thinking for improving health, happiness and love. Top of Page
Be Mentally Rich First!
When I spotted an expensive watch that I like, I would have a series of thoughts. Firstly, I would have thought of the pleasure that I could derive by owning it. Secondly, I would think of ways to make or save enough money so that I could buy that watch. Thirdly, I would take actions to make or save money based on the ways that I had thought of. Finally, I would buy the watch when I had enough money.
Does this process sound familiar to you? It may not be an expensive watch but something else that you truly desired. When you truly desired for something, you will think of all ways and means to achieve it. In other words, you need to think about how to make or save enough money before you can buy it.
What I trying to point out here is that it is the same if I want to achieve great wealth. For example, if I truly desire to accumulate one million dollar in wealth, then I will need to think about how to achieve it. The thinking process must come first before I can actually achieve my goal in the real physical world.
Once I have understood that the thinking process must come first, I realized that my thinking process determines whether I can be wealth or rich. If I think like a poor man, then I will always be poor in my life. This is because I am likely to make poor financial decisions and investments based on my thoughts. If I think like a rich man, then I will likely to be rich in my life. This is because I likely to make good financial decisions and investments based on my rich man thinking process.
The rich man thinking process is what I have understood as a mentally rich mind. I gathered from the Rich Dad Series, one has to be mentally rich before one can be truly rich in real life. A mentally rich person can be materially poor at the moment, but he will definitely gain wealth given time.
Just to give you an idea what do I mean by a mentally rich mind. If you were to ask someone what if he were to loss everything today? If he answered that he would gain back everything in a matter of a few years, then he would be considered a mentally rich person. If he answered otherwise, then he is unlikely to be a mentally rich person.
How can I become a mentally rich person? Well, let us look at how our minds react to television programs series or movies. If I were to watch violence television programs continuously for a period of time, I realized that my mind would think about the violence television programs. My mind would go one step further to create new violence thoughts that are not related to the television programs at all.
Similarly, if I were to watch comedy programs, I realized that my mind would think about the comedy programs. Also, my mind would start generate new funny thoughts that are not related to the comedy programs.
In other words, our mind is very creative. If we feed our mind with violence, our mind will think and create violence thoughts. If we feed our mind with loving kindness, our mind will think and create loving kindness thoughts.
With this understanding of how my mind work, I realize that I can become a mentally rich person by exposing myself constantly to mentally rich ideas. What are the ways that I can expose myself to mentally rich ideas? Below are some ideas.
Firstly, I can read books on how to create wealth. I can get these books from the bookshops or borrow from the library. Also, I can borrow from my friends if they happen to have these books.
Secondly, I can attend seminars on creating wealth. If I find that attending live seminar is too expensive, I may look for a more affordable source. Maybe I will attend recorded online video seminars.
Thirdly, I can attend courses on creating wealth and meet minded people. If I find that attending live courses is too expensive, I may look at self-study course.
Next, I can join forums that discuss on how to create wealth. In this way, I will be exposed to many ideas on how to become rich.
By constantly immersing myself in an environment full of mentally rich idea, I believe I will slowly become a mentally rich person.
* DISCLAIMER *
The author, publisher and distributors particularly disclaim any liability, loss, or risk taken by individuals who directly or indirectly act on the information contained herein. All readers must accept full responsibility for their use of this material.
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Max Ng shares about his struggle for financial freedom at www.richdadsecrets4me.com
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You Get What You Focus On
Do you find yourself thinking mainly about the bad things in your life? Do you look at the future and assume that things will turn out badly for you? Watch out! It is likely that you will get what you focus on. Even the Biblical character Job, who suffered the loss of everything, made the statement, "That which I have greatly feared has come to pass." Is it possible that his disasters happened partly because his focus was on the negative instead of on the positive?
You don't have anything to lose by thinking positively and focusing on the beneficial things you desire. If your focus is on defeat and despair, you will be miserable even if it never happens. On the other hand, a positive, upbeat focus will have you in a good state of mind even if a mishap occurs. Ask any positive thinker, though, and they will tell you that you get good things if you expect good things.
Your focus can be increased in a variety of ways. Positive affirmations are a traditional approach. Whatever you hope to achieve or gain in life, turn it into a single simple statement. For instance, if you want to lose weight, you can tell yourself something like, "I am enjoying lighter meals and am satisfied with smaller portions." Try telling yourself your affirmations every morning several times when you first rise, and again in the evening before going to sleep.
Many people like to post their positive focus statements on the bathroom mirror where they will see them while they brush their teeth in the morning. You might like to write them inside your daily planner as well. Another idea is to write encouraging notes to yourself on each page of your planner or calendar. Keep those positive ideas before your eyes if you wish to improve the strength of your focus.
