Archive for the 'Goals' Category

It’s the end of January and the phrase “New Year’s Resolution” is fading quickly from our consciousness. Most of our resolutions, if we made any, are probably failed memories. What we really need now is a simple way to set some goals for the year and to find a way to accomplish them.

We have covered goals quite extensively on this site, but today I want to offer up a simple goal setting solution. This is so easy you can do it in a few minutes, but it may have a profound effect on your life. It was devised by one of the leading motivational speakers of our time, Brian Tracy.

Brian talked about this simple technique in his book, Success Secrets of Self Made Millionaires. This is a profound little book based on Tracy’s research into the lives of Millionaires and what helped them get there.

Brian says that one of the most important things that was apparent in everyone that he studied was goal setting. He devised a simple four step process that anyone can take to get started on this path to success. Here are the instructions…

1. Take out a sheet of paper and write down ten goals you would like to accomplish in the next 12 months. Things you want to have, do, or become.
2. Look at all ten goals and ask yourself this question. If you could only accomplish one goal on this list, but you could accomplish it in 24 hours, which one would would have the greatest impact on your life? Brian says in most cases it will jump out at you. Write the goal down in bold writing and set a completion date.
3. Turn the paper over and write down twenty action steps to accomplish this goal. This step will be easy at first but will become harder as you progress down the list. Don’t stop until you have filled in all twenty.
4. Each day take at least one action step to accomplish your goal

This is about as simple as it gets but Brian has had amazing feedback from people who have tried this simple technique. With this simple four step process, participants have gone on to create spectacular businesses, amassed fortunes, and have gone on to change the lives of others.

Why not try it for yourself today?

To make this even easier for you, I’ve created a two sided MS Word document called the Top Goal Worksheet that has ten boxes on the front and twenty on the back. Just download the file, unzip it, and open both sheets in Microsoft Word. You can add text to the document in Word or print it plain to fill in with a pen or pencil. When you are ready, print it front and back on both sides of a sheet of letter sized paper.

To fill it out, just follow the four steps above. 

Brian notes there is a risk in not taking these steps. If you don’t set goals you may end up on Someday Isle… someday I’ll do this or someday I’ll do that. Don’t let this happen to you.

Once you have your goals set, you may want to download our Goal Setting Toolkit, to carry your goals with you wherever you go.

When you are thinking about goals or projects you want to accomplish, you may have many things on your mind. It’s great to write these down and organize them on paper so you can see a visual picture.

A helpful tool that I’ve found is a funnel list. It’s a very basic document but it works well to organize your thoughts and create a flow to complete your project or accomplish your goal.

The basic funnel list consists of three columns of boxes that funnel into one large box where you write your goal or project title. You can use the document in many different ways, but here are some suggested uses.

1. Vertical Column Flow Funnel: Use each column of boxes for a different thought flow. In the top box put your first item, followed by the box underneath with the next item in the flow. Follow this down to the goal box. Here is an example…

   

2. Horizontal Row of Ideas: Instead of using the vertical columns for your similar ideas, use the horizontal rows. This gives you five rows to work with and may work well for some projects. You can use a right to left flow if needed.
3. Random Boxes: Use all 15 boxes to capture ideas on your mind. Just put your random thoughts or ideas in the boxes. You may want to work from the top in a right to left fashion or work from the bottom up. This free flow mind map can be usefully for collecting all of your ideas in one place.

I’ve created a Basic Funnel List that you can print out using Microsoft Word. Just download the template and open in Word. You can fill in the boxes using Word or you can just print it blank and use a pen or fine tipped Sharpie to write in your information. I’ve included both Word 2007 and Word 97-2003 templates in the zip file.

I have found this to be a great tool when I’m brainstorming an idea. Since it is easy to add flow to the document it really helps to put the steps together to complete a project. It’s a simple way to funnel your ideas into useful action.

You can also use our Five Minute Flowchart to create a similar funnel list on your desktop with cards. Have Fun!

