AchievementRadio.com

How Do You Know What You Really Want To Do In Life?

AchievementRadio.com's

How Do You Know What You Really Want To Do In Life?
By Jocelyn Soriano

After all the hard work studying, you've finally graduated from school. After all the hard work applying for a job, you've finally landed a job that pays you. And after all the hard work finding other jobs, you've finally landed a job that pays you well. Happy? Why not? Isn't this what you really wanted to do all along? What seems to be missing? Why do you feel as though you're starting from the very beginning? Worse, you feel you don't even know where to start. For the first time in a long time you ask yourself, "What do I really want to do in life?"

I've asked myself the same questions, and of all the questions I've ever asked myself, this is one of the hardest indeed. But there is a way. And we must believe that all those who seek earnestly finds the answer that they seek.

Following are some of the things that helped me realize what it is that I really wanted to do, what it is that would make my life worthwhile and meaningful. It's certainly not an easy journey, and it's easier said than done. It may take even years for some, but take heart, and believe that it is never too late to find the answer you're looking for.

1. Remember you childhood dreams

We weren't always the grown ups we are today. Once upon a time we were just kids learning to walk, talk and find our way in this world. Once upon a time we had the imagination to dream and to feel in our hearts what we really wanted to do. But something happened along the way. The necessities imposed upon us and the prejudices society taught us made us think differently. We lost touch of the child within us, the child who knew how to dream and to believe in that dream.

Get in touch with that child again. Hear his voice. Pretend you're not afraid of the many difficulties that lie ahead. Pretend you haven't heard of what the many other grownups around you say a responsible person should be doing. Think everything is possible, as when the time you believed in magic and fairytales. Think God can grant you your heart's desires. What do you want? What would you ask for? What have you asked for when you were once a child? Did you want to be a doctor then and heal people? Did you want to be a teacher and feed the mind of young ones with knowledge and wisdom? Did you want to be an artist and paint the world with colors? Set yourself free. Oftentimes, what we really wanted to do, we already knew since when we were but children when our hearts were yet pure and our minds unbridled by the many rules the world has taught us later when we grew up.

2. Explore

Now that you already have the means to support yourself, you can finally do things you've only dreamed of before! On my part, I was able to go to places I've never been to; I was able to attend seminars like 3D animation, scriptwriting, and playing the guitar; I was able to buy a digital camera and experiment on taking pictures; I was able to buy an oven and the ingredients needed to bake and cook; I was able to play computer games as much as I wanted and design my blog for hours using the computer I bought myself; I was able to buy the books I've always wanted to read.

I have the means now to finally explore the things that delight me and interest me. I can finally nourish the dreams the child in me used to dream only with her heart and with her head.

Explore. Don't think you need only to do the things where you can get outright monetary returns. Just set yourself free, now as an adult who knows how to enjoy yourself. Do what you want. It will lead you to those things you would want to be doing all your life.

3. Make a survey

The people around us usually have clues about our strengths, talents and skills, and the things that we enjoy doing. Ask these people. They may even tell you things you haven't realized yet, like a good singing voice you've always kept to yourself before! Or you may discover that you're a good leader, and that you inspire the people you work with. You may discover how many people count on your wisdom and insights and thus, seek your counsel for important decisions in their life. Make a survey, and let it guide you in your discovery.

4. Fear not your own beauty and strength

In your journey of discovery, you may sometimes get a vision of yourself, your best self, the one you've been searching for all along. But oftentimes too, we immediately disregard this vision, for we cannot believe it to be true. It overwhelms us to think we can be that beautiful and talented and strong. We regard it as an illusion we can never reach, and we settle for the next best thin that comes to our mind. Don't do that. For God did not intend us to settle for something lesser than His greatest plan for us. God made us to be the best and most beautiful we can be so that other people may best be blessed as well through us. Don't belittle yourself. And do not be afraid to see yourself for who you really are, and for who you were truly destined to become. Shine forth your light and fear not your own beauty.

5. Accept your gift

Once you have faced the vision of your destiny, learn to accept it with all your heart and spirit and mind and soul. Deny not your gifts, and deny not the accountabilities those gifts carry with them. If you have the gift of entrepreneurship, accept it. Accept that you have the power to lead many people. Accept that these people will count on you. And fear not that you may fail them in the end. Instead, fear that you may not even begin and give them the chance therefore to have a leader as good and strong as you are.