Some people have enjoyed creating a collage or dream box to increase their positive focus. A collage can be made of magazine pictures, words, and statements that point your heart to your desired outcomes. A dream box is simply a place to keep success stories, motivating pictures and other inspiring odds and ends you collect as you go through life.
Do you write New Year's resolutions? The beginning of the year is a natural time to evaluate your life and set goals. Don't follow the popular idea that resolutions are all broken withing a few weeks. If a goal is worth pursuing, don't give up on it. Believe you can achieve it. Believe you will achieve it. Write your resolutions down and look at them from time to time as the year progresses. They might be challenging, but by keeping them in your focus, you might reach some of them. Congratulate yourself for every small victory on your road to success.
Yes, you get what you focus on. Make sure you are setting your sights on success and achievement and not on failure. Whatever you set your mind to, you can accomplish.
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Achieving Your Goals: Create Your Own Goal Collage
People are motivated in different ways and we have different reasons why we do what we do. One thing for sure is that when you find a reason "why" you are doing something then your chances for success long term is greatly increased. For those that are visually orientated then one sure fire way to get your big enough "why" is to create a goal collage. Now some of you probably have already come across this concept others will be trying to think back to primary school when you last came across a collage. But the basis is the same, by putting a collection of your goals in visual format you will more readily be exposed to it on a daily basis and this will give you the "why" that will keep you motivated.
The reason is that for visually senstitive people, you will be able to see a picture of your goal that you want to attain and attach the emotional imprint in your mind about that goal. Often we find that what you focus on will determine the results you get, so by having this goal collage placed in a prominent position that you will see everyday it will prompt you for ideas and opportunities to enable you to get your goal sooner.
To create a goal collage is a relatively simple matter. What you first need to know is all the goals you want to attain in your life. It could be anything from your dream home, sports cars to pictures of your holiday destinations and the like. It really is up to your imagination and what you want out of your life.
Once you have your goals you simply start to search out pictures that best represent the goal for you. You can find them from magazines, online or through other publications. Cut them out and paste them onto a black cardboard. Then it's simply a matter of putting it someone that you can see.
This is such an easy and fun way to keep you focused on your goals and even the act of constantly looking for pictures to add to your collage is beneficial in the sense that your goals are focused in your consciousness.
Over time you will find that you will actually start to turn these goals into reality as you have a prominent sign post staring at you. When that happens it's simply a matter of finding new goals and therefore pictures to paste over the completed goals.
If you aren't sure whether this will work for you why not at least give it a go. What have you got to lose. If anything it's a great diversion to your routine and a chance to spend some time focusing on your goals.
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How Clear is Your Vision?
Visualisation is an invaluable skill to develop to enhance success and achievement. Why? Because almost every human achievement and creation throughout history was first enacted or created in the mind of a man or woman. A clear vision of exactly what you actually want is an essential step for any person serious about bringing their dreams to reality.
The more clearly you can see yourself having achieved your goals and enjoying the rewards, the more it is going to motivate you to make the plans and take the actions necessary to achieve your goals.
It's also important not to be vague about what it is you desire, you must fill in as much detail as possible.
For example, if you decide you want an expensive sports car, to just keep telling yourself you want a sports car is of little or no use. You need to decide the make, model, colour, and all the features you want your new car to include. You also need add emotion - see yourself driving this car, smell the upholstery and feel the pleasure and excitement of owning the car, and the sense of pride and satisfaction of having achieved what you set out to do.
If you want to buy or build your dream home, you need to have a clear vision of exactly what your home will look like, the floor plan, how many rooms it will have, how each room will be decorated, how the grounds will be laid out, where it will be located, and so on.
Also think about why you want whatever it is that you want, as the stronger your reasons, the more motivated you will be, and the more effective your visualization will be.
If you desire material possessions, it doesn't matter if you can't currently go close to affording them. In the case of character traits or skills, it doesn't matter how far you are now from where you want to be. The important thing is to first establish exactly what you desire in detail, and having powerful enough reasons for wanting it.
Time should then be regularly dedicated to visualising your dreams and goals as if they are already achieved. By doing this you are priming your subconscious mind to move you towards your goals.
This may sound like a bit 'pie in the sky', but this a proven technique. The latest brain research also confirms this is much more than mere daydreaming.
Without getting too technical, our subconscious mind is by far the most powerful part of our brain, It effectively operates our bodies and our internal organs, and allows us to carry out simple daily actions, like walking, talking or driving, and everything else we do, without even having to think.
It also records virtually everything that ever happens to us, including many things we aren't even consciously aware of, and provides us with our intuition, our hunches and the inner voices that guide our actions. It thinks creatively and spontaneously, rather than logically and analytically.
This is why, perhaps most importantly of all, it accepts everything that our conscious mind presents to it as reality, and it will then go to work to create this reality. This is a simple explanation why, as has been said countless times by countless people - that we actually achieve, become and experience, what we spend most time thinking about.
