Warning - Goal Setting Can Make You Fail
By Trevor Emdon

Goal setting is preached from the heights of Harvard to the aspirations of infants. Its virtues are extolled everywhere.

But I would issue a serious caveat before you go plunging into your next goal setting journal: Setting goals can make you fail!

The difficulty is in knowing what limits to impose. Suppose your goal is to become a millionaire - a common enough desire. Now, if you have 999,000 in the bank, we can fairly say that your goal is well within your reach. But what if you’re starting from stony broke? If you set the goal of being a millionaire by this time tomorrow, you might be pushing your luck. Although people have made vast quantities of money almost overnight on the internet, if we are to believe some of those tales.

In addition, there’s the question of if you really know what a million (dollars?) can buy, (assuming you are the dreamer of being a millionaire). In surveys, people rattle off a list of things they’d purchase if they won the lottery for example, and rarely “spend” more than a fifth of this amount!

The reason all of this can make you fail is because you will either keep moving the goal posts, (by revising your “wealth” downwards or by stretching the time scale), or you will consider that you are not doing enough to achieve the goal.

When you combine “realism” with what you believe is possible, minus the negativity of those who will tell you it’s impossible and try to get you to give up dreaming, (because they have), plus your own limiting beliefs, time constraints, family and work demands … you will be forced to conclude that it’s you that’s the root of the fault. Then you feel a failure. It can be a long way back up from here. Some people, sadly, never make it. (They become the ones who tell others to quit dreaming).

Fortunately, there is an antidote. The answer is to think in “outcomes”, not goals.

Let’s go back to the goal of becoming a millionaire. Instead of asking what you might spend it on, ask yourself this: “How would it feel if I had a million dollars in the bank?” Now you will get a completely different set of answers.

You may come up with results such as, “Safe and secure. Happy, excited, ecstatic …” Every one of those feeling states is something you can already relate to at some level, even if you’ve never experienced any of them in combination with having a million dollars before. Those feelings are really what you’re after. That’s your outcome. Now you are free, because now you can create those feelings in any way that occurs to you. You don’t have to wait for your million to show up - and even if it never does, you’ll feel great undertaking the journey.

Thinking in outcomes - which is always a feeling state - sets you up to succeed, because you can always create a state of mind.

Curiously, once you do this, that “vibe” is what seems to kick start the Law of Attraction and all too often, you’ll achieve the goal - as if by magic.

And perhaps that is exactly what it is.

Trevor Emdon believes passionately that life is for following and realizing your dreams. Having qualified as a psychiatric nurse, he then trained in NLP & metaphysics - and went on to become a writer and motivational teacher of success strategies for love, for self empowerment and living with joy.

Time is our most precious resource because we cannot replace it. Trevor’s philosophy is to make the most of every moment, not waste it wishing your life was better or different. If you want change, he shows you how to empower yourself to make it.

More of his original thinking can be found in his “Master Success Secrets” program, (http://www.master-success-secrets.com)

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Effective Goal Setting - The Right Motivation Helps Keep Us on Track
By Mervin Straughan

“If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room.”

We have the late Dame Anita Roddick, humanitarian, British businesswoman and founder of The Body Shop to thank for this quote which aptly conveys our potential impact in life.

To have impact, goal setters need motivation and there are several potential drivers. For instance, in our careers, we might be driven by the need for fulfillment, status, material rewards, expert authority, security or power and influence.

Whichever aspect of our lives we explore, there are two types of motivation: external and internal.

External motivation comes from outside influences - people, events or situations. When a traffic light turns red, we stop. When a sink overflows, we turn off the tap. We have been prompted by an outside influence but the motivation is often temporary because, once the situation is addressed, we no longer give much thought to it.

Internal motivation comes from a combination of our dedication, passion and commitment and is likely to be longer lasting. It’s either geared towards the avoidance of pain or the achievement of pleasure.

A pain avoider might recall a time they were late for a meeting and incurred the other person’s wrath or missed a business opportunity as a result. Since then, they’ve resolved it won’t happen again.

Those of us who seek pleasure might enjoy tidying a garage or a garden shed because it gives us a clean space, a feeling of order. It’s pleasurable to move freely and retrieve a spanner or a rake in an instant.

Some of us couch our goals or resolutions in pain-avoidance terms but, the moment we move from pain and towards pleasure, the stimulus lessens and we risk sliding backwards.