6. Do something you won't ever get tired of doing

Once you have explored your many interests, learn to discern which of these things will delight you only for a time, and which of these things will give you joy forever. As for me, I once enjoyed my guitar lessons. But then I soon got tired of practicing and playing the same music again and again so I can master it. I didn't want to hear the song that way. It made me lose interest in the song. But I found out I could compose songs, and that I do not tire of composing them.

Realize that when you choose something, your passion in doing it must be that great so as not to tire of doing it all your life. Can you imagine painting everyday of your life? Can you imagine practicing golf for hours for all the days of your life? What is it that you won't ever get tired of doing? What is it that even if others attempt to stop you, you would still be doing just for the sake of doing it? Something you could never stop yourself from doing, because stopping yourself would mean stopping the very flow of life in you?

7. Do what enriches you and blesses others at the same time

I've realized that when I write from the heart and from the very depths of my soul, the words I have written do not only help other people, but those very words inspire me first of all. Such is when I know that I have practiced my passion, when I feel enriched instead of feeling exhausted, when I feel that I have received and I have been blessed instead of feeling deprived and spent. I noticed too that when I write from the heart, other people are blessed, they are moved, and in one blessed moment, our souls touch, and our souls are both blessed by the God that gives us all good things.

It is thus that you know you have truly found your gift: when the thing you do both enriches you and blesses many others along the way.

8. Set aside what others deem as right, beneficial and noble

Although I've suggested to you previously to make a survey of what others think of you and your gifts, you should also be careful that you don't listen to everything people tell you. Try to sense if they are sincere, and if they're truly speaking from the wisdom of their hearts. Other people merely repeat what others say without reflecting on it. Other people would dictate upon you what worked for them, and what may not work for you.

Most of all, when you have already discovered what you really wanted to be doing, set aside the prejudices of the world and trust the God who entrusted to you this mission and these gifts. Do not let the opinion of others belittle you or tell you that there are other tasks far nobler or greater than the one you'd like to be doing.

9. Do what really makes you happy and complete

God has implanted upon your own heart the desires that would truly make you happy. These are the thing that will guide you in your journey. These are the things that will shed its light in your path where there were only shadows and uncertainties before. Discover the deepest desires of your heart. For it is such desires that if fulfilled can really make you happy and complete.

10. Pray

Above all these things my friend, pray. Seek for the counsel of God's Spirit and God will guide you all the way. Pray for enlightenment. Pray for perseverance. And then pray for the courage to use your gifts. It is such that you will know God has a great plan for you, and it is God Himself who will help you to make your dreams come true.

For free stuff and ebooks, visit http://itakeoffthemask.com You are free to republish this article as long as due credit is given to the writer and a link back to the website http://itakeoffthemask.com is provided.

Jocelyn Soriano works currently as an auditor, but continues to write and reach for her dreams of writing fulltime and being able to touch and inspire lives through her writing. From her humble beginnings, she was able to work her way through college through her various scholarships, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 1996. She has published a book on a screenplay chosen as finalist in a National scriptwriting contest. She loves early mornings, chatting over a cup of coffee, walking along the beach, and singing her heart out with her best buddies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jocelyn_Soriano
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-Do-You-Know-What-You-Really-Want-To-Do-In-Life?&id=1083606

Three "Q" TIPS to Goal-Setting

AchievementRadio.com's

Three "Q" TIPS to Goal-Setting
By Frank Gasiorowski

It is Q2 - Baby! Are you ready? Did you complete your Q1, BIG Dream 90DayGoals? Each 90DayGoals quarter is like a celebratory holiday for me. Today I'll review my Q1 Goals and I make changes for Q2. I Celebrate my successes, correct my errors and I can't wait to get started on the next 90Days. This creates excitement even before I get out of bed. The 90DayGoals BIG Dream Quarters start with: Q1: January 1, Q2: April 1, Q3: July 1, Q4: October 1, 2008. Every 90 Days starts a new "Q" period in your goals planning system.

I guess today is "Q" day so here is another "Q." QUESTIONS are for planning your next 90DayGoals. What is your BIG Goal? It's another Question. Who, What, Where, When, Why and How? These are 6 questions to ask yourself.

