The Secret of Achieving your Goals
Monday, January 7th, 2008Take a look at yourself - inside and out. Where do you live, what job do you have, how do you relate to your friends and family? What interests do you pursue, what adventures do you have?
What do you truly want from life? Do you want wealth and success, happiness and peace of mind? Do you want a family and a yard , a yacht or a sports car? Where are you going? Do you have a particular goal or are you just wandering through life?
You can accomplish anything you want in life - that’s true. Once you have a particular goal, you can fulfill that desire by straightforward commitment and total conviction.
But what if you don’t know what you want? Maybe your goals are small ones - like losing some weight, or buying a new car. Maybe getting a promotion of finding a mate.
Whether you want a bigger apartment or want to be a corporation president, any avenue of prosperity and achievement is open to you if it is truly what you want.
No goal is too small; no dream is too big. And even if you aren’t clear on your desires, you can tap into your subconscious mind to get the answers and to find the paths to success.
Can you change your life - do you want to? Can you picture yourself as your most perfect image of accomplishment? How does it feel? If you have the desire to attain goals, the commitment to follow through and the ability to creatively imagine yourself in the position you dream of, you are more than halfway there.
The most successful leaders and artists throughout history have followed specific paths and attained their hearts’ desires. Keep an open mind and a hopeful outlook - then change your thinking. Put on the clothes of success. Act as though you already have accomplished your desires. Then let the reality catch up.
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
Take a choice: money, health, physical energy, beauty, creativity, recognition, power, adventure, contentment, achievement, self-expression, authority, love, peace of mind, enlightenment. Would you like any of these? If you are like most people today, you probably want ALL of these.
But if you search your true desires, you might find that there are a few things you want more than others. And, if you keep going in your search, you’ll find one desire that has been with you your whole lifetime and is the one path you need to follow.
Although money is the obvious desire, it is usually not the final goal. Indeed, money can, and does buy happiness - up to a point. Once you have enough money to be financially secure or to purchase the material objects you want, the true desire might be something else.
Love is the goal of every person’s heart. Whether it is love of a mate, or a family, or respect and recognition from peers and fellow workers, love is the ageless pursuit. The mystics say that love is the sole purpose of life- to give love and to find it.
But love comes in many forms. Not only is there the overt display of affection or true inner feelings, but there is the self-respect and inner contentment that goes with accomplishment. For some people, true peace of mind will never be attained until they complete some creative tasks or achieve certain heights in business.
Many people seek the authority that comes with a good position in a job. Along with that can come recognition and fame. Although you may want the money that is associated with high management levels, many people simply seek that satisfaction of working from the inner circles.
The goal of every person regardless of background and material desires, is health. A sound body is the gift that will get you to the other goals. Even a new diet and exercise plan can give you more energy - the energy you’ll need to accomplish success.
Adventure and travel is a driving force for many people. They may seek jobs that involve travel, or they may be looking forward to taking time off to visit the exotic ports and see the other side of the world. If you don’t want a long journey, perhaps you’d just like a few weeks in a sunny resort or the luxury of a summer and winter vacation each year.
And then there is creativity and self-expression. What about the book you’re going to write or the watercolor class you’d like to take? Creative expression is a wonderful inner release that boosts confidence and gives you something to accomplish. Finally, regardless of wealth and health, expression and love, everyone is looking for peace of mind. That’s not to say emptiness of mind, but to be rid of petty worries and confusion, to be finished with fears and live in total awareness. It surely is the ultimate lifetime goal.
CATCH UP WITH YOURSELF
Now’s the time to evaluate your life and your desires. Go ahead and test yourself - nobody’s looking. Try to find out what your inner desires really are. Once you know, you can formulate a plan of action, and then achieve your goals.
Right now, write down three things you want. Don’t spend time thinking about them - just write them down. You may be surprised at what you want. Can you see any relation to the types of desires most sought for?
What accomplishment are you most proud of? What make you happy - happy enough to be content, to feel totally relaxed, and to slide back with a smile on your face.
Without dwelling on failures, mistakes, or past ill feelings, quickly list the important accomplishments or your life. Think about the places you went to, the relationships you encountered, the education you received. Consider your job changes and positions, and the achievements related to work.