Brain research also indicates that our brains are naturally action orientated and think in positives. This means for example, if you tell a child 'don't spill the milk' you actually increase, rather than reduce, the chances of the child spilling the milk, as the subconscious mind only registers 'spill the milk'.
Therefore, if you spend time hoping that the worst won't happen, or constantly think about your problems, you are as good as encouraging the exact outcome you don't want, or asking for more problems. On the other hand, if you actively focus on solutions and the outcomes you want to achieve, and optimistically expect the best, you automatically move in the direction of your goals.
To really get moving towards you goals, work at building up as detailed pictures as possible, and add emotional intensity by seeing yourself having achieved your goals, and enjoying the feelings that these achievements bring.
Work at visualising, and really seeing these pictures regularly, as repetition is necessary to ensure any old negative images are replaced. Try to clear your mind of any other thoughts first. When you are drifting off to sleep, or as you are waking in the morning, tend to be good times for many people, as the mind tends to be more receptive when not fully awake. Visualisation can also work very well when combined with meditation techniques. Experiment to find what works best for you.
This makes your subconscious, creative mind go to work motivating and guiding you to make the plans, break your goals down into manageable chunks, and take the necessary actions. It will also connect you to inexplicable forces that will assist you, and help to create the circumstance to ensure you achieve your goals.
If you make the effort to regularly focus on and visualise your goals, no matter what worries or problems you are facing, you will eventually find you are thinking about them most of the time, and that you become a more positive, optimistic, happy and successful person.
"You must see your goals clearly and specifically before you can set out for them. Hold them in your mind until they become second nature." - Les Brown
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Brain-Compatible Goal Setting - How and Why Goals Drive Motivation
It is important to write down your goals, since that action imprints them on your brain. Before writing your goals, identify what price you are willing to pay to achieve them. These may be material, emotional, or spiritual. At some point, expose your barriers and excuses; write them on a separate piece of paper. This list is not meant to be dwelled on; it is meant merely as acknowledgement - celebrate as you conquer each barrier or excuse.
If you are finding it difficult to decide on what you want, you could consider what author Michael Losier advised in his book, The Law of Attraction. He teaches a process of listing what you don't want as a prelude to making your definitive list of what you do want. Mark Victor Hansen co-author of Chicken Soup for The Soul said, "Once focused on the positive, you act as a magnet, to attract those things you hold in your mind."
You may have heard of S.M.A.R.T. goals. The acronym stands for specific, measurable, attainable/agreed on, relevant, and timely. My colleagues and I created an alternative formula. Here it is.
• Your goal statement must always be succinctly worded in the present tense and in the positive. Use action and emotional words. Avoid negative words, future tenses, and comparisons (better, some). Let me explain why your goal statement must be positive and in the present tense. The powerhouse of enriched learning is the subconscious mind. It is highly literal, has no concept of time, and processes in images. If you use future tenses, such as "I will...," then the subconscious mind will not act on it since it only operates in the NOW. Since there is no picture for a negative word (not, never, won't), then it just ignores it. If you state, "I am not attracted to chocolate cake," the subconscious only processes, "chocolate cake." A better wording would be, "I love foods that contribute to my body's health and vitality."
• It must be realistic and a slight stretch. Push yourself just a bit.
• It must be specific, yet your assessment of your success must be flexible. By specific, I mean avoid comparative words. If you state, "I will be more disciplined in my work assignments," that is far too vague. To the subconscious, the word more may be anywhere from .0000001 percent to 100 percent more. So be specific. Celebrate each of your accomplishments, even if it is not 100 percent of what you planned. In the book, The One-Minute Manager, the authors counsel that if you're off course, just do a course correction - don't jump ship! Use any slip-ups as opportunities to learn.
• Your goal must be measurable. If you can't gauge how well you're doing, how will you know that success is actually occurring? Ensure that you pick a target date. It must also be paced so that you can recognize your achievements at specific points along the way. This is the step where you take your overall goal and break it down into bite-sized modules. This chunking-down can be by subject, time, place, or resource.
• Once your mini-goals are established, create action plans for as many as you want. This is so important. Without an action plan, all you have is a wish-list.
• Announce or share your goal with people who will be supportive. This emotional investment puts your reputation on the line.
• The last element is In Your Face. Write out your goals, cut out magazine pictures, or draw them yourself. Paste and post the images all over your world, including your bathroom mirror. Keep it in your face and top-of-mind.
Most people don't set long-term goals, let alone write them down. Some fear failure and criticism if they are less than 100 percent successful. Others don't know how to set goals. The vast majority do not appreciate the value of setting goals. The benefits of written goals are simple. They provide direction, momentum, and motivation.
