Goals and Aspirations

Your Goals -- Countdown to the End of 2008!

We are now entering the final quarter of the year... scary thought I know!

It is only 100 days before the end of the year... before the finish of 2008.

It's a great chance to take a look at where you are in terms of your goals for this year.

Cast your mind back to the beginning of the year... do you remember the goals you set?  Do you remember thinking or saying or even writing out what you had planned to do this year... perhaps it was lose weight and get fit (by far the most common goal set at the beginning of the year, any year!), get out of debt, perhaps your goal was to get a job or a better job... change your car, go on holiday... develop better time management skills... perhaps give up smoking... start renovating the house, or maybe even finish renovating the house... maybe to get your book written... or do something for you!

Whatever your goal/s is... how are you going with it????

Some people get to this time of year, not achieved or done anything they had planned to... and decide to ride the year through and start again next year!

But for many of these people... this happens year in and year out.

My belief is, the final quarter of the year is a great opportunity to get the momentum happening again -- to get motivated -- to dust off those goals and plans made earlier in the year which had been abandoned or forgotten about... bring them out and give them an airing!

It is natural that life events during the year take us away from what we want to achieve... but it doesn't mean we have to let go of our goals.

So use this final 100 days of the year to inject energy and motivation into achieving your goals. 

The least you can do is revisit your goals to see if they are what you want to achieve and bring into your life... and if they are, start taking action on them right now.

Get the ball rolling in the final 100 days of this year.

Truly... it's not too late.  In fact, it is never too late to start taking action on your goals right now!

My two major goals remaining for this year are to get the makeover of my website completed and also write another book.

What do you want to achieve in the next 100 days of 2008??  Click on the comment link below and let me know... it's always good to hear from you!

Warmly
Jeanne

What Matters To You? -- Do You Really Know??

I came across this quote early this morning... it's one I keep coming back to it and thinking about and I thought I would share it with you:

In order to do what really matters to you, you have to, first of all, know what really matters to you.

                                                  ... Dr Edwards Hallowell

Many of us would say yes we know what matters to us... perhaps it includes our family and friends, our health, the work we do, the house we live in, security... and a million and one other things!

It's important to stop and think, at a deeper level, about what's important to us... what really matters in our life.  And then look at what we are doing and see if our actions, our thoughts and our beliefs are aligned with what matters to us.

For example, if your health is one of the things which matters to you (and quite frankly it should be) do your actions reflect that?  Do your actions support your health? 

If health matters to you, do you have a healthy lifestyle?  Do you eat properly... do you get adequate sleep?  Do you skip meals?  Do you smoke??

If family and friends matter to you, do you interact with them in a way which supports the fact that they matter to you... in other words, do you communicate with your family and friends in an easy, open and loving way?  Do you see them often?  Do you enjoy being with them...?

On the the flip side... ask yourself  "Am I doing what really matters to me?"

For example, does the work you do matter to you?  Do the activities you are involved with e.g. sport, community groups... matter to you?

By asking yourself what matters to you... you are taking the first step in deciding what needs to be changed in your life. 

We all need to do this from time to time... we all need to ask ourselves what really does matter to us!

Click on the comment link below and share your thoughts about what matters to you... and if what you are doing actually matters!  I'd be interested to hear your thoughts and comments...

Remember if you could benefit from  guidance and support in in bringing about change in your life and achieving the goals you desire, I invite you to join my 4 Week E-Mail Mentoring Program...

Warmly
Jeanne

What Are You Putting off Doing??

One of the reasons why we don't achieve our goals or create the change in our life we desire is that we put off doing, or at least beginning, what is required.

We have a goal, we have something we want to do, something we want to bring into our life, or change... but often we put off getting started, taking that first step, doing what is required.

 
Let me ask you: "What have you said you want to do or achieve that you are putting off?"...

We put off starting or doing something perhaps because it is not the right time, not the right weather, we are not motivated, we haven't got the energy, we need to wait for something to happen, we are too busy... and a million and one other reasons!

The thing is, putting things off results in nothing changing...

So think about the things you've thought you want to do... e.g. contact a friend, write a letter, look for a different job, lose weight, sort out your wardrobe, get fit... and whatever it is, make a start right now.  Not tomorrow, but right now, today!

If you want to contact a friend... initiate it now!
If you want to write a letter... write or at least begin it today!
If you want a different job... start looking right now (even search online)!
If you want to lose weight... start today, be conscious of what you are eating all day today!  Walk up the stairs rather than take the lift... make a start!
If you want to sort out your wardrobe... begin today!

Whatever it is you want to do... get started right now!

Make a start... create a sense of urgency in you to begin it!

