Goal Achievement: Boiling It Down

There are thousands of books on goal achievement, but not all of them have a unique message. In fact, most boil down to four principles stated in many different ways.

1) You must decide PRECISELY what you are going to achieve and accept no substitute for achievement.

2) You must decide that you will act vigorously and relentlessly to make the goal a reality.

3) You must recognize progress and lack of progress so you can repeat, add to, or not repeat action steps accordingly.

4) You must abandon preconceived notions of what should or will ultimately work.

How to Make Decisions That Actually Work

How do the most successful people in business get to be so successful? Donald Trump, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet have many traits in common. However, they all started at the same place.

At some point, they all made a decision to be successful. Their tremendous success did not just happen by accident. They made a decision to take control of their future and not let the future just happen to them.

Once these decisions are made, goals are then established. Goals are the destination in a journey that begins with a single decision. Through focus on the goals, plans are put in place and success is achievable.

One good thing about being a manager is I learned how and when to make decisions. Some decisions are easy to make, some are complex. Sometimes, not making a decision at all is necessary as certain problems tend to take care of themselves, but you need to be careful with this.

Say a problem arises, you sit on it for awhile without making a decison hoping it will go away. Some problems will go away if you ignore them, but when you do that, they may come back even worse, leaving you with a bigger mess than had it been taken care of earlier.

After you make your decision what do you do? How do you get the results? Just writing the problem on paper helps start the process. These suggestions may help.

How to deal with complex decisions

1. Define the problem. What is the cause and effect of the decision? Write it down. For example: "I don't make enough money to cover all my bills, get school clothes for my kids, and the pay the light bill on time". Notice there are 4 things here. 1. You don't make enough money. 2. Can't cover the bills 3. Kids need clothes. 4. light bill is past due. Problem one is the cause and problems 2,3&4 are the effects. They are all needed to completely define the problem. Just to say "I don't make enough money" is not a clear enough definition.
   
2. Define your objective or goal. This is your destination - what you expect to happen when the problem is solved. It should be specific and attainable. Example: "To create an opportunity to earn $100,000 per year by the end of this year"
   
3. Brainstorm potential solutions.Sit down in a quiet place, free from distractions and start writing. You don't always have to do this alone, involve colleagues, friends, business associates etc. Example:Further my education, get a new job, start my own business, become a rock-star. Don't worry about if you think it is a good idea or not. Write it down no matter how silly or far-flung. Bottom line is you want as many chances for success as possible right?
   
4. Develop your action plan. How are you going to get it done? Evaluate your list thoughtfully and select the solutions that apply to the current situation. Don't always pick the ones that worked before or are the "safest". Sometimes it's good to choose a new path. Theres a quote, I have no idea who wrote it but it is one of my favorites: "If you want the things you've never had. You must do the things you've never done."
5. Troubleshoot your action plan. This is a sense check. Ask yourself: "Is this really the desired outcome? Is it achievable? What are the consequences? What is the worst-case scenario? At this point you will either move forward or go back to the drawing board. Either way, you are planning to achieve your objective. This is another critical decision point so don't waffle on your thoughts. Be willing to make a decision. If you are terrified of being wrong, you may not make any decision at all which means you will not achieve anything but potential disaster. Be confident in your decisions and have no regrets. It is a waste of time to thing about what might have been. Circumstances change and you must be willing to react.
   
6. Communicate. If you have employees or other team of people it is critical that they are on board with your objectives. After all, they may be the ones implementing your plan. If it is just you, write down your plan and review it often to make sure you are on track.
   
7. Implement the plan. Involve those that you know can get it done. Provide coaching and encouragement. Reward them and yourself for successes.

Mistakes are going to happen, this is a learning process. What's important is that you take responsibility! Be the Leader! Move forward and correct it. People that are afraid of making mistakes will never learn from them.

Andrew Kotulak
reviews xsitepro

The Star Spangled Banner Like You've Never Heard It

The Cactus Cuties Perform the National Anthem

The Star Spangled Banner like you've never heard it! This was at Texas Tech University Basketball game . . . .The National Anthem is sung by five young ladies. You have never heard it performed better than this! An entire arena remains completely silent throughout the song. You could hear a pin drop. Take a moment to listen to this...you will not regret it. The two young girls on the right are six years old. The two in the middle are seven and the one on the left is eight. Wow!

Red Skelton Pledge of Allegiance

Red Skelton's "Pledge Of Allegiance" was first introduced on The Red Skelton Show on CBS January 14, 1969. It has since been read into the Congressional Record of The United States and has received numerous awards.

