You must follow a certain process if you want to set and achieve your goals. When you are going on a road trip, you plan carefully how to get from A to B and follow that process. Goal achieving is similar, and if you follow a certain process, you will get to your goals in an effective manner.
There are five steps in the process of achieving your goals:
1) Reflection and evaluation
2) Dreaming big dreams
3) Create smart goals for your big dreams
4) Implement, take accountability and follow-up
5) Wash, rinse and repeat the 4 previous steps until you get to your goal.
In this article, I will discuss the first step of the process, and continue with the other 4 in follow-up articles. First, take a reality check and evaluate where you are in life at the moment. How are you doing in the different aspects of your life, such as physically, mentally, financially, relationships, leisure, spiritually, and career? Is there a particular area where you feel you are lacking or don’t feel happy? This is a critical first step. If you miss this step, then you can’t go through the goal setting and achieving process to get to where you want.
Once you’ve evaluated an area where you want to make an improvement, identify the past and present limiting factors in your life. These include your limiting thoughts, words and people in your life. An example of a limiting thought can include, “I’m not smart enough to do this.” If you kept thinking these thoughts throughout your life, you probably missed out on a number of opportunities. In other words, these negative thoughts can keep you from pursuing what you really want to do. In essence, thoughts create feelings, which create your behaviors. Your behaviors influence your actions, which produce your results. If you have limiting thoughts, it’s going to keep you doing what you want to do and getting the results you want.
Another limitation can be the people with whom you are associated. They can be your friends, teachers, and family members. They tell you things such as, “You’re crazy! You can’t do that.” Take a close look and see how people may have formed your limiting beliefs. For example, you might have had a school teacher who told you often that you’re not smart enough. Make sure you identify the people who have played a role in limiting your beliefs.
Once you have identified the limiting factors, reprogram yourself for success. Reduce or eliminate the time you spend with limiting people. If you have friends who are always critical of you and don’t encourage you, limit the amount of time you spend with them. This may sound harsh, but if you really want to achieve your goals, you must take action and decide how much time you will spend with them. What’s more important to you? Being liked and accepted by negative people? Or reaching your dreams? The next step is to associate yourself with like minded people. You want to be around people who believe in the impossible and want to go somewhere in their lives. Join organizations with like minded people, such as a business group or a toastmasters club in your local area.
Finally, monitor your thoughts. If you are thinking negative or self-doubt thoughts, eliminate them. Everything comes from thought, which eventually leads to your results. Read books on success, listen to audio programs and attend personal development seminars. I will continue with the rest of the steps in future articles, so stay tuned.
I'm an Internet Entrepreneur and Small Business Consultant living in Las Vegas, NV. I'm currently working on projects involving affiliate and network marketing, personal branding, and consulting in the Green / Clean Energy sector. I enjoy mentoring people in Attraction Marketing by helping them develop their leadership skills through personal development.
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