If you are not in a position to start right now, e.g. you want to sort out your wardrobe and you're not at your home, make it one of the first things you do when you get home... go straight to the wardrobe and open it up!  Make a start!  A couple of minutes is all you need to make a really good start on something... no matter what it is!

My favourite quote or motto of all times is... "Just Do It!"

Make "Just Do It!" your motto!

If you would like someone to be accountable to... you can do so at the Accountability Couch... follow the link and join in!

http://www.new.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=19386623421&topic=7640

What are you putting off doing?  Click on the comment link below and let me know... it's always good to hear from you.

 
Warmly

Jeanne

Confidence and Competence -- Australian Idol a classic example!

The 6th season of Australian Idol is underway... last week I watched some of the auditions and saw thousands of "eager hopefuls" lining up outside the audition venue in each Australian State.

Each one of these "eager hopefuls" had one goal in common... to be selected to appear on the finals of Australian Idol.

As I was watching the performers I saw a clear demonstration of two essential characteristics you must possess in order to achieve your goals:

Confidence: your belief in your ability to do something

Competence: your ability, skills, knowledge to do something.

As the artists auditioned in front of the judges (a daunting experience for many!), it was so clear how very different confidence and competence were!  People generally fell into 3 major groups of competence and confidence.

1) this group demonstrated strong (and in some cases totally unjustified) confidence in their ability to sing. There was nothing wrong with their confidence but they clearly lacked competence -- in other words, they had no ability to sing.  Several were devastated when told they would not go any further and found it difficult to comprehend the judges' inability to recognise their talent.

2) this group demonstrated high competence and yet lacked confidence in their ability to sing -- they were nervous prior to performing and shocked when selected to appear in the top 100.  The people in this group obviously had some degree of confidence to actually show up on the day... but few expected to progress to the top 100.  Although their goal of having a singing career was important for them, they relied on others (in this case, the judges) to confirm how talented they were.

If people have the ability yet lack the confidence to take action to use their ability, often they remain stuck and seldom achieve their goals or dreams.

3) the smallest group demonstrated high competence and healthy confidence.  They approached the judges in a relaxed manner, were confident in their ability to "deliver the goods", and were appreciative the judges also recognised their talent enough to put them through to the top 100.

In achieving your goals it is imperative to have the competence to do so... in other words, you need to develop the necessary skills and knowledge so you have the ability to "deliver the goods".  It is also imperative to have the confidence to take action on your ability, in other words have the confidence to do what is necessary, to do what you know, to use your talent and your skills to the best of your ability.

Although I'm not an advocate of reality TV shows I do appreciate the numerous examples they provide on goal setting and successfully achieving goals.

Which group do you fit into in terms of confidence and competence in relation to your goals of (if it's only about singing I have zero competence and zero confidence!)?  Click on comment link below and share your thoughts... it's always good to hear from you!

Warmly
Jeanne

 

Achieving Your Goals -- join me on the Accountability Couch

A common reason why we don't achieve our goals, or achieve our goals as effectively as we could, is we become distracted and we procrastinate.

The ideal solution is to find someone to be accountable to... in other words, to have an Accountability Buddy.

Being accountable to someone else ensures you will continue to make steady progress towards achieving your goal.  Being accountable provides you incredible incentive and motivation to actually get on and do the tasks you need to do.

With this in mind, I've created a place on my Facebook group called Accountability Couch where people can get their accountability needs met... in an informal yet very supportive place!  The link to Accountability Couch is

http://www.new.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=19386623421&topic=7640

I am inviting you to put one or more tasks on the Accountability Couch... say what the tasks are, and when you would like to achieve them by. The tasks can be anything and related to any area of your life.

So let's get those tasks related to your goals achieved... it could be tasks you've been putting off (for very legitimate reasons of course!!!) or find countless different things to do which prevents you from doing them!

At the Accountability Couch you will receive encouragement and support... by being accountable to others you will find yourself steadily moving forward towards achieving your goals!

The link again to the Accountability Couch is

http://www.new.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=19386623421&topic=7640

See you on the Accountability Couch... soon!


Warmly

Jeanne

Developing Your Confidence -- learn a new skill!

Many of us either have an online business, or it's our goal to begin one. 

We may have great skills in the services or products we provide... we may be confident in the work we do.  Yet there are probably some areas we do not feel particularly strong in... and the best way to develop your confidence in an area you're unsure about, is to learn a new skill related to that area.

Let me ask you a question:
How would you like to learn the absolute most valuable skill in all of Internet marketing?  It's a skill that will allow you to to be successful on the Internet.

So, what is this incredibly valuable skill?