Put a star next to the most important accomplishments of your life. Is there any correlation with the list of the three things you want most?
MAKE PLANS
Before you go any further with your life, make a list for your future. Write it down - don’t just think it. What would you like to accomplish in the next ten years? A new house, a high-paying position, a home in a new city, a trip around the world?
Break that list down into those things you’d like to accomplish in the next five years. Then make one further division into the next six months. What can you do in the next few months to further you towards your long-term goals?
GOAL SHEET
My most important desires are:
In my lifetime, the most important things I’ve accomplished:
If I looked back on my lifetime in 20 years, I’d like to have accomplished:
Within 10 years, I’d like to achieve:
Within 5 years, I’d like to achieve:
In the next six months to a year, these are the things I’m going to do to work towards by goals:
Regardless of your family commitments or your personal relationships; regardless of your business enterprises or any false sense of achievement, what do you really want?
Give yourself credit for your past accomplishments, and give yourself credit for your future achievements. You can and will attain all your goals, both long-term and short-term if you approach them in a step-by-step fashion and if you believe that they are worthwhile for you.
YOU ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN YOUR LIFE.
Although you can be considerate of your environment and all the people in it, first consider yourself. Your well-being, your happiness, your success. Make a pact with yourself right now that you will achieve your goals. And make them realistic to reach. Then one by one, make your own life the success it deserves.
BEFORE THE RACE - RELAX
An important step in achieving goals is to be able to relax. You’ll get nowhere is your body and mind are nervous and flitty, jumping from one place or idea to another. In order to focus on your goal, you must center your being.
Relaxation is the balance of the mental, spiritual and physical aspects of yourself. Set aside time each day for deep relaxation - not sleep, but relaxation. The state of deep relaxation is a state of meditation. There are no thoughts in your mind. There are no physical ills or discomforts. You breathe in deeply, allowing the lungs to fill with fresh air, and you exhale all used and stale air. The blood circulates amply throughout every part of your body. You drift through space, ever towards your true destiny.
Exercise or sports is a good way to get into relaxation. The body needs physical stimulation to pump blood into all its extremities, and to give the heart a good workout. Exercise is a wonderful way to let the mind relax, as you place your thoughts on the way your body moves. For many people, sports and exercise are enjoyable ways to feel alive, youthful, and fulfilled.
Then take time to relax. Lie down on your back with your arms out, palms up. Your feet should be about two feet about. You might clench your muscles first, then relax them. Allow your thoughts to drift, but don’t get caught in them. Watch them go by, as if they belong to somebody else.
If you have a special problem, tuck that in the back of your mind - don’t dwell on it up front. Let yourself and your emotions go. Breathe out the negative feelings and emotions; breathe in positive, life-giving air. Float freely. Relax. ASSUME THE BEST. Expect to achieve; expect to accomplish your desires; expect to win. Accept less, but push on to attain more. The higher your goals, the further you’ll go.
The moon is no problem, nor are the neighboring planets. Soon human beings will see close-ups of other star and galaxies. Don’t go for less that your full potential. Shoot for the universe. You owe yourself nothing less.
And aside from the universe, keep yourself on Earth, in your office or studio, working closer to those goals you want to attain.
You have a right to be happy. You have the means to be successful. You can succeed in what you desire.
Always keep in mind the fact that you are in transit, attaining your goals, moving through life as though you are an actor, and the setting is a stage.
Keep your thoughts firmly planted on prosperity, good fortune and lucky breaks. Assume that you will, in fact, nearly have accomplished your goals. It is with that attitude that successful people achieve.
DO YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL?
Within you is the power to accomplish anything you want. But it will not happen if you are not tuned into your true desires. Don’t fool yourself into compromising for less than a complete goal. If you want to be an artist, you may not be the world’s most famous artist, but if you have that inclination, you will be an artist. If you want to succeed in business, you may not be another financier/mega-millionaire, but you will succeed in your endeavors.
Most people need accomplishment feedback. After all, what’s so great about achieving something if nobody cares? And it’s important to receive that recognition and feel that love.
Set goals that you can achieve. Divide them into little tidbits that you can accomplish every day, every month, every year. Set your goals for success.