Here is another "Q" question. What are your Quantum Leap Goals? A Quantum Leap Goal is even bigger than your BIG Dream Goal. Let's look at your Q2 goals. You have your BIG 90DayGoal, you have your monthly, weekly and daily goals but sitting above all of those goals is your awesome Quantum Leap Goal. This goal is massive, almost impossible but doable. Quantum Leap Goals do happen to people just like you.

Now let's create some BIG Goals. Vision: The Bible say's, A man without vision will perish or Write Down your revelation (Vision) and Make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. You are that herald. You are made in the image of your creator. "You can do all things..." is Biblical. Questions - Ask better questions - get better answers

But, that still leaves questions and there are some questions we have to live with and the answers we have to wait for. Wait on the Lord or the Universe for the answers. Life is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be lived. Therefore, we naturally live in the land of questions.

EDUCATION: we go to school to learn the answers to questions. Parents, kindergarten, grade school, middle or GED and high school, 120 credit/hours for college, another 30- 60- 90 credit/hours, A Masters degree and a doctorate will take years of additional Investigation within your specialty to get knowledge. With all that education behind you: you must now know everything, You have no questions, right? Wrong. Carl Jung called it the "Collective Unconsciousness." Do you know how the sun was placed in the sky or How electricity works, even Ben Franklin did not know.. True education is when you can admit that you know nothing, A baby has brains but no experience. Experience brings knowledge. and knowledge begets Wisdom. Question: What is it that the more you have the less you will have? Answer. LIFE! Quote by Leonardo Da Vinci.

Someone that I admire who had a magnificent life is Ben Franklin. He packed so much in his 84 years. I don't know how long I will live but I do know that my creator will take care of me until I complete my mission here on earth. Because I am still here, I have not completed my mission. Read the BIO's of some of the worlds greats: Abraham Lincoln Socrates Ralph Waldo Emerson Napoleon Hill Joan of Ark Antonio Stradivari The Profit Job Jesus of Nazareth Booker T. Washington Henry David Thoreau Leonardo Da Vinci and Ben Franklin to name a few, Learn something from every one you meet. Learn from reading. Our life experience is based on what we focus on and What we focus on expands.

Do you want to expand your life? Oh oh, another question.

Live for your Dreams and watch the Miracles happen.

Frank Gasiorowski or as he is known on the Internet as, "Mr.90DayGoals" has been teaching 90 Day Goals techniques as a speaker, workshop and seminar leader and "TodaysGuest" Interview TV Host with "TodaysGuest" Goals TV and Radio. A Voice-Over Artist for Proverbs Smoothe Mix. Get your FR*EE 90 Day Goals "TIPS" ezine at http://www.90DayGoals.com Copyright 2008

I coach and mentor entrepreneurs on creating an online business. Having a website is not nearly enough to develop an online marketing business. There are Tips, and practices that only the BIG players use to make massive amounts of revenue online. Check out my coaching programs and website development areas on the products page of 90DayGoals.

Want to become and Instant Expert? Check out: http://www.InstantExpertMaker.com

For info please send an email to Frank@90DayGoals.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Gasiorowski
http://EzineArticles.com/?Three-Q-TIPS-to-Goal-Setting&id=1080461

Goal Setting Lesson Plans

AchievementRadio.com's

Goal Setting Lesson Plans
By Alison Stevens

Setting personal goals is just that - personal, and if someone does not have deep-seated reason for setting his or her goal, their chances of success will be reduced dramatically. A goal setting lesson plan constructs a pathway for self development but formulating the plan correctly ensures you achieve your goals. This is truly a great skill.

Setting achievable goals means breaking a challenging goal into smaller parts, each one more easily achievable than the whole. Like the answer to the riddle, how do you eat an elephant? the answer to achieving your goals is the same - one bite at a time. Achievement of goals is the key to success, be it in business, education, career or personal development.

Successful people find the courage to take action and have a plan in place to help them stay focused on achieving their goals. You may need to change the way you think in order to awaken to your life's purpose. Successful people know that without being a good goal setter, it's hard to rise above mediocrity. You might get by without setting goals but you're far less likely to be successful. Success only happens when you are working for your own well being because doing it for others will almost certainly ensure that you sabotage your own success. The only way to be true to your self is to truly know yourself.