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Brian Walsh PhD, is a bestselling author and an international speaker. He is a Hypnotherapist, an EFT Practitioner, an Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist, a certified Print Coach, and a Master Practitioner of Neurolinguistic Programming. His web site is www.UnleashingBook.com
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Goal Setting As A Means Of Self Improvement
It is often easy to forget exactly how important goal setting is to self improvement. We can have lofty ambitions for changing or improving who we are, but if we don't begin the journey with one step as Confucius once said and then break it down into smaller plans, the journey might begin to seem impossible.
The reason goal setting works as a means of self improvement is two-fold: the first part is obvious it allows us to break a really complex task down into small components that are easier to follow, more detailed, and less overwhelming. The second reason why goal setting is an effective means of self improvement is that it provides us with constant motivation. Whenever we accomplish that goal or objective on the way to the greater goal, we feel as if we have made progress, and it emboldens us to work towards the next goal in line.
Before anyone can begin goal setting for self improvement, he must determine what it is about himself that he would like to change and for what reason. For some people, the ultimate act of self improvement would involve quitting smoking cigarettes. For others, weight is a self improvement issue for which they are most concerned. For others, it might be something different, like being more assertive, more financially secure, or more charitable.
Of course, no one knows our faults better than we do. If we're overweight, we usually know just horrible it makes us feel, even if no one around us even really notices it. If we drink beyond what could be considered careful moderation, we know how it makes us feel and what it has done to our relationships.
Now, once you have identified what it is that you would like to improve about yourself, you can begin the goal setting process. Start with the ultimate goal (i.e., to lose 30 pounds). Next, depending on how large your ultimate goal is and how long it will reasonably take you to accomplish begin goal setting for objectives with timelines. For these smaller objectives, it is a good idea to tie them to actions, rather than results. If, for instance, your goal is to go to the gym three times each week and decrease your fat and carbohydrate intake, you might accomplish all of those goals, but it doesn't mean you will accomplish your short-term intended result, which was to lose ten pounds in 30 days.
If you only lose 10 pounds when your goal was 30 pounds, don't feel like you haven't succeeded. Instead, see if you followed the goals you set out to accomplish for the time period: did you go to the gym three times each week? Did you decrease your fat and carbohydrate intake? If you answered yes to all of these questions and you DID lose at least some weight, then you know your goal setting activities are on the right track, but you just need to intensify the components or increasing the overall timeline.
So, to reiterate, successful goal setting for self improvement consists of three things: creating long term goals, short term objectives, and re-evaluating the plan to make sure it is more realistic.
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Why Most People Can't Stick To Their Goals
If you have ever set a new year resolution or tried to set a diet goal and failed to stick to the goal then find solace in knowing that you are not alone. Most people have goals that they are excited about and are revving to begin only to find days or weeks into the goal that it has already been discarded by the wayside for either a totally different goal or their old way of life. Sticking to goals as you can imagine is integral in the degree of success you are going to enjoy in your life. If you aren't ever completing a goal in your life then how can you possibly grow as a person to take on larger challenges in your life and it also sends a message to inner self that goals aren't really important to you.
If you are struggling to stick to your goals for once in your life then here are a few handy tips to help you get on the fast track to success and you'll be ticking off your goals in no time.
1. Get started today. The key is to start at the very moment that you have committed yourself to the goal. Don't kid yourself that you'll start first thing Monday morning or tomorrow. The best time to start your goal was an hour ago, the second best time to start is right now. After all you don't have any control over your past or future but you do have control in the moment. The reason you want to start straight away is that you are at the height of your excitement and motivation. That positive energy can create a great momentum in you attaining your goals. Momentum is key as Isaac Newton famously quipped that an object at rest tends to stay at rest. So maybe your goal is time dependent, maybe you have to weight till a class starts or something else out of your control. That doesn't mean that you wait, you still can get momentum started in the moment. Maybe if you goal is about losing weight, then clean out part of your closet to make room for your newer, smaller sized clothes that are going to be your reality. Maybe your momentum could be to go out to the shops and buy some new exercise clothes that you can be comfortable in or to just get started right now and walk around the block. Whatever you goal there is no excuse not to get some momentum in your goal right this very moment.
2. Focus on building the habit. They say motivation gets you started, habit keeps you there. By focusing on habit you are focusing therefore on making your new goal an ingrained part of your life rather than a new exciting fad that runs the risk of losing its shine at the first sign of difficulty. You want to avoid therefore overdoing your new goal early on. For example if it is to lose weight, don't all of a sudden go from doing no exercise to going to the gym four times a week and banning all junk food of your menu. If you aren't accustomed to this type of living you are only setting yourself up to fail because you are going to find this difficult to make a part of your habit without having to overhaul whole areas of your life. Instead create a healthy habit of introducing healthy food options into your daily meals and go to the gym twice a week to begin with. Give your body a chance to get accustomed to your new goal and your chances of success increase measurably. You don't see athletes aspiring to win an Olympic medal go on a heavy duty training regime at the beginning. They have a four year plan that is developed to give them the best opportunity to be at their peak come time to compete at the Olympics.