As 2007 draws to a close I wanted to share with you some ideas for the coming year. This is always a good time to reflect on the past and look forward to tomorrow.

For me 2007 was a watershed year. It was a time of preparation for the future along with a time of learning and testing. This was also the busiest year that I had in some time. My regular job would regularly run 60-70 hours per week over the past few months which causes all sorts of things to get out of whack.

I’ve learned…

How valuable time is and how easy it is to squander it away.

How stress can effect so many things in our lives.

Just because something is urgent doesn’t mean it is important.

This year has also had its exciting moments, with a trip with my wife to Alaska and seeing the amazing glaciers and wonderful small towns. Some other highlights were spending time with my daughter and her husband in Seattle, taking our annual trip to the wine country of Santa Barbara, and listening to some amazing audio books.

One of the greatest things I’ve learned this year is the importance of doing things that you are passionate about. A few weeks ago I published a 20 question Top-5 goal list. After spending about a half hour going through it and looking at my results I found that the answers really surprised me.

Almost all the answers relate to communicating and relating with other people. Learning new things, teaching others, and creating new products and services. I took an online test earlier this year from the Gallup Organization which revealed my top five strengths. They are…

1. Ideation
2. Positivity
3. Futuristic
4. Learner
5. Individualization

These strengths need to be a part of what I do for a living. Currently I have a regular job that is almost 180 degrees out from this. So I’ve put together a list of goals that will help me move in that direction.

One of the best things I’ve found to move forward with a goal is to find someone who has done what you are attempting before and has been successful at it. A mentor if you will.

Three amazing people come to mind that have done just that. I want to learn from…

Brian Gardner: The creator of the amazing Revolution Wordpress Theme, began 2007 without a domain name, had never touched a piece of WordPress code, and knew nothing about blog design. As of this writing he is going to quit his day job and go full time into his own web design business. His story is very inspiring.

Yaro Starak: I have learned an amazing amount of things from Yaro. His blog optimization site, Entrepreneurs Journey, has helped thousands of people create better blogs. He is one of the most open bloggers about his life and his business. The story of his year end wrap-up for 2007 is sure to inspire you.

Rosa Say: Rosa has been an inspiration and a friend since my first week of blogging. She has be a coach and mentor to me and many popular bloggers over the past few years. She brings a positive motivational message to all that visit her blog and she has created a great collaboration of bloggers at Joyful, Jubilant Learning. Read about the amazing things this group has in store for 2008.

All three of these people have inspired me to do what is really important in 2008. To put aside things that are mediocre and follow a new path.

Fellow readers, thank you all for your feedback and inspiration this year. You have made writing this blog a real enjoyable activity. I look forward to some great things in the coming year.

Why not take a minute today and reflect on your past year. Click on some of the links above and be inspired. If you haven’t taken the Gallup Strengths Test, Pick up the book today and take it online. For added inspiration, take a half hour and explore some lifetime goals.

Then put it all together and set a course for 2008. Happy Trails!

With the New Year approaching it’s time to review our goals for the coming year. It’s a great time to look into the future and go over our one, three, and five year plans. There is nothing better than to plan out a course of action… a roadmap if you will… of the roads and paths we will take to get there.

For myself I have been developing some printed documents that help me visualize where I am going. I am setting one up for each of my major goals. They list the goal in bold type and then the steps it will take to get there. Since they are organized by goal all the steps to accomplish them are easy to see and in one place.

The problem is, I like to keep my goals where I can see and review them during the day.

I have tried leaving them on my desk, posting them on my computer, and even framing them on my wall, but nothing seems to work better than a plain old…. Notebook.

This simple binder gives me easy access anytime I want it, yet allows me to store them away for a tidy work area. I have setup dividers for the different length goals so they are easily accessible for reference.

A cool trick that I have found is to use a business card page to keep some of my Goal Setting and Motivator cards in for quick access.

I like to keep a plastic business card holder on my desk to put my goals or daily motivator cards where I can see them at all times. The business card page gives me a place to store and access these cards that I put in the holder.