Success comes from failure, and often from frequent failure. Success isn't always guaranteed. If you want to set up your own business for example, but despite all your efforts you can't get enough clients and you're sinking too much money into the venture, you may want to re-think this goal and go into a different type of business. Successful business people continually update and re-prioritize their goals.

Dreaming big has the added benefit of inspiring others to assist you in your pursuit of the goal. If your personal goal setting is too limited you are unlikely to inspire others to help you achieve them. So dream big because the dream precedes the goal. And goals are dreams with an ending! Dreams are frequently quite abstract and if you do restate them into a meaningful vision and achievable goals, you deprive yourself of the ability to pursue the dream. Focus on one goal at a time. Begin with the most urgent or the most meaningful goal. Focus on that task and make it crystal clear. Close your eyes and feel what it will be like when it's achieved.

But also remember that if you don't achieve your goals, that it may be okay. Goals need to be reevaluated as our life changes, so if your goal was to graduate with a degree in chemistry but you've instead decided to become a psychologist, that's okay. However, it is also important to be specific in certain goals so instead of simply saying, "I want to lose weight". Try instead, "I want to lose 15 pounds by Christmas". Answer the questions what, why and how in relation to your goal. What is the goal that you want to achieve, why do you want to achieve it and what will you do to achieve it?

Success won't happen overnight. No matter what those enticing headlines claim, achieving worthwhile goals takes hard work and discipline. Success comes in so many different ways and you need to decide what you consider success and work towards that goal. Success in all facets of your life is obtainable once you know how to set goals.

A goal setting lesson plan is simply setting goals they can be achieved over a period of time - often a lifetime. However, plans mean nothing if you don't set a reasonable time frame for a goal to become reality. You can make plans all you want and set goals, but if you do not a specific date for completion, success will elude you.

Everyone should now recognize that goals are meant to inspire a certain behavior. The belief and the behavior will inevitably lead to success. Hopefully, some of these suggestions will assist you along the path to long term goal achieving success.

Alison Stevens is an online author and maintains The Goal Achiever Website to assist anyone who wants to discover how to set and achieve goals. Find out more about Goal Setting here.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alison_Stevens
http://EzineArticles.com/?Goal-Setting-Lesson-Plans&id=1086793

Ordering Your Day

AchievementRadio.com's

Ordering Your Day
By Mark A. Singh

When you visit a restaurant, typically you will have a taste for a certain item that is on the menu. Hardly would you be in the mood for steak for example and then visit a Chinese restaurant. So you know what you want and then you go to the appropriate restaurant to get it. When you get to the restaurant you will look at the menu and find various preparations of the item you are craving. This is when you place your order. You know what it is you want or what you think you would enjoy if it is a first.

Each morning is like an opportunity to place that order. We all would like to have a good day, everyday. What if you could be given a menu of your day before you start out each morning? That would be great wouldn't it? Well, I believe you can order your day. The problem is remembering or taking the time to do so. In today's busy world, we tend to rob ourselves of sleep by going to bed late and rolling out of bed in the morning, only to start rushing again. We hardly take the time to sit down and breath deeply for 10 minutes in the morning, because we are racing against the clock. The result is that the thing that is most important, our self-care, is put on the back burner.

Now what would happen if you could purposefully go to bed at a certain time each night and purposefully wake up at a certain time each morning? For example, I purposefully go to bed each night at 10PM and wake up each morning at 5AM. (most times without the need for the alarm clock). The result is that I have some time in the morning to spend thinking on my day ahead. This is when my mind is the clearest. This is when I can sit quietly and listen to my inner voice. I do not reach for the television remote when I get up. There is no noise. Just me, my thoughts and the Inner voice. This is where I order my day.

For Christians, this is a time for meditation and prayer. But this exercise need not be a religious practice. Anyone can benefit from thinking on their day ahead. Then once you have thought about the day you would like to 'order', say it out loud. After all, in the restaurant you do not sit quietly and expect your order to show up, right? Say it out loud so that you can hear it. Don't wake the house up. Once you have set those thoughts and words in motion, then stand by them for the rest of the day, no matter what shows up. Those thoughts and words have the power to present you with the type of day that you can go to bed being thankful for.

