Goals and Aspirations

Reasons for Letting Go of Your Goal

When we decide to set a particular goal most of us do so with the expectation and intention of achieving it!

Our enthusiasm and motivation to achieve our goal is usually very high.  We may take the appropriate action to achieve our goal for a while... after a while, however, things change.

Setting goals is one thing... actually achieving them is something entirely different!  We've all done it, we've all set goals and then at some point our goals are no longer our focus.

It is important to become aware of the reasons our goals become abandoned rather than allowing it to happen without much thought.  Knowing why we let our goals go can often give us useful information for setting our goals in the future. 

Here are some common reasons why people let their goals go:

1) You don't know where to start to achieve your goal: you may have been reasonably clear about what you want to do but when it comes to actually taking action, you don't know where to start.  For example, you want to travel and work overseas for a year but you don't know what way to start to make this happen.

2) Procrastination strikes again!: you know what to do to achieve your goal but you just don't get around to taking the first step or consistently doing what is necessary for your goal to be achieved.  For example, your goal is to wake earlier in the morning and walk for 30 minutes before work but each morning when the alarm goes off you think how comfortable bed is and you tell yourself you will begin tomorrow.

3) Your goal no longer is important to you: when you first set your goal you thought it was something you really wanted to achieve but as you get well into achieving your goal, you realise it isn't what you want after all.  For example, you may have always wanted to be a social worker but after qualifying you realise you no longer have the same passion for this work.

4) You come across numerous obstacles and problems: you know there will be difficulties and obstacles to face and you do overcome many of them but at some point you just feel there are too many to deal with and you have run out of solutions. 

5) Your circumstances change: you may have a clear goal and a clear plan and you are well on your way to achieve your goal only to have circumstances occur in your life which need you to re-evaluate what you are doing and why you are doing it.  For example, your goal is to work overseas for a year and everything is set, including a job waiting for you on your arrival, but there is illness in your family and you are needing to stay home.

There are many reasons why people abandon their goals without achieving them... but depending on the reason for letting your goal go doesn't mean your goal has to be abandoned completely!

I've experienced each one of the above reasons (with different scenarios of course) for letting many of my goals go... and some goals were completely abandoned!

Have you ever let your goals go?  Are you aware of the reasons you didn't achieve the goals you set?  Click on the comment link below and share your experiences... it would be good to hear from you.

Warmly
Jeanne

Getting Organised: Make a Plan!... Part 2 Lists

Being organized is major part of personal development.

Getting organised for the end of the year is imperative if you want to get through relatively stress free! 

In an earlier post, Getting Organised: Make a Plan!, it was suggested writing down important dates when you hear about them, eg activities, appointments, social engagements... any date involving you or members of your household (which indirectly may involve you e.g. driving, preparing food).

Another technique in Getting Organised, is begin to make lists for major occasions.  Let's use Christmas as an example, as Christmas affects many people and it is held at the same time each year.

A major event, such as Christmas, involves a multitude of tasks and activities... for example, socialising, Christmas cards, Christmas presents, decorations.

We all know Christmas happens... and it is one of those occasions we can't delay until we're ready (I wish we could at times!).  When we have lots to do or think about it is easy to overlook certain tasks which need to be done.  Writing lists takes the pressure off trying to remember everything you need to do!

Writing lists is easy when it comes to Christmas.  Get yourself book, notepad, folder on the computer you use specifically for Christmas.

Lists related to Christmas could include:

• people you send a card to
• people you buy a present for
• food you always prepare at Christmas e.g. Christmas cake, pudding
• things you always make and give away as gifts e.g. cards jams, shortbread
• functions you organise e.g. Christmas dinner, pre-Christmas drinks
• activities you have to prepare things for e.g. children's concerts, Christmas parties

Making lists is a powerful organizational technique... it helps organise your time and energy.  You can quickly see what you need to do and then begin taking action when appropriate.

Making lists works for any activity which involves taking action by you.  I've been making lists for years and quite frankly would find it very difficult to function effectively without them.

Many people already make lists... if you are not one of those, I encourage you to give it a go.  There's a specific event, Christmas, happening in a matter of weeks so it is a great way to find out the benefits of making lists for yourself!

Do you make lists?  Click on the comment link below and share your thoughts about making lists.