This notebook works great along with a Daily Planning Sheet. It’s easy to reference action steps from the goal documents and copy them onto my daily planner.

Over the next few weeks we’ll look at strategies for putting together a Goal based notebook. For a quick start you can download our Goal Setting Toolkit and Motivator cards. Modify the cards for your needs and print them out on Avery Business Card Stock.

In your notebook include a plastic Business Card Page. Store your numerous cards for quick reference. If you use a larger notebook you can setup a section to store your Daily Planning Sheets before and after you use them along with a section for your Lifetime Goals Questionnaire.

To keep up to date with our upcoming goal setting tools and notebook, be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed and sign up for our Success-Connect Newsletter.

Have a Successful New Year!

As you are walking down the corridor at work, you turn the corner and there in front of you… on a silver platter… is a plate full of brownies. They stare back at you, covered in their powdered sugar glory. They taunt you with ever step. You know you want one, but the 700 calories of sugar, flour, and oil will surely ruin your diet.

What do you do…???

You are in the check-out line at your favorite hardware store and you notice on the shelf to the left the All in Wonder Tool Set. This just isn’t any tool set… no… the tools in this set can fix that leaky faucet, hang the new curtains, and magically fix the broken sliding glass door. This is the solution to your problems… but at $295 it might just break your budget… better pull out the credit card…

What do you do..???

The holidays have been rough and you notice the spare tire growing around your middle (too many brownies?). All of a sudden a new infomercial comes on the TV for the save-all, end-all, exercise system. This baby has it all, power rods, adjustable seat, multi function, and four easy payments of $199. Just four easy payments… you glance at your gut and then reach for the phone and your wallet.

What do you do…???

The impulse to do something right now is overwhelming. You need to make a decision and make it now. Do you brush off that small little voice that says you shouldn’t do it and grab the credit card…???

Or do you…

Count To Ten

Do you take this simple step and give yourself time to think… to make a logical decision… to match the decision with your budget and with your goals…

Or do you fire the impulse and just go for it… and worry about it tomorrow.

Do You… Count to Ten or Count the Pounds?

Do You… Count to Ten or Count the Credit Card Bills?

Do You… Count to Ten or Count the Calls from the Loan Company?

It’s Your Decision…

Once you Count to Ten you may want to use the Desktop Decision Maker to help you make the right choice.

Just remember… you’ll thank yourself in January for your thoughtful decisions today.

 
Blink! The phone rings… it’s your boss and she wants you to sign on to a new 3 month project and she needs your answer now.

Blink! The e-mail notifier pops up on your computer screen… it’s an e-mail from a company selling online management courses and their latest course is now 50% off… if you act now.

Blink! Your fellow employee Bob pokes his head in the door… He says in a reassuring voice, “Remember that Toastmasters is meeting today at lunch in conference room A, I hope you can make it.”

In each case above, you need to make a decision and on average you’ll probably take about 3 seconds to make it. Yes or No … it won’t take long. The real question is… will your decision help you reach your goals?

Goals? You do have goals don’t you? You have spent the hour with pen and paper and written down the top 100 things you want to accomplish in life before you die? Or are they still locked away in your mind?

Surely you want to be featured on Jay Leno, and spend a few minutes on the Today show. You definitely want to climb a tall mountain and run in the New York Marathon. Most assuredly a job promotion is on your list. How about shaking hands with world leaders or speaking to a crowd of thousands about a cause you care about? And don’t forget, you certainly want to write a book!

Three seconds is all it takes…

Three seconds can make all the difference…

Three seconds can change your life… unless…

1. You give up before trying
2. Shun the challenge
3. Decide to stick with the status quo
4. Shirk responsibility
5. Do just the minimum required
6. Avoid taking action… out of fear

Author Les Parrott has written an amazing book on this very short subject. Three Seconds is the title and what you do in that time period can have a great effect on your future and your goals.

Over the next few days we’ll explore Dr. Parrott’s new book and see how three seconds can really change your life. In the meantime… you have written some of those goals down… haven’t you?