Mark A. Singh
Leading In Life

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_A._Singh
http://EzineArticles.com/?Ordering-Your-Day&id=1083327

10 Times the Probability of Succeeding by Writing it Down

AchievementRadio.com's

10 Times the Probability of Succeeding by Writing it Down
By Mark A. Singh

How often have you said, "I am going to do such and such"? and it never came to pass? Was it because of lack of resources? There are a number of reasons why a plan might not come to fruition. We all have made proclamations about what we were going to do ever since we were little. And most of what we said we were going to do someday never happened. There is one crucial step that we tend to miss when making plans.

That step is writing. This might sound silly. But the act of writing one's plans down is something that the most successful people in the world have in common. I have heard it said that writing down your plans on a sheet of paper will increases the probability of it coming to pass by 1000%! Could it be that we often fail to see our plans and visions come to pass because we fail to write them down?

When someone writes their vision or plans down, they commit them not only to memory but to paper or to a computer's hard drive or whatever the writing tool is. The purpose for writing it down is to go back and review it and measure progress. The written plan is a map you have laid out with an end destination. Without the map, you will go off-course and may never reach the destination. So whatever your goal is, a college degree, a business, an income level, write down to the plan. Set the target and then lists your plans to get to the target. At first you may not have all the answers. Do not worry, you will always know what STEP1 is. For example, a college degree would require studying. A business may require fixing your credit if it is bad, as a first step.

There is a more common form of writing that we often hear about; that is a journal. A journal is only necessary if you are on a journey. So stop and ask yourself what journey you are presently on? If you can identify that journey, shouldn't you be writing about it? Get a journal and recap your past week. Outline a list of things you want done the upcoming week. If your life is monotonous (e.g. work, eat, sleep, work, eat, sleep, work, etc.) then write down highlights. There are always sprinkles of interesting events, even in the most uninteresting lives. Write them down.

Perhaps it is a thought that occurred to you. You may have gotten a good idea for a business. Don't risk loosing it by keeping it in your memory. Instead write it down. You may not have the resources right now to act on it. However if it is written down, you can revisit the idea later on.

If you are truly serious about succeeding in life, you will write your plans and journeys down.

Mark A. Singh
For more Life changing Principles, please visit my site:
Leading In Life

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_A._Singh
http://EzineArticles.com/?10-Times-the-Probability-of-Succeeding-by-Writing-it-Down&id=1084256

Developing Skills To Achieve Your Goals

AchievementRadio.com's

c
By Alison Stevens

When setting goals it is important not to sell yourself short. Always set a goal that will have meaning when you reach it. Setting achievable goals does not mean giving up ambitious dreams, instead it means setting intermediate achievable goals long the way. For example, if your goal is to lose, say, 30 pounds, then break this down into achievable steps of losing 5 pounds per month. More emphasis needs to be placed on setting smaller achievable goals and developing skills to achieve goals is an important step.

So, sit down and set yourself a realistically achievable goal. We've already talked about setting realistic weight loss goals so let's use the example of returning to the workforce. Perhaps starting back part-time would be one way of easing back into it. On the other hand, it may not be realistic to say, "I want to generate this amount of income within the next three months". It may be more worthwhile to say, "I want to be working three days per week at the end of two months". If the goal is too large it will seem unachievable and you will become frustrated and give up.

That's why realistic goals are so important. Decide on realistic changes you need to make to your life. The key in setting goals is making sure that you are not making it too hard - and therefore setting yourself up for failure - or too easy for yourself.

In order for your resolutions to be effective, they need to be specific to you and realistic. Try running your goal by a friend or family member. They should be able to tell you if your goal is realistic for you or not. Goal setting, however, is not simply about wanting to do something; it is also about being able to articulate what the goal is about, and understanding what parameters you can measure your progress against. When applied to your personal and professional life, goal setting is about taking control of the way your life evolves.

All you objectives should have a clear time frame, be measurable, and realistically reflect your capabilities. A time line will help you visualize how you should be progressing towards your goal and where you need to concentrate your efforts. If your become dispirited in it is often because your expectations are unrealistic. Goals can be set that are impossible to achieve causing the person to repeatedly fail and becomes frustrated and give up.