3. Get yourself a buddy. We all remember times in our lives when we made a commitment to someone and no matter how difficult it was to stick to it we made sure that we stuck to our commitment so that we wouldn't let them down. If you have a goal that you are serious about completing then why not enlist the help of a friend that can keep you accountable. Make your goal known to them and your plan to achieve your goal. That way they know when you are running behind schedule and can give you the necessary prompting to get you back on track. Why else would many elite sport athletes still enlist coaches and trainers to help. We all have bad days and days we just want to quit because it's the easy option, if we have someone there with our best interest to support us the chances of us picking back up and getting back on track to finish the goal are greatly increased.
4. Reward Yourself. You don't have to wait until you complete your goal to reward yourself. The best way to reinforce a good habit is to give yourself pleasure in wanting to keep doing it. One way to do this is to set smaller milestones along the path to your eventual goal completion. As you progress and complete each milestone set a reward that you can enjoy. Not only are you now one step closer to completing your goal but you have also given yourself a sense of gratification that you can enjoy right now instead of still hoping for that eventual reward at the end of the finish line. One side note to rewards is to try to avoid sabotaging yourself. For instance if you goal is to lose weight you would hardly want to set a reward that is to allow you to enjoy a bar of chocolate or eat at your local all you can eat buffet. Instead your rewards could be celebrate with friends over lunch, go on a picnic with your family or something fun.
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Why You Must Find Your Passion, Set Goals And Live Your Dream
Some people have been so hurt by life that they have lost their passion for it. They have, in essence, lost touch with their dream.
However, we all have a dream. It is an aspect of consciousness to be creative. It is part of the nature of the human soul to aspire.
Furthermore, just as every face on the planet is unique, so too is your talent to fulfill your dream. Just as no two people write or speak in the same way, so too every talent is unique.
We all have a unique dream and a unique talent with which to fulfill it.
Unfortunately, few of us do anything with either.
Those who do--soar. They are the leaders and visionaries of our world, the artist and the scientist, the scholar and the activist, the explorer and the inventor. They are the ones who appear to have a gilded life, and they turn the burden of their struggles into an enormous victory that benefits the highest good.
If we all have a dream, and we all have the raw talent to fulfill it, then why do so few of us aspire to do anything more than continue a dull existence?
It is because we are stuck in a comfort zone.
A comfort zone is a psychological condition created in our childhood that makes us feel in control, approved, and safe. It is a sense of well-being in the world. Whenever, we cross its invisible barriers, we feel acute discomfort, usually in the form of anxiety or depression. We instinctively rush back to feeling better again by denying the emergence of unfamiliar experiences.
Unfortunately, personal growth can only come from crossing the comfort zone and stepping into the heart of the unknown. The rules that apply to a dependent, limited child are not good rules for an independent, unlimited adult.
Fulfillment in life can only come from transcending our comfort zone and stepping into a place where we can learn anew. Our talents will not blossom unless we learn how to set goals and hone our skills, and they will not find expression unless we risk putting them out into the world.
You're going to have to do something with your life. You might as well make it big. The alternative is to cleave to the normal, the dull, and the banal, and to live a life of quiet desperation, where you never really get what you want.
With a little courage, you can conjure up your dream, and with a little effort you can learn how to slowly bring it into the world as part of your living reality. The alternative-a lackluster life devoid of significance-is not even worth considering.
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Saleem Rana is a psychotherapist in Denver, Colorado. If you're up to the challenge and want to create the kind of freedom and lifestyle you truly deserve - starting now - then get his free book from theempoweredsoul.com/enter.html
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How Core Beliefs Become Learning Behaviors
Enriched learning is all about the effective absorption and integration of new material. The more you know about the concepts, the more you will find out things unknown to your parents, to teachers, and even to neuroscientists just a decade ago.
For instance, ninety-five percent of your behavior reflects patterns and habits mostly acquired when you were very young. Because our educators and caregivers didn't know any better, most of us grew up with ineffective study habits. Countless hours have been wasted in classrooms and in home study, and have often yielded frustration, self-limiting beliefs, and low self-esteem. However, there's no need to take it anymore! No matter what your age, you can learn successfully and with delight.
Freud popularized the concept of the subconscious (or what is sometimes also called the unconscious or the non-conscious). Although your conscious mind plays an important role, learning has much more to do with non-conscious processing than with conscious thought. Remember that, as you learn how to nourish and develop it, your mind's chief responsibility is your protection; in fact, your survival.
Let me use an analogy to explain the power of the subconscious mind. If your feet are flat on the floor, the area under your feet corresponds to the processing ability of your conscious mind. The floor area in the room not covered by your feet represents the power of your subconscious mind. Your conscious mind operates at around 126 bits per second, and your subconscious mind is 10,000 times faster. Clearly, the power is really in the subconscious.
