HAPPINESS - self help resources for GOAL SETTING

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Over the next few days millions of people from around the world will sit down and try to figure out how to make this year a better year than they had in last year.

Some will decide they need to work harder...even though they feel like they're working pretty hard right now.

Chances are that this decision won't get the result they're hoping for because working harder is almost never the answer.

As Bob Proctor says, "there are literally thousands upon thousands of honest, good, hard-working people who labor diligently for their entire stay on this planet, yet never become wealthy."

A large number of people will decide to make a New Year's Resolution or two --- maybe to diet, quit smoking or get out of debt.

According to the experts, more than 90% will fail to achieve their resolutions, with most having abandoned them by the end of January.

Then there's a tragic group of folks who will think briefly about how they'd like to see things change...but will remember all of the years they've failed...and will simply do nothing, hoping that their "luck" will change for the better.

Finally, there's a very small group of people who are bound and determined that next year will be different. They are committed to real change in their lives...and real success.

They are committed to a PLAN. They understand what Bobby Knight meant when he said, "The will to succeed is important, but what's more important is the will to prepare."

To help you plan...to help you prepare... we have collected over a dozen excellent self help Goal Setting articles to help you create a life plan for yourself this year.

NEW FREE goal setting eBooks to get you started... Just "right mouse button click" on the links then select "save target as" to download this free self help .pdf book to your computer.

Making Your Goals Count

As we enter into this New Year we all tend to have a heightened sense of the opportunities and possibilities that a new year can bring.

The need for goal-setting becomes more obvious and clear. And the great thing about goal-setting is you can keep it as simple or get as elaborate as you would like.

In fact, we have spent the last month in the One-Year Success Plan solely on the subject of goal-setting and have dedicated over 125 pages in the One-Year Plan to exercises on the subject.

Space and time won't allow that here, but below are some abbreviated points on goal-setting for the New Year.

I've often said the major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes of you to accomplish it.

That is why goals are so powerful - they are part of the fabric that makes up our lives. And goal-setting is where we create our goals.

Goal-setting is powerful, partly because it provides focus. It shapes our dreams.

It gives us the ability to hone in on the exact actions we need to perform to achieve everything we desire in life.

Goals are GREAT because they cause us to stretch and grow in ways that we never have before.

Also, goals provide long-term vision in our lives. We all need lots of powerful, long-range goals to help us get past short-term obstacles.

Life is designed in such a way that we look long-term and live short-term. We dream for the future and live in the present.

But fortunately, the more powerful our goals (because they are inspiring and believable) the more we will be able to act on them in the short-term and guarantee that they will actually come to pass!

So, let's take a closer look at the topic of goal-setting and see how we can make it forceful as well as practical.

What are the key aspects to learn and remember when studying and writing our goals?

1. Evaluation and Reflection. The only way we can reasonably decide what we want in the future and how we will get there is to first know where we are right now and what our level of satisfaction is for where we are in life.

So first take some time and think through and write down your current situation, then ask this question on each key point - is that okay?

The purpose of evaluation is twofold. First, it gives you an objective way to look at your accomplishments and your pursuit of the vision you have for your life.

Secondly, it is to show you where you are so you can determine where you need to go. In other words, it gives you a baseline from which to work.

I would strongly encourage you to take a couple of hours this week to evaluate and reflect. At the beginning of this month we encourage you to see where you are and write it down so that as the months progress and you continue a regular time of evaluation and reflection, you will see just how much ground you will be gaining - and that will be exciting!

2. What are Your Dreams and Goals? These are the dreams and goals that are born out of your own heart and mind. These are the goals that are unique to you and come from who you were created to be and gifted to become.

One of the amazing things we have been given as humans is the unquenchable desire to have dreams of a better life, and the ability to establish goals to live out those dreams.

Think of it: We can look deep within our hearts and dream of a better situation for ourselves and our families; dream of better financial lives and better emotional or physical lives; certainly dream of better spiritual lives.

But what makes this even more powerful is that we have also been given the ability to not only dream but to pursue those dreams and not just pursue them, but the cognitive ability to actually lay out a plan and strategies (setting goals) to achieve those dreams. Powerful!

What are your dreams and goals? This isn't what you already have or what you have done, but what you want.

Have you ever really sat down and thought through your life values and decided what you really want? Have you ever taken the time to truly reflect, to listen quietly to your heart, to see what dreams live within you? Your dreams are there.

Everyone has them. They may live right on the surface, or they may be buried deep from years of others telling you they were foolish, but they are there.

So how do we know what our dreams are? This is an interesting process and it relates primarily to the art of listening. This is not listening to others; it is listening to yourself.

If we listen to others, we hear their plans and dreams (and many will try to put their plans and dreams on us). If we listen to others, we can never be fulfilled. We will only chase elusive dreams that are not rooted deep within us. No, we must listen to our own hearts.

Here are some practical steps/thoughts on hearing from our hearts on what our dreams are:

Take time to be quiet. This is something that we don't do enough in this busy world