All kinds of people - family, friends, work colleagues and society - can put unwarranted pressure on you which can almost guarantee failure. These people often do this in ignorance of your true goals and aspirations. So make sure that you are alert to outside influences that could restrict your ability to achieve your dreams.

Set yourself achievable goals and reward yourself as each milestone is reached and longer term goals are set. Aim to actively pursue your goal for a set time each day. Of course, to reach your end goal you will need to set yourself intermediate goals to get there.

Let your daily actions be a reward, not just an end result. Allow yourself to enjoy the journey and don't obsess about the future. Achieving your goals shouldn't be an ordeal; it can and should be pleasurable as you develop more skills. A final word about achieving your goals is to continue to focus on the outcome and never give up.

Alison Stevens is an online author and maintains The Goal Achiever Website to assist anyone who wants to discover how to set and achieve goals. Find out more about Developing Skills To Achieve Goals here

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alison_Stevens
http://EzineArticles.com/?Developing-Skills-To-Achieve-Your-Goals&id=1088807

Creating An Empowering Environment To Achieve Your Goals

AchievementRadio.com's

Creating An Empowering Environment To Achieve Your Goals
By Cornelis Boertjens

In my articles I often stress the importance of keeping your thoughts as positive as possible and to balance up your negative thoughts with positive ones. You know, in todays society a lot of people tend to choose a negative view on things and look for reasons why something wouldn't work. However, keeping your own thoughts and feelings positive amongst this negativity is crucial when you are on a journey to achieve your big goals and dreams. It is these positive feelings of gratitude and anticipating of your dream life that assist you in attracting this dream life to your reality. As you will always have negative/dis empowering thoughts now and then, it is important to consciously work on creating positive thoughts as well by using positive visualization, creating a gratitude journal, creating a plan of action etc.

A similar principle could be applied to the people around you. Some people can be real "dream stealers" (I am sure you have come across at least one of them....) and you can really let them affect your attitude about your goals and dreams in a negative way. Other people on the other hand will encourage you to go for your dreams and will be able to inspire you in times you need some encouragement.

The easiest thing would be to just "let go" of these negative people around you, but that is not always as easy if it concerns your mother, brother or a close work colleague you have to deal with in your daily activities. Apart from consciously trying to "block" the energy around their negative comments and input, it is important to actively surround yourself with positive, like minded people who share your "big thinking" and are open to the magnitude of some of your dreams. So think about it...

"Do the people around you inspire you to act upon and achieve your goals?"

If a lot or most of them don't, it is time to take some action to balance up the energy around you and create a more inspiring, empowering environment. Join inspiring groups, communities, etc., that are like minded and focused on making things happen instead of on problems. People that are interested to work on their goals and connect with others who want to do the same. Look for articles, books and other resources that describe success stories, personal journeys and valuable tips on how to achieve your goals. It will be a "shower of light" for you to be surrounded by this positiveness!

One resource that will certainly assist you in this process, is a new on line visualization community called VisionLounge. Www.visionlounge.com is the most empowering community of people with a common goal to achieve their Goals and Dreams, sharing a Journey and inspiring others in the process! VisionLounge offers you a supportive environment to learn, grow and be inspired and to connect with people who are visioneers like yourself! The amazing thing is: this valuable community is offered completely free of charge, and anyone can join! Reading other people's goals and connecting about common interests really creates an environment for you that is positive and that helps to vibrate on a high energy level. This will assist you in manifesting your Vision.

So make sure not to get influenced by negative people around you who try to convince you that your Goals are not 'realistic' or achievable. Your Goals are always worth believing in, and working for. Keep positive and surround yourself as much as possible with people who appreciate and applaud your Goals, who have huge goals themselves and inspire you to dream even bigger! No dream is too big!

Cornelis Boertjens is the CEO of OrangePeel Vision Boards, an innovative company focused on inspiring people to achieve their goals in life using a unique software tool called "Vision Board". "Vision Board" is an easy and very powerful way of creating a Vision Board on your computer, combining your own dream images with your chosen affirmations and power words. It is the world's most powerful manifestation tool. For more information feel free to visit http://www.visualizeyourgoals.com.
Cornelis can be reached via email at cornelis@orangepeel.co.nz or phone on +64 9 828 0555

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cornelis_Boertjens
http://EzineArticles.com/?Creating-An-Empowering-Environment-To-Achieve-Your-Goals&id=1093268

Personal Mission Statements and Vision Statements - Staying on Track

AchievementRadio.com's

Personal Mission Statements and Vision Statements - Staying on Track
By Don Midgett

In past articles we have covered the mission statement. We have identified your purpose and reason for being - as a personal statement that helps lead you to the work you do on your chosen path.