As a therapist, I have found that most issues that adults present to me originate in their first seven years of life. This imprint phase of social development is at a time when the conscious mind is not yet fully developed, before growth of a vital filter to assess incoming information's validity, the so-called Critical Faculty. Well aware of this, advertisers use the term Critical Faculty Bypass when weighing the effectiveness of advertisements. If the advertising message gets through to the emotional subconscious mind, then the likelihood of purchase increases. What does this have to do with learning? Quite a lot. Read on.
If life-long patterns are set in the first seven years of life, then it's important for parents, older siblings, coaches, teachers, and any other influencers to be extremely careful with their language, both verbal and non-verbal. If a parent says, "You're just like your father. You'll never amount to anything" or "It's a good thing you're cute, because you're not very smart". The messages go directly, in the absence of a strong Critical Faculty, to the subconscious where accepted as valid, they begin to form patterns and beliefs. Subsequent fractured self-esteem and self-doubt results.
Elephant trainers use an interesting control technique. When an elephant is still very young, the trainer attaches one end of a strong chain to one of the elephant's legs, and the other end to a stake. This allows the animal the freedom of a very defined circle, and, harnessed day after day, the elephant learns that this circle is its only territory. As the years go by, the chain is progressively exchanged for thinner and thinner ropes. The trainer knows that the elephant could walk away at any time, but the elephant doesn't catch on, and so remains within the defined circle. Important questions for you from this are: What's your circle? What are your self-limiting beliefs?
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Brian Walsh PhD, author of Unleashing Your Brilliance , is an international speaker based on Canada's west coast. He holds a commerce degree and a Ph.D. in Clinical Hypnotherapy. His web site is www.UnleashingBook.com Top of Page
The Difference Between A Constructive Life And A Destructive Life
The following paragraphs summarize the work of constructive life, destructive life experts who are completely familiar with all the aspects of constructive life, destructive life. Heed their advice to avoid any constructive life, destructive life surprises.
Which life do you lead? Do you consider your life to be constructive or would you describe it as destructive to you and all around you. Both result from a chain reaction, one leading to a downward spiral and the other leading to an upward spiral.
Living a Destructive Life
What do you remember about your childhood, early adulthood? Is it failing exams, being told off for not going to school, failing your driving test, leaving your first job because you kept making mistakes and thought they would probably sack you anyway?
This perception of your early life can only lead to a negative self image. Your subconscious mind constantly focuses on these negative situations. When a new situation comes into your life, say you get a new job; your subconscious gets to work analyzing this new set of information. It takes it apart and compares it to what has gone before.
He only stays a maximum of 18 months in a job so will have to move on in a year or so.
He had trouble with the boss in most past jobs so will have trouble with this one.
He got on with colleagues for the first six months then relationships went downhill so will have problems with colleagues by the end of the year.
Your subconscious mind does not rationalize - it simply takes the facts that have gone before and acts on them. In this case it sees a new job as something temporary and tells your conscious mind that you should expect all of the problems you have had before.
Truthfully, the only difference between you and constructive life, destructive life experts is time. If you'll invest a little more time in reading, you'll be that much nearer to expert status when it comes to constructive life, destructive life.
This leads to a negative perception of your job. A negative perception leads to lack of confidence, lack of motivation and ultimately depression. What chance does your new job have - none! This will impact on your wider life making it harder and harder to get what you want in life - so you sink deeper and deeper into depression.
Living a Constructive Life
What do you remember about your childhood, early adulthood? Is it playing with friends and siblings, holidays you have enjoyed, getting a mention from your teacher because you took an injured dog you found in your garden to the vet, getting your first job...?
This person's subconscious mind is very busy! Busy relating new situations to all the good things that have gone before! If this person decided to set up their own business their subconscious would be saying something like this:
Well this is new but I have been successful in my career so far so I will just use those skills and experience to succeed in my business.
I will have to find new customers but that is OK because I have always been very good at developing customer relations.
Once I am up and running I will need new staff but that will be fine because I have always got on well with the people reporting to me.
What do you think is happening in this person's life? Because they are focusing on success, they are looking forward to achieving it. This makes them feel motivated, which in turn leads them to take action. This action gets results so they feel more motivated (and happy!) and so it goes on.
Which life are you leading?
Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of constructive life, destructive life. Share your new understanding about constructive life, destructive life with others. They'll thank you for it.
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Michael Hehn writes articles about various topics. Find out what he has to say about living wills at Yoga Top of Page
Create Powerful Goals In 5 Steps
When you think about goals, what do you think of first? Which aspects of goals are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave?