Then reap the rewards c constantly - each step of the way. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done, then move on. Start immediately to accomplish the goals you have set. In fact, give yourself a task that you can finish by tomorrow. Think of yourself as a success in your endeavors. Dwell on the idea that you are compelled to accomplish your goals, and live and breathe them until you have them.
Can you see yourself a year from now, having achieved a few goals? Can you make the decision and commitment to become successful in your desires? Then you have the potential to accomplish anything you want.
THE POWER OF SELF-IMAGE
Visualizing yourself as a success in your field of endeavor is the inside tip in accomplishing anything you want. If you can specifically imagine being the person you want to become, you will attain that reality.
Forgive yourself. Just as you would another person, tell yourself that it’s okay for all those mistakes, or the should-haves that keep popping up in your mind. Don’t dwell on the past and get blocked by events from long ago.
Let go of fears and anxieties. Although it certainly is easier said than done, learn to change negative thoughts into a positive action. Are you afraid of poverty - that you’ll never make ends meet, or never buy that house, or be destitute once you stop working? Then turn that into the positive goal of financial security.
Do people make you anxious? Maybe you feel inferior, not as good as others. Everybody has feelings of inadequacy. Just turn them around into positive goals. You may be paralyzed by the thoughts that you are unattractive. It is your thoughts that make it a reality. Change your modes of behavior and you will make friends. In most cases, it is your own negative thoughts that cause you to stay stuck in whatever place you’re in. Keep moving. Take the risks. You may need to change your job, or move to another city. You might take up a sport or hobby. Become active in your life - participate. And you will grow into the image you see for yourself.
SUCCESS IN BUSINESS
Perhaps the most sought-after goal in our present society is success in business. Whether you want to be promoted into high paying management positions, or wish to start your own independent enterprise, knowledge of the business world is important.
As you plan a course of action towards accomplishing your goal, keep in mind the small goals that put you closer to the end. And be prepared to change often. You may need to change companies, or take the opportunities in other departments as those positions open.
Create an aura of success around you. People who are successful dress that way. Even if you’re not in a high-income bracket, act as though you have already achieved - without being egotistical or overspending.
Develop an expertise in an area. Don’t keep special information to yourself, but be quick to learn all there is about your position and the tasks surrounding getting that job done. Capitalize on your strengths, and let others help you develop your weaknesses into assets.
Get to know the people in the company and the people in the industry. Read all the trade journals and magazines relating to your company. Make appointments with people who are successful in your field and learn from them.
You need to have a total commitment to succeed in business. Most people who make it to the executive boardroom put i long hours, often at the sacrifice of everything else. Regardless of the physical effort involved, you must mentally be engrossed in your business and the company enterprises.
In order to help yourself develop fully, you might seek a mentor, someone who will offer you time and teach you the ropes. This person usually is someone who believes in your ability, someone who you can develop a mutually beneficial business relationship with.
Some people become friendly with all their co-workers and find that is a way to advance. But don’t try to be extroverted if it’s not real to you. Most people who successfully run their own businesses are individuals who like to work alone.
As you increase your activities and accomplishments, you increase your potential to reach higher. The more you achieve, the more confidence you develop to achieve more. You don’t have to be the same as everyone else and fit like a vegetable in a patch. Be unique, different. Capitalize on your own self-image. Don’t fall victim to self-consciousness. And trust your intuition. Hunches and inner feelings usually are the best route to travel, regardless of what seems to be the logical choice. Make decisions quickly and with firmness. A true leader will handle these responsibilities efficiently. That’s what makes you different and why you’ll rise to the top.
Be persistent in attaining your goals, but be open and sincere. Many people choose not to increase their own accompliness. It surely is the ushments and will give you the right-of-way to be successful.
If you are having personal difficulties with any co-workers, try to know more about these people from a personal angle. Be interested in them and their accomplishments and goals. You might be able to turn opposition into friendship.
Above all, use your integrity. If the goal is not worthy of your inner desires, it will be hard to attain. If your methods are not sincere, you will receive opposition. If your actions are not honest, you will suffer the consequences. Turn all negative qualities into positive aspects - then watch yourself achieve.