We have also learned to describe your desired future-what you want to become. Once you have your personal mission statement defined, you can then determine your horizon.

What next?

"You now use the developed mission statement and vision statement to begin your strategic planning process to stay on track" writes Don Midgett, author of Mission and Vision Statements: Your Path to a Successful Business Future. These statements are your primary source and tools that will help you to develop meaningful goals, objectives, strategic activities and day to day actions for your strategic plan. How do you do this?

Break your mission and vision statements down and develop goals to respond to each phrase or sentence. Then take each goal and identify strategic activities that if accomplished, will achieve the goal. Also, take each strategic activity developed, for every goal, and break each down into the specific actions that must be performed. When you assign names and due dates to each of the specific actions, you have developed a comprehensive strategic plan that, when accomplished, should take you further down your path to a successful personal or business future.

Here's an abbreviated example, taking a small excerpt from the example company's mission and vision statements to show how a strategic plan element would look:

Company Mission (excerpt) = provide and distribute wellness products in North America

Company Vision (excerpt) = expand the business to become international distributors of wellness

Goal 1 = Expand beyond the North American marketplace

Objective 1 = Become a Certified International Distributor Before the End of the Quarter

Strategy A = Get certified to do business internationally

Action 1 = Sign up/pay for training class by the end of the week

Action 2 = Study/take International Certification Exam by the end of the month

Strategy B = Get new distributors in India

Action 1 = Contact current list of India prospects by the end of the month

Action 2 = Place ad in the Punjab Times by the end of the week

Action 3 = Educate qualified candidates within 2 weeks of contact

Action 4 = Sign up new distributors and train by the end of the quarter

Goal 2 = Train others to expand their distribution networks worldwide

Objective 2 = Develop 3 New Certified International Distributors Before the End of the Year

Strategy A = Etc........

In the above example, note that the Goal is an overall statement that, when achieved, allows you to reach the vision and the Objective is a statement that allows you to measure your stated goal. The measure can be one of time, dollars or some other form of progression.

Notice that there are multiple strategies for each goal and objective. This is typically the case because there are frequently multiple Strategies that must be implemented to accomplish any goal. This is also true with the Actions necessary to accomplish each Strategy - multiple Actions are necessary to carry out each Strategy.

A comment from a hands-on trainer who uses mission and vision in his work: Doug Campbell, who trains fire fighters, says "I have many offers to consult in projects related to fire protection. I want to manage my time and project selection, and my mission statement and vision statement helps to do that." He also assigns his trainees to write out their mission and vision statements. "The mission and vision statements open a window on what their values are ....they expose the ethics of the person. We know by their replies which are ready for a supervisory position."

These are examples on how to focus the future of your strategic planning in terms of visionary direction, leadership, goal-setting and proper strategic activity. To learn more about how to create and use a mission statement and vision statement to enhance your personal success, go to www.missionvisionstatement.com.

Don Midgett is the author of Mission and Vision Statements: Your Path to a Successful Business Future, 81 pages in digital format (pdf) at http://www.missionvisionstatement.com

Don is the managing partner for the GenesisGroup, helping organizations and leaders discover their full potential. Don specializes in workshops on mission and vision, strategic planning, and team building.

To begin your path to success, write your mission and vision statements! Need help? You can find it at http://www.missionvisionstatement.com - visit NOW - subscribe to our free newsletter, Mission Vision News, to learn more. Ready to go? Then purchase my e-book on mission and vision for one of the best business purchases you will make!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Don_Midgett
http://EzineArticles.com/?Personal-Mission-Statements-and-Vision-Statements---Staying-on-Track&id=1091657

How To Set Yourself Effective Goals

AchievementRadio.com's

How To Set Yourself Effective Goals
By Kevin Sinclair

You are about to learn a very effective way to set yourself effective goals. First, decide on your goal. Work out your goal by planning how to go about it and then make every effort to pursue it. Here are some useful ways to achieve this.