"Always do what you are afraid to do." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
A lot of great people started out small too. There was a time when they were just like everyone else, with dreams yet to be realized. What essentially made the difference is that they somehow fulfilled theirs. Fulfillment though is still at the end of the line. First off, you must know what you want to have when you get to the finish. We are here now to give you a few tips upon send-off, for as Lao-Tzu said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."
Know what you want.
For Mary Lou Retton, an Olympic gymnast, it is a goal in itself to find what sets our heart on fire and "to keep it lit" because dreams are foremost for the self, and not for anybody else. It is therefore of utmost importance to find out what you are passionate about. Do you see yourself investing time in something even if all you get out of it is having fun? The question to ask would be, "What do I enjoy doing?" Because at the very heart of it, nothing can keep you away from what it is you really love.
Know what can be done.
Once you have your dream figured out, it is time to translate those dreams into realistic targets. We all have different comfort zones with regard to setting aspirations, double-checking whether we are setting them too high or too low. The way to find a compromise between the two levels is to set a really large goal - such as the position you want to get promoted to, the amount of money you want to raise, the type of business you want to start - then set the smaller goals that will eventually lead to the ultimate dream. To quote two other greats, Thoreau said, "In the long run, men hit only what they aim at. Therefore, they had better aim at something high." and Henry Ford believes that "Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs."
Know the goal.
You can see that there's practical value in learning more about goals. Can you think of ways to apply what's been covered so far?
One of the most famous lines in Sun Tzu's The Art of War is "Know your enemy and know yourself." Knowing what you want takes care of the second part. Just as important is the first part which requires you to be aware of what you are up against. After setting your passion to a real target, it is essential to know what it would take to get there. How much time would it take both on a long-term and a short-term basis? What kinds of resources do you need? What will this kind of achievement do for you? Are you prepared for all its ramifications? Once you're there, what's next? Remember that it's important to have alternatives and fall-back plans just in case something unwelcome happens.
Let other people know.
As much as getting what you want is a solitary activity, it is important to have a solid support group around you. This group has to be composed of people who can play the roles of critics, consultants and morale boosters. Just like a second opinion from another doctor helps whenever you ask for the status of your health, it is best to have people who can keep you in check, provide you with necessary information, or just plain encourage you to keep you going. This support group will help you keep your eye on the goal, assist you through challenges, and also let you know if there is something you could improve on. Aside from all that, having a lot of people know what you're setting out to achieve can give you enough reason to keep on pushing with the objective of proving what your abilities are.
Make a commitment.
After all that, it is time to make a promise to yourself that you're going to do your best to realize this goal. Most people find it easier to stick to a plan when they write it down. It will be some kind of a contract with yourself. It will also be better if the commitment can translate into a timeline. Give yourself a schedule, set deadlines as to when the series of activities are to be finished. Challenge yourself, and own that challenge.
"Always do what you are afraid to do."
It is perfectly understandable for us to be fearful of knowing what we want for the possibility of not being able to get it. However, the only failure one can experience is not giving it a shot. David Viscott, a motivational speaker, sums it up for us: ""The worst thing one can do is not to try, to be aware of what one wants and not give in to it, to spend years in silent hurt wondering if something could have materialized-and never knowing."
It never hurts to be well-informed with the latest on creating effective and powerful goals. Compare what you've learned here to future articles so that you can stay alert to changes in the area of goals.
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Daegan Smith is the leader of the fastest growing team of successful home business enterpernuers on the net. Find out how we're creating financial freedom all across the globe and how to get in on the action FREE at www.comlev.net Top of Page
How Well Do You Know Your SELF? - An Exploration of What's Inside
Many categories of self have common characteristics, and there is value in exploring them. By understanding their distinctiveness, we may gain a clearer picture of how each of us fits into the world.
Self-Esteem Also known as self-worth, a person's self-esteem is forged during the first seven or eight years of life. By then the mind has created the critical faculty (also known as the critical factor) to filter incoming messages, thus protecting the impressionable and immature subconscious. Until that is in place, absolutely everything a child hears, sees, and experiences will fashion a core belief that could be a lifetime guide.
If, during this critical period, a child consistently hears, "You are so disorganized, you'll never amount to anything," or similar judgmental put-downs, there is a strong possibility that the person will experience self-sabotage in later life. In transactional analysis, the core belief is known as the parent and it relentlessly directs behavior. Low self-esteem is created in an atmosphere of conditional love, and subsequently reinforced through negative self-talk. Unfortunately, contrary evidence is usually disregarded.
Some people endeavor to bolster their self-esteem through external elements, like marriage, alliance with others, and even the accumulation of money, titles, and degrees. While surrounding oneself with positive people has its benefits, it is problematic to define the self through external trappings.
Although it is a good thing to be proud of accomplishments, it is essential for people to make a clear distinction between their identities and their accomplishments.