Moving towards a pleasurable experience improves our chances of success because we think beyond pain and, instead, imagine how better life could be. If we say: “I want to pay off the house/car loan because I’m sick of feeling trapped” (pain avoidance) we reinforce feelings of being in debt but if we say: “I want to become financially free” we imagine feeling liberated and the possibilities beyond paying it off.

Language reflects passion. It gives a clue as to whether we begrudgingly move towards our goal or willingly race towards it.

Mervin Straughan runs http://www.mygoalsbuddy.com, a free-to-use web site where goal setters are invited to declare their goals publicly and encourage others. The site offers advice on how to set goals and stay motivated.

Mervin is a management consultant and coach based in the United Kingdom where he runs StraughanConsulting - http://www.straughanconsulting.co.uk - which specializes in corporate communications, corporate social responsibility and corporate coaching.

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Be SMART - A Goal Setting Process You Can Follow
By Trevor Johnson

The goal setting process has been an object of discussion, constant elaboration and even criticism. It is a process that examines how the goal setting can influence you and our mind and lead you to specific thoughts and decisions. It is a process that can help you manage your goals and organise your life in the best possible way.

Paul J Meyer introduced some years ago, the acronym SMART, referring to the goal process. It is actually the most successful and complete way to analyze your goals and set the most realistic and acquirable ones.

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time phased.

Specific: First of all, your goals need to be specific, because vague thoughts and plans usually end up in procrastinations and indefinite actions. You need to ask yourself what your real goal is and how you can reach it. Once you do that you have the chance to answer the important questions: Who, why, what and when. Your goal should be something like: my goal is to earn 60K during 2009, applying for a new job in the ‘X’ or ‘Y’ company.

Measurable: Your goal has to be measurable, meaning that you have to be able to evaluate and measure the progress to your goal at any given moment.

Attainable: You should some goals that you can actually attain, even if that demands some sacrifices or even hard work

Realistic: Your goals need to be realistic. Depending on who you are and what you can do with your life, you need to set the appropriate goals.

Time phased: Set a deadline. This deadline could range from two months to five years, but it is crucial to set a limit because that can make your goal more specific and more realistic. You can create some sort of benchmark and measure your goal better this way.

Get more help on goal setting and find out how to set goals that get results.

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3 Crucial Steps For Goal Setting Success
By Waller Jamison

Achieving goal setting success can be a daunting task. There are so many obstacles which get in the way of what we want to achieve in life. These obstacles include other people’s attitudes, our past failures, our fears and our levels of self esteem. These obstacles are often linked and can compound our inability to get what we want in life.

So how do we overcome the obstacles which stand between us and our dreams? The following 3 steps will help you move towards your goals more quickly and ultimately achieve success.

Step #1. Decide What You Really Want

So often we allow others to dictate what is right for us and we choose our goals accordingly. Parents and teachers are well meaning in their efforts to guide us in the right direction in terms of career and study, but ultimately only we ourselves know what it is we truly want. So if you find yourself being influenced by others when it comes to making major decisions which will affect your entire future, take a step back. Weigh up the advice of others and then look at it in the light of your own dreams. It is important to follow your own heart.

Step #2. Don’t Just Write Your Goals Down

Writing your goals is often given as the key to success, but just writing your goals on a piece of paper is not enough. How many times have you made a list of goals and then forgotten all about it?

You need to examine each goal in detail and work out how you will get from where you are to where you want to be. This is especially important with goals which are both long term and challenging. If you aren’t clear about the steps you need to take in order to achieve your goal, you are likely to get lost . So write an action plan, starting with the goal and working backwards until you find a step you can take right away.

Step #3. Learn How to Take Action

Taking action is vital if you are to achieve your goal, but it can be difficult to know which action to take. This is where research comes in. When you create your Action Plan in step #2, you need to take the time to research properly so that you know exactly what you have to do to reach your goal.

Your Action Plan should break your goal into small manageable steps which you can take today, this week and this month . These should be designed to lead you to the result you want over several months or years, depending on the goal. It is important to create mini goals which you can achieve quickly, as this will both keep you on track and give you a sense of achievement, even if the ultimate goal is a long way in the future.

So remember that deciding what you truly want, not only writing your goals, but also researching them and creating your action plan is the key to success.