When it comes to being successful on the Internet, nothing is more important than having the ability to write persuasive e-mails that get people to take action now.

Have you ever thought about that?  I mean... where do you actually learn to write persuasive and convincing e-mails.  Most people flounder when it comes to writing an e-mail... mainly because they don't know how to go about it the right way!

Michael Rasmussen has just released a brand new set of online videos which walks you through the process of creating powerful e-mails.

He'll teach you things like:

-- a simple way to create an "e-mail blueprint" which practically writes the e-mail for you!

-- the single biggest mistake people make with subject lines which guarantees your e-mail won't be opened

-- a simple trick that will keep your readers interested in your e-mails.

You'll learn:

-- how to get people to act now instead of putting it off until later!

-- how to create excitement about whatever you're offering or providing

-- how to create a conversational opening that keeps your reader interested to the very end

And so much more.

The ability to write powerful e-mails is one of the most important and skills you could possess with an online business.  If you can't get your readers interest... then they are not likely to respond to you favourably!

These videos make the learning process as easy as possible by laying everything out for you in a step-by-step process.  And best of all, Michael is giving them to you for free.

If you want to feel more comfortable and confident in sending out e-mails, do yourself a favour and check out Michael's videos right now.  They are available for a short time.

Here's the URL:
http://tiny.cc/T7tIv

I've watched the videos and they are truly fantastic!  Even if you haven't got an online business up and running but you would like to learn how to write e-mails... I strongly recommend this free video course!

Give it a go -- it costs you nothing and you have everything to gain!

Warmly
Jeanne

PS don't let this opportunity pass you by.  Michael doesn't hold anything back in these videos and you will learn lots and will get everything.  Go check it out at
http://tiny.cc/T7tIv

Goal Setting -- Advantages Of Having an Accountability Buddy

Generally when we set goals our enthusiasm, motivation and energy to achieve our goals are strong but all too quickly distractions can take over and our goal tends to come off second-best.

It's important to find ways to keep our motivation and enthusiasm strong... one of the best ways is to have an Accountability Buddy... in other words, have someone to be accountable to in terms of our goal.

Advantages of Having an Accountability Buddy:

Keep on track -- when distractions, obstacles and problems come your way knowing you will be reporting to your Accountability Buddy what you have achieved keeps you on track. Most people prefer reporting they have accomplished certain tasks rather than reporting  all the distractions which have prevented them from doing what they said they would do. You are less inclined to allow distractions to take over when you will be reporting your progress to someone.

Focus -- knowing you will be reporting to your Accountability Buddy about your actions in terms of your goals, focuses your attention even for a little while to take action towards achieving your goal. Small accomplishments move you in the right direction towards achieving your goal

Actions are more deliberate -- thinking about and planning what you are going to accomplish in the next week or so helps you to focus on what actions you need to take to accomplish what you have committed yourself to accomplish. You are more likely to find the most effective ways to accomplish your tasks

Get support -- we all need support and having an Accountability Buddy provides you with this support. This is important whether you successfully accomplish your tasks or not. Knowing you have got someone who cares about your progress is essential particularly when difficulties and obstacles arise

A different perspective -- being accountable to an Accountability Buddy has the potential to expand your possibilities to achieve your goal by providing different ideas, thoughts, ways of doing things from another person

Feedback -- we all respond to feedback, whether from ourselves or from others. Feedback lets us know how we are going, what we need to work on, what we need to change, what we are doing that's moving us towards achieving our goal

Talking or writing our plan to someone is beneficial -- personal development experts agree writing out your goals is an essential part of achieving them. So too is talking your plans and progress through with someone else.

Take a look at your goals... and ask yourself if you could benefit from having someone to be accountable to.  Click on the comment link below and let me know your thoughts about this... if you are wanting an Accountability Buddy, please let me know!  It's always good hearing from you.

Goal Setting Challenge -- today is completion of the challenge!

The Goal Setting Challenge, issued on 21st July, is winding up today, 21st August!

The challenge involved setting a goal you would achieve, or be well on the way to achieving by 21st August!

My goal was to have my new e-book completed, up and running and readily available by 21st August.

Progress up to date -- my goal isn't complete!  I still have a bit to do and there is no way it will be done by the end of today.

Reasons for not completing my goal:

• partly procrastination which was nipped in the bud fairly quickly (I didn't let procrastination take a hold)... I found someone to be accountable to!
• work commitments -- my work both online and offline has been heavy over the last couple of weeks
• my web site is undergoing a massive makeover (stay tuned!) -- I know part of my not pushing my e-book to be available online is I want it to go on the new web site (yeah... that's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

Have I abandoned my goal??  Absolutely No!

