A Happy New Year & 7 steps to make your goals a reality in 2008

At this time of year we often make goals and resolutions. Here is a 7 steps approach o turn your goals into reality. By now you probably have thought about some of your goals.

1 Write it down all your goals in each of your life areas
For simplicities sake your can focus on three main areas. Career, Relationship and Health. You can include finances, wealth and material goals in Career. Relationship can include social and community service. Health includes rest and relaxation so you might include holidays here.

Narrow it down so that you have 2 major goals in each of the 3 main areas. No less than 2 each.

2. Prioritise each goal

To narrow it down be sure to prioritise your goals in each area. Pick the top one and compare it to the next and ask yourself, if you could only have one of these two would it be this or that?’ Be sure that you have compared all the goals so that you have your two most important goal for each of the 3 areas in your life.

3. Write a positive statement of your intentions.

Eliminate the word try from your vocabulary. (To try implies expectation of failure) You don’t want to fail. When you say I will try your mind will come up with many possible reasons why you can fail. Change the focus for positive results.

Many suggest I am as a positive present tense statement. At the same time saying I am, implies a lie when in reality I am not yet. So you experience internal conflict and your current experience will win. Instead I suggest the expression I choose. For example I choose to eat 3 healthy meals a day and snack on healthy food. I choose to go to they gym 3 times a week. I choose to own a four bedroom house.

4. Prioritise again and choose 1 goal to focus on.

Compare the goals from all areas of your life and choose one. That’s the goal that you are going to focus on. Right now it might seem like I’m asking you to dump all the other goals and focus on only one. Yes and no.

Yes, you are going to focus on only one goal right now. No, the others are not being dumped. When you have your focus on just one thing everything else in your life also starts falling into place. The secret lies in having your 6 main goals written down. And step 8 makes sure that the other important goals are not forgotten.

5. Break it down into action steps What will you do in the next day that will move you closer to your goals

This is where many new years, resolutions come unstuck. People forget to decide what their next action is. So make up a plan, what you are going to do over the next couple of days. That will move you towards your goal. it can be as simple as making a phone call or making a date with yourself to take the first step.

7.Write some affirmations and post them where you will see them

Same as for writing your positive statements keep it in the present tense. Again avoid the word try and opt for the words, I choose. This improves the chances that you will motivate yourself into action. Keep the affirmation short and keep it to no more than 10 words and 6 affirmations should be enough.

8. Read your goal plan at least once a day

This will make sure you won’t forget your other goal, while focusing on your primary goal. It will keep your goals in front of you as you go through the day. Reading your goals once a day is the absolute minimum and do it first thing in the morning. Morning and night is better and if you can read it three times a day, even better.

Another happy New Year, and all the best in 2008

AlexK