All other "selves" emanate from self-esteem, that is, they take cues from the quality of the self-esteem. A fragile self-esteem will spawn weakness. A sound self-esteem, built in an environment of unconditional love, will sponsor resilient self-identities.
Self-awareness is the ability to reflect on our thought processes. We can become aware of many signals received from our bodies. We are not our feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and moods. These are simply processes that we experience and are not a "part" of our essence. We are able to objectively scrutinize the way we see ourselves. This social mirror of our place within humankind allows us to evaluate the roles of nature and nurture in our own attitudes and behaviors.
Self-acceptance is the coming to terms with who we are right now, just as we are, with all our faults, weaknesses, and errors, as well as our assets and strengths. It is important to appreciate that the negatives belong to us; they are not us. Recognition of shortcomings is a healthy first step in personal growth. The actual self is necessarily imperfect and dynamically striving for improvement. It is always a work-in-progress. Blatantly professing to be perfect produces great mental strain.
Self-honesty is being in touch with one's own basic human instincts for justice and fairness for self and others. It means being aware of rationalizations used to counter our conscience and other internal signals. It means ridding oneself of the need to appraise self-worth in external terms. It also means assessing one's strengths and weaknesses realistically.
Self-image is a custom-built collage fabricated from how we think others see us. We tend to draw conclusions about ourselves based on how we are treated. Psychologists generally agree that people underrate themselves. An inner sense of mastery and competence is developed only when we focus on our inner core of personal vitality and creativity rather than on seemingly negative evidence.
Negative feedback can be constructive in helping us get back on course; however, when we obsess about what others think, we relentlessly and consciously monitor every act, word, and manner. This creates inhibited, self-conscious perfectionists.
Traditionally, when employees demonstrated loyalty and hard work, they had an expectation of job security, regular pay increases, and promotions. Now, in many work locations, uncertainty and stress prevail. Habitual feelings of injustice lead to the victim mode of resentment and self-pity, thus lowering self-image and self-esteem.
Self-mastery is the knowledge about how to manage oneself on a daily basis so as to maximize accomplishment. Remember the old saying, "By failing to plan, people plan to fail." Setting goals that are specific, timely, achievable, measurable, accountable, and realistic, and which demand just a slight stretch, have the likelihood of being reached, if combined with passion and action.
One constant in life is change. How we manage change depends on our experience and mind-set. An unpleasant encounter may subconsciously program us to either shy away from, or preferably, relish a new challenge. It all depends on how we perceive the original event. Some of my clients are "stuck" in their jobs, their relationships, or their lives in general. By remaining in their comfort zone, they are denying themselves opportunities to live at their full capacity. Self-mastery is knowing when to learn new skills or take on new responsibilities, when to hold on to beliefs that serve you, and when to let go of beliefs that do not serve you.
Self-efficacy is the context-specific assessment of belief in our personal capabilities to organize and execute what is required so as to achieve the intended goal. It is concerned not with the skills we have, but rather with our control over our own level of functioning. People with high self-efficacy choose more demanding tasks. They set higher goals, put in more effort, and persist longer than those who are low in self-efficacy.
Self-efficacy grows through personal and vicarious experience, discipline, and valid feedback. Although usually considered in a single context, there may also be a generalized effect reflecting a person's abilities across a broad array of difficult or novel situations. For instance, if someone is loved by a supportive family on the home front, then that person will display a greater confidence on the job. This will be reflected by peer and management feedback, which will, in turn, show up on the home front, perpetuating the cycle.
Self-confidence is an external manifestation of the health of self-esteem, self-efficacy, and self-mastery. Although it reflects the strength of these selves, it can be purposefully overridden to become a facade that we deliberately create for external scrutiny. I had a client who was a television actor. He once told me that actors often don't know where their next job is coming from. They may seem to possess a great deal of self-confidence, but often it hides a shaky self-esteem.
If it is merely bravado, it is shallow. On the other hand, the technique of "act-as-if" can have a positive effect on the subconscious, since it cannot differentiate between something real and something vividly imagined.
Self-love is the regard you have for your own happiness. It parallels unconditional love inasmuch as, no matter what you do, you nurture yourself by giving yourself permission to take pleasure in whatever life has to offer. In the therapy of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), we use the phrase, "I deeply and completely love and accept myself."
Self-actualization is the realization of one's full potential through creativity, independence, spontaneity, and a grasp and appreciation of this world.
There were three brick-layers at work.
Each of them was asked in turn, "What are you doing?"
The first brick-layer answered, "I'm laying bricks."
The second answered, "My job... to support my family."
And the third bricklayer smiled and said, "Me? Why, I'm building the world's most magnificent cathedral."
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International speaker, Dr. Brian E. Walsh is the author of the bestseller Unleashing Your Brilliance and has also co-authored with John Gray and Jack Canfield the self-help book, 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life: Volume 2. Visit Author's site
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