Warmly
Jeanne

Time Management - 5 Benefits of "To-Do Lists" To Get You Organised

Using a few time management techniques will help you get organised quickly and effortlessly... which in turn helps you achieve your goals!

A simple time management technique anyone can make use of is a "to-do list".

Writing a to-do list isn't something only older people need to do... anyone at any age will greatly benefit from using to-do lists.  Sure, as we get older our memories often go walkabout... but age is an irrelevant factor when it comes to the benefits of to-do lists!

There are numerous benefits of making and following to-do lists... here are 5:

1) Writing down the tasks you need to do means you don't have to only rely on your memory!  We all get caught up in our daily activities and we justifiably get distracted... and it is very easy to get to the end of the day, lying in bed, and remembering you didn't do something you wanted and perhaps needed to do that day!

2) Writing  tasks down on a to-do list enables you to prioritise what you need to do.  Without doubt, some things you do during a particular day are essential whereas others are not. 

3) When you write your next day's to-do list at the end of the day, you can begin the next day without spending valuable time and energy wondering what it is you are going to do.

4) Writing a to-do list helps your mind organise your actions to get the tasks done.  When you have written something down it sends a strong message to your subconscious mind which will guide your actions to achieve what you've got to do.

5) Writing a to-do list greatly helps you focus on what you are doing and what you are meant to be doing.  By focusing, you achieve your tasks more easily.

Give it a go!

Do you make use of to-do lists?  Click on the comment link below and share your thoughts...

Warmly
Jeanne

Time Management - 3 Simple Tips To Getting Organized

Time Management is often seen as something only business people, or control freaks, get involved with.  Not true!

Time management is something we all could benefit from... it goes a long way in keeping us organised.  Being organized not only saves us time and energy but it helps reduce stress in our life and allows us to enjoy more what we're doing. 

It seems to be a trend that the busier we get the more disorganised we become!

There are many simple time management techniques we can use, and here are 3 we can put into place right now:

1) put things away as soon as you have finished with them: for example, if you have got a stack of books out and you have finished with them, spend a few minutes putting them away rather than hanging around where they don't belong.  Put dishes in the sink, or away, rather than leave them hanging around. 

By spending a few minutes putting things where they belong, keeps clutter to a minimum and you will save yourself so much time and energy. 

2) put things in the bin: for example, if you are undoing packaging, put what is not needed in the bin straight away rather than leaving it somewhere only to be done later.  If you know something is going to end up in the bin, put it in now rather than later.  Throw away rubbish as you go rather than leaving it hanging around.

Allowing clutter to accumulate increases our disorganisation!

3) focus on what you're doing: often we have our mind on a million and one things and we can easily get distracted or be in a dream when we are doing very simple actions.  This results in us having to redo something which with a little more focus would have been done properly in the first place.  For example,  if you are closing a door make sure it is closed the first time rather than feeling it not quite click in as you walk away and then have to change direction and go back and do it all over again! 

Become more aware of the everyday tasks and activities you do... put a little more focus into what you are doing as you're doing it and you'll find your life will become more organised!

What's your simple time management technique?  Click on the comment link below and let us know what works for you!

Warmly
Jeanne

Economic Downturn And Your Goals: how will you respond?

I've noticed a significant change in the way people talk... especially in their talk about what they desire in their life, and the goals they have set. 

Over the last few weeks (actually months if I think about it) we have been inundated with doom and gloom messages about the volatile economic climate in many areas throughout the world. 

Each day we hear of more market crashes and meltdowns... we hear about seemingly rock solid businesses collapsing and countless jobs lost.  And some of us are not just hearing it but are actually experiencing job loss or business wipe out!

The economy downturn impacts everyone... and some will experience the negative impact more than others. 

For many it has been a gradual change, and yet others have experienced a sudden and drastic change.  Prices are up... value of the dollar (or any currency) has rapidly decreased... and it seems to be going from bad to worse!

It is getting tough!  And for some... it's a very scary time.

So... what do we do?  How will we react to this major economic change throughout the world?  We have a right to be concerned... we can't just ignore the situation.  How we respond to the economic climate, especially to the onslaught of negative messages from all areas of the media, will greatly affect the way we get through this time.... whether we crumble in the wake, or whether we flourish!