Write Down Your Goal

A written down goal takes your attention and concentration. Write it down in detail as this will provide you with the necessary instructions to work towards your goal.

Know Where You Are Going

It is much easier to arrive at your destination when you know where you are going. Always keep where you are headed in sight and this will direct you and keep you on course.

A Detailed Plan is Essential

When you are aware of what you want, how to get it and how having it will make you feel, a detailed plan is essential to your achievements. Break down the steps to reaching your goal and take things one at a time, planning exactly when you will carry out each part of your plan.

Regular Action Works

Take a step towards your goal each and every day. Make a plan of how you will overcome any obstacles you may encounter on your way to achieving your goals.

Use Your Support Network

Assess just what you need to achieve your goal. It could be that new skills are in order or better management of your time is required. If allowing time to reach your goal is necessary then work out what you are prepared to sacrifice in order to make the time you need. Don't be afraid to ask your support network for a little help. They are, after all, your friends family and colleagues.

Learn From Your Failures

See your failures as an experience along the way to achieving your goal. Obstacles will soon become challenges if you allow them to. Most important of all - don't throw the towel in. Constantly remind yourself of why you want to reach your goals and how you will feel when you have. Don't let negativity get in the way and however bored or disheartened you get, stick at it and push yourself to the next step.

Know How to Overcome The Obstacles

Prior to taking on the achievement your goals, make a list of obstacles which you may be faced with. Make contingency plans for such occasions and you will be able to face them as they arise. Be committed to yourself, and don't use every excuse under the sun to quit when things are getting you down.

Reward, Reward, Reward

You are allowed to give yourself a reward when you have managed to stay on track. Just the thought of this will keep you going through thick and thin.

Food for Thought

If you say you want something but do not do anything about it, you have to seriously doubt how much you really desire to reach this goal. Maybe it is not all that important to you. However, when you really desperately want something you will strive to achieve it so go on, get moving and set yourself a goal.

Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of My-Personal-Growth.com, a site that provides information and articles for self improvement and personal growth and development.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Sinclair
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Set-Yourself-Effective-Goals&id=1092874

Goals vs Fantasies - There's A Big Difference!

AchievementRadio.com's

Goals vs Fantasies - There's A Big Difference!
By Tim Whiston

A goal is a very clear written statement that defines a definite end result and indicates a specific time frame. There is no room for leniency here.

A goal that is not written down is not really goals at all; it's a fantasy. Likewise a so-called goal that lacks an absolute definition of success and includes a specific time for completion is also just a fantasy.

"Make more money" is a fantasy.

"Double my current income by July 15th" is a goal.

The difference between a goal and a fantasy is crystal clear and undeniable.

The problem is, many people have an aversion to committing themselves to clear goals. This is understandable for a variety of reasons.

First of all, writing down a concrete objective tends to diminish some of the excitement. When we sit and daydream about what we hope to achieve with a given venture, we are able to tap into a wonderfully abstract sense of unlimited potential. But a goal that has been put to paper represents a more grounded, and often not-so-sexy reality that somehow has less appeal than the fantasy version.

Such is life. For instance:

The concept stage of any project is a lot of fun. You can ride around in your car with the radio on thinking about how many people you'll help with your new product, how much money you'll make, etc. But when the time comes to sit down at your desk and draw up the actual outline, well that just seems like work!

It's almost always more fun to think about all the "what-ifs" than it is to actually roll up our sleeves and get to work. But the choice is simple:

We can drift through la-la land with no tangible direction and lose money until we go broke. Or we can organize our desires into rock-solid goals, take action on those goals and realize a profit.

Of course there is more to life than business and money. This article was written from a professional perspective but the same discipline needs to be applied to our objectives in all aspects of life.

If I wanted to lose weight, improve my relationship with a family member, or learn to speak Spanish, I would use the same concrete goal structure illustrated with the make money example above. As motivational guru Zig Ziglar says we simply cannot "hit a target we don't have".

Tim Whiston is a professional writer and entrepreneur living in the southeastern U.S. He enjoys marketing and helping others achieve their dreams of success. For more great content on Entrepreneurship and Positive Thinking be sure to check out his blog.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Whiston
http://EzineArticles.com/?Goals-vs-Fantasies---Theres-A-Big-Difference!&id=1093025