Start setting successful goals today with our free goal setting software
http://www.coolercareers.com/personal-goal-setting.html

Get your career goals on track by making the best career choices.

Waller Jamison is a qualified teacher and careers advisor, who knows how difficult it can be to achieve your dreams

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Learn to set do or die goals that stick! by Doug Hart

Hello again,

I’m sure you’ve made goals in the past – some of which have been met, and maybe some of which have not quite been reached. Why do you think you can’t reach certain goals? Is it because they are just over your limit, more than your “belief system” can handle?
Or, is it because you just didn’t put enough weight on them? What do I mean by that you ask? I mean are they goals that you can’t live without. Goals that mean so much to you that if they aren’t met, you feel as if you have failed miserably. At some point in your life you will probably have a few goals like this, ones that you know if you don’t reach it will haunt you forever, you just can’t give them up for anything. I have a special name for my goals like this…

They are the “do or die” goals – or DOD for short. Yes, I said it. If I don’t reach some of the goals I set for myself I will feel really dead inside, so I may as well be dead. Ok, not literally, but they are must have things in life that drive me every day, no matter what else is going on in my life. The top of the line if you will, and I’m sure you have a at least one or two of them too. What would these goals be you ask? I think maybe most people would say finding the perfect mate to marry, that “soul mate” that they need in life to be completely happy deep down. Others may say that a financial goal is most important, or finding that perfect gig, career, job with the perfect company, or perfect home business. What ever it is, you must have it, do or die, no matter what. It is critical to your fulfillment.

I believe it was Curtis Jackson (aka Fifty Cent, the rapper) who made the expression popular, but many have probably also said it as well – that he wanted to “get rich or die trying”. That is a little extreme, I know. However, like Curtis, if you have a goal in your mind that you must reach, then that is how you feel about it. Now I know that thought goes against nearly every person that espouses the law of attraction mindset, which is to be spiritual and giving and to let the energy flow until you feel it inside, then all the happiness will flow from your very being and all your dreams will come true. Am I right? Well I think that sometimes you just have to do whatever it takes to reach your goals (short of hurting others or taking advantage of anyone else) and set your mind in motion to reach them no matter what, do or die. If that goes against your philosophy, I’m not going to apologize or feel badly. You must make your own judgment as to how far you will go, how hard you will work, what sacrifices you will make to reach your goals. Am I talking mostly about a “psychological paradigm” here? I believe that’s the word for it, yes. It’s the ability to reach a certain level of mindset where you are obsessed, totally devoured by your goals. Some would say that is wrong, but maybe those people just don’t have what it takes to be successful and reach their goals. I still believe you must have a balance in life, but there are certain times that you need that extra push, that “do or die” mindset, to get where you need to go. If you agree with me, let me know. Otherwise, let’s just agree to disagree, ok?

To your continued success and happiness!

Doug Hart, CHO of GetPassionForLife.com
I’ve spent many years studying psychology, philosophy, NLP, and motivation. My particular focus is on the biggest question in life - what makes us happy? I think lifes more of a journey than a destination, and I would like to make your journey much more exhilarating, passionate, loving, and unforgettable! Take the time to visit us at the happiness place.

Article Source: Learn to set do or die goals that stick!

Setting Career Goals That Will Lead You to Success in Your Career
By Trevor Johnson

Setting career goals is something that everyone should do as they begin their careers. Setting these goals allows you to get some focus and figure out exactly where you want to be and how long you plan on it taking you to get there. It is also helpful in aiding you to decide if the company that you are with is the right company for you.

This is something that is very important to consider when you are setting up your career goals. For instance, if you plan on being a corporate manager and you are working for a mom and pop company, your career goal can obviously not be attained with the company that you are with. Does this mean that you walk into work the next day and quit? Of course not, you learn what you can and when you have gone as far as you can with that company, you start to look for other opportunities that are available to get you where you want to be.

When you are setting your goals, you will also want to make sure that you gather the experience and knowledge that you are going to need to get there. This is a common mistake as a lot of people want to rise to a certain level, but they do not have the background or education to actually get there. Then they fall into a deep depression thinking that the world is being cruel to them and they are never given the chance.

Another great thing to do when you set your career goals is to get a mentor. Get yourself established with someone in the company or the business that has traveled the path that you are taking and let them guide you to that same accomplishment. There is no substitute for experience, especially successful experience!

To get more help on setting career goals just click here.

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