In essence, there are 4 ways of responding to the current economic meltdown:

Getting Organised -- no time like the present to get started!

Each of us has the same amount of time... we each have the same amount of hours in the day, the same amount of days in the week, and exactly the same number of weeks in the year!  What we do with that time, the time that we all have the same amount of, varies from person to person.

Some people's lives are hectic indeed... other people have a less hectic pace. 

Regardless of what activities and demands our life is filled with some people get things done easily whereas others have difficulty and struggle to fit everything in.  This is particularly so at this time of year -- the year may be winding down in weeks but for most of us the pace of things certainly picks up almost to a frantic level.

Let me ask you a question: "Do you plan ahead?  Do you begin to organise your time and activities well ahead of time?  Or do you leave everything to the last minute?"

Ok that was three questions! I digress!...

If you are the "organised ahead of time" kind of person... you plan ahead, you start making lists, organising what you've got to and when you've got to do it by, and things get done bit by bit.  Everything gets done with the least amount of stress and hassle.  Sure, things may have got a little hectic at times, but overall the whole process proceeded like clockwork and was enjoyable.

If you are the "leave it to the last minute" kind of person... you put things off, you may think about getting started on something but it never really happens, you may make a promise to yourself to begin but then it becomes easier to postpone it for a bit longer... and you convince yourself it will get done!

Putting things off creates an enormous amount of unnecessary stress... we put our bodies and our minds under incredible pressure... and most times we end up feeling exhausted and not enjoying the whole experience.

If you leave everything to the last minute... ask yourself why you do it, what reasons and excuses do you use for delaying taking action?

I used to always put things off to the last minute... and I used to convince myself that it was just part of me, something I always did, part of my nature.  Sure, most things got done but there was always a cost involved -- more often than not, this cost included quite a lot of stress.

Many years ago I realised and experienced the benefits of getting organised and planning ahead... certainly I don't do it for everything, but for the majority of my activities and deadlines including the end of year, I tend to begin well ahead of time.  It's amazing how much more enjoyable the whole experience is!

Because you have always been someone who leaves things to the last minute, doesn't mean you have to always be like that!  You can choose to approach things in a more organised and methodical way.  Truly, it is a choice you make!

So, which are you: "put things off to the last minute" kind of person or a "organised ahead of time" kind of person?  Click on the comment link below and let me know... it would be great to hear from you!

Warmly
Jeanne

Getting Organised: Make a Plan!... Part 1

When there's lots to do, the best way to get through it all and survive the experience... is to get organised!

We all have times in our life when the pace of activities steps up... and typically, for many people, this tends to happen leading up to the end of year.  One of the ways to  enjoy rather than dread the end of year build up... is to get organised and make a plan.

Think about the end of the year as a destination for a journey you're about to take.  On any journey... you need to make plans.  It's not just a matter of thinking about your destination and then saying a few magical words and voilà you arrive!  If only it was that simple at times!

No!  Going on a journey requires a plan!  Without a plan, you can end up anywhere... or nowhere!  Same with the end of year!

Being organised allows you to use your time and energy most effectively.

So how do you go about planning for the remainder of the year?  Well... there's a number of ways to do this, and here is one way:

Get yourself a calendar... whiteboard... a planner... or what ever you can use where days of the week will be shown and enough space for you to write on.

One of the keys to getting organised is being able to see what you/family members are doing on a particular day.  It helps your brain organise your actions and energy.

Therefore, it is important to start marking out important dates: activities, appointments, social engagements...

even if the details are sketchy at this time, write down on your planner the date you have a commitment.

This could include activities involving you or other members of your household e.g. school break up, school outings, work Christmas parties, activities with friends and family, appointments and so on.

Put your calendar/planner/or what ever you are using in a prominent place where you can easily see and access it.

Encourage other members of your household to also put up dates as they become aware of them.

There's more to getting organised than writing important dates down!  This is the first part of organising yourself!  In a later post I'll show you another powerful way to organise your time... it's easy to do!

Do you already use a calendar or planner?  Click on the comment link and let me know what works for you!

Warmly
Jeanne    

Getting Organised -- How to Enjoy Rather Than Dread End of Year Build Up!

The end of the year is looming... and for some, it is looming more quickly than we would like!  We can't put the brakes on time to slow it down... but we can put into place certain things to make sure we don't suffer the consequences of skidding out of control in freefall overload!

In a recent post, Your Goals: What's Your Challenge For the Remainder of the Year??, I reminded you there were only a few more weeks left in 2008.

Unfortunately, many people dread the lead up to the end of year because of all what's got to be done!  Instead of enjoying the winding down of the year, the lead up to end of year celebrations and festivities including Christmas... many find the last few weeks to be challenging, and at times bordering on nightmare material!

But it doesn't have to be like this!  We can actually still achieve our goals, we can still do all that's got to be done... all the extra little bits associated with this time of year... and actually enjoy the whole process!  Yes... we can enjoy the last few weeks of the year rather than dread them!

How can we turn this around?  What can we do to help us enjoy the final few weeks of the year?

One of the major issues most people have to cope with is all that's got to be done in the final few weeks!

So how do we deal with all that's got to be done in this amount of time??

We need to get organised!

One very effective and easy to use technique is to develop a plan.

Benefits of making a plan include:

• it helps you prioritise your activities
• it helps you plan your time and energy so you get the best use out of both
• when things are written down, you are less likely to forget them
• you can see your progress
• it helps to relieve stress
• writing things down helps them stop going around and around in your head

In my next post I will show you how to make a plan...

Do you make a plan for what you need to do?  Click on the comment link below and share your thoughts... let me know if you make a plan or not... and if you do make a plan does it help?

Warmly
Jeanne

Your Goals: What's Your Challenge For the Remainder of the Year??

We have just over two months to go before the end of 2008.

For many, the lead up to the end of the year becomes somewhat hectic... perhaps trying to do what we thought we would have by now but haven't, often businesses and work becomes extremely busy with work needing to be done before the end of the year, increased numbers of social activities... and the inevitable buildup to the festive season!

Yeah... the final few weeks of the year can be a doozy!

So what's your challenge for the rest of the year??:

• finalising end of year work commitments and responsibility
• pacing your energy and time in preparation for the extra activities
• trying to fit everything in
• working out what you need for Christmas and the holidays
• extra shopping e.g. presents and food
• preparing yourself for the extra financial commitment often experienced around Christmas time
• losing a few kilograms before the festive activities begin
• getting the house ready
• making a concerted effort to achieve your goals
• planning a schedule to contact friends and family

• organising time away

Click on the comment link below and tell me about your challenges for the remainder of this year... it's always good to hear from you.

If you would like some assistance in working out a manageable schedule... please contact me!  We can work one out together so you get through the rest of the year easily and (relatively) stressfree... with everything done!

Warmly
Jeanne

Achieving Your Goals?? -- What's Stopping You?

In an earlier post, Your Goals -- Countdown to the End of 2008!, I discussed how the final quarter of the year is a great opportunity to revisit your goals and re-energise your efforts to achieve them.

When we set goals, our enthusiasm and motivation to achieve them is generally high... and often dwindles after a period of time for lots of different reasons.

When we don't achieve our goals we need to look at why we don't... if you are serious about achieving your goals now or in the future, you have to become aware of what is stopping you from achieving them!

Some common reasons for not achieving goals include:

• continuous distractions of daily living... responsibilities, commitments, crises both at home and in the workplace
• it's all too difficult
• not knowing where to get started
• procrastination -- just not doing it!
• lack of belief you will actually achieve this goal -- you set this goal before and didn't achieve it
• the goal you set no longer has any importance for you
• people around you are not supportive, and in fact don't believe you will achieve it

 Look at the goal you've set... the one you haven't achieved... the one you have let go... and ask yourself: "what is really stopping me from achieving this goal?"

Seriously ask yourself "What Is Stopping Me from Achieving This Goal??  "...

Keep asking yourself this question until you know what is truly stopping you from achieving your goals... and write down every reason!

What ever reasons you have for not achieving your goal... what ever is stopping you from achieving your goal... you can do something about it.

For every reason that stops you... there is often a very easy solution!

Let me know what  is stopping you from achieving your goals... click on the comment link below and share your thoughts and your blocks!  Others will greatly benefit from your thoughts.

Warmly
Jeanne