My goal is still happening... I am taking action on it each day, some days I have more time and energy to spend on my goal.

The only change is: my timeframe, date of completion, needs to be extended!  At this stage, I am loathe to put a completion date on my e-book... but it will definitely be up and running and readily available online by 20th September.

When you set goals, when you want to achieve something in particular, things happen will invariably challenge you along the way! 

With each challenge you encounter, whether it is procrastination, outside influences (e.g. work) you need to keep focus on your goal!  You need to keep reminding yourself of your goal... and you need to continue taking consistent actions towards achieving your goal.

Be flexible within yourself... if you don't achieve your goal by the day you said you would, it is not the end of the world!

Remember:  if you truly want to achieve something, quitting or abandoning your goal is not an option!

How did you go with the Goal Setting Challenge?  Did you complete your goal?  What problems or challenges did you face along the way?  Click on the comment link below or e-mail me and let me know how you went... it would be great to hear from you!

Warmly
Jeanne

Mentoring -- reminder of bonus offer!

A couple of days ago I wrote about the Goal Setting Challenge and told you one of the problems I had was dealing with all the distractions that week. 

I realised I needed to have someone to be accountable to... which I have organised!  And what a difference it has made!  I then asked if you needed someone to be accountable to with your goals and I received many e-mails about this.  It seems many readers and subscribers have the need to have someone to be accountable to in terms of their goals!

This prompted me to remind you that the bonus I'm offering when you join my 4 Week E-Mail Mentoring Program will be only available until August 31... after that date, the bonus offer will need to be removed from this program!

Mentoring is a fantastic way to make incredible headway towards achieving your goals, have someone give you and your goals undivided attention... and it is extremely beneficial to have someone to be accountable to!

So... if you feel you could benefit from joining the 4 Week E-Mail Mentoring Program... I suggest you take advantage of the bonus offer... because this bonus won't be available after 31st August!

Click on the comment link below and share your thoughts about mentoring... it would be great to hear from you!

Warmly
Jeanne

Habits -- Where Are Yours Taking You?

An important aspect of Goal Setting And Achieving Your Goals is Habits.

I came across this article which I want to share with you:

Where are Your Habits Leading You?
by Jack Canfield

You are an accumulation of your habits. From how you get out of bed, how you shower, how you dress, how you walk, sit, and talk, how you respond to the world, how you act in front of others, and how you think; you're living out your habits.

Habits are necessary. They free up your mind so you can concentrate on how to survive day to day. You don't have to think about how to drive your car so you can be on the lookout for danger while you are driving. You don't have to think about how to walk so you can concentrate on where you're going.

Unfortunately, habits can also keep you locked in self-destructive patterns, which will limit your success. To become successful, you will need to drop bad habits and develop new ones that are in line with the life you want to live.

People don't suddenly appear in the life they want to live... their habits determine their outcome!

What are the habits you have that are keeping you from achieving your goals?

Really be honest with yourself here... Are you always running late? Do you return phone calls within 24 hours? Do you get enough sleep? Do you follow through on your promises? Do you plan out your day?

Imagine what your life would be like if all your habits were their productive counterparts!

What would your life be like if you ate healthy meals, exercised and got enough sleep? What if you saved your money, stopped using credit cards and paid cash for everything? What if you stopped procrastinating, overcame your fears, and began networking with people in your field? Would your life be different? I bet it would!

So, my suggested action step for you is to write down some productive habits you could adopt and visualize in your life, step two is to 'act as if' you were living these new habits right now!

I'd like to help you get moving toward creating more successful habits, so I'd recommend you develop four of your new success habits each year, one for each quarter.

Once you pick the new habit you're ready to adopt, next you'll want to create a method that will support your new habit.

Here are some ideas... You could write it down on a card that you keep with you and read several times a day. You could make it a part of your daily visualization. You could also enlist the help of an accountability partner who has habits to change, or work with a personal coach who can keep you on track.

It's important to make a 100% commitment to your new habit, so be specific about the steps that you're willing to take in order to drop an old habit and adopt a new one. Don't be vague about how you will change your habits. Spell it out for yourself so you can recognize situations that motivate you to act out your new habit.

Just developing four new habits a year will dramatically shift your life to be more in line with your vision. And the more in line it becomes, the easier the other habits are to replace because your perspective is shifting and you can see more clearly how your old habits aren't serving you anymore.

Make the decision. Make the commitment. Then watch your new, positive life unfold!

© 2008 Jack Canfield

 Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is the founder and co-creator of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

How are your habits affecting achieving your goals??  Click on the comment link below and share your thoughts... it's always good hearing from you!

Warmly
Jeanne