Danyl Johnson Audition The X-Factor

Danyl Johnson nails Joe Cocker's "With a little help from my friends" on The X-Factor. Simon Cowell says this is the best audition he has seen in nearly a decade of judging talent. Extraordinary performance by a talented and charismatic artist.

Setting Goals For Yourself Part I: Plan Your Strategy

This article is an excerpt from the Success Strategies Newsletter "Setting Goals For Yourself" series. Receive free success e-books plus bonus content weekly when you subscribe.

Setting Goals For Yourself Part 1:

Plan Your Strategy

A 3-part series on setting priorities, managing time and how to achieve your objectives by using a proven goal setting technique to leverage you success

4/27/2009

Andrew Kotulak

Take Specific Steps to reach your goals

Part 1 of 3: Plan Your Strategy

Once you define your purpose or "why", It's time to chart a course for your success. This 3 part series is design to help you do that.

Goals are specific milestones you have determined to reach within a certain time frame. Without goals, you have no plan. Without a plan you are leaving your life to circumstances.

Setting and reaching goals seems like an intellectual thing to do. It's what smart people do, right?But really, reaching a goal that you set is more emotional. There comes a tremendous sense of satisfaction and confidence when goals are met.

Planning Your Strategy

Begin by defining objectives. Set aside some time each day to contemplate a handful of the most important acievements you could make. Here's a tip: THINK BIG. Remember your purpose from week 1. Force your mind beyond its normal boundaries.

Now, Choose 6 that are important to you.

For Example:

• Lose Weight
• Go on Vacation
• Start a business
• Buy a new House
• Save a million dollars
• Spend more time with my children

Now, on a note card, write down each objective as a goal by phrasing it as a statement with the date by which you want to attain it. "Beginning January 1, I will save 5% of my income each month for college savings, for a total of $25,000" Being specific and realistic is the key.

Lets say your goal is to lose weight.

What does that really mean?

Start by asking these questions.

1. How much weight do you want to lose?
2. By when?
3. How much do you want to weigh?
4. and most importantly - What will that do for you?

So lets say then you want to lose 50 lbs. You weigh 190 lbs now. which means you want to get to 140 lbs. This is October, you want to lose the weight by March for the beach trip you have planned. Begin your goal like this:

"By March 20xx, I will look great on the beach by weighing my ideal weight of 140lbs by exercising, changing my diet and losing 50lbs."

This goal includes each element above, part of a proven goal setting formula we will discuss in next weeks newsletter.

If you set a goal that is seemingly impossible, you may never achieve that goal and eventually give up because you feel like a failure. To make this goal more achievable, break it down into action steps. These aren't really goals, more of a to-do list, but still provides the same sense of emotional satisfaction when completed.

1. By October 10, 20xx, I will secure the funds to join the local gym and set aside the time required to go.
2. By November I will research the best weight loss system to determine which on is best for me
3. I will lose 10 lbs in October , 5lbs in November...etc

When you break down the main goal into smaller goals, it is more manageable. The emotion of achieving the goal is still tied in to your ultimate objective, keeping you on track and not discouraged.

Staying On Track

Reinforce your belief by carrying the cards with and referring to them throughout the day. I have heard story after story from successful people that carried goal cards in their top pockets and even their bra. They looked at these cards every chance they got.

Cultivate the right attitude with affirmations. Affirmations put in your mind that you have already achieved the goal. Repeat them 20-100 times a day. For Example: " I am a successful entrepreneur that provides for my family and my community by earning a multiple six-figure income each year."

Before you know it, an outrageous goal will seem within the realm of achievement. Opportunites will become clear, talents will surface, ideas you never thought of will appear as you condition your mind and thoughts to focus on the achievement of your goals.

Subscribe to our Success Strategies newsletter for part II : Proven Goal Setting Formula for Success

Andrew Kotulak is a contributing editor to Setting Goals For Yourself Part I in Unlimited Success Online's Success Strategies newsletter. Andrew has 15 years experience in manufacturing management in which time he has traveled far and wide improving processes and managing teams. Andrew has recently turned his attention to the internet, operating multiple websites providing resources for leadership, career and business success.

For more home based business information, visit our main page at http://www.LucrativeTurnkeyBusiness.com

Any Given Sunday | Pacino Speech

The "six inches in front of your face", that's where we Live. It's the choices you make in that place that ultimately defines you, and, over time, the course of your life, until the end.
So many of us have grand plans for "Out There" or "The Future", but never really focus on what's right in front of us, right now.

Now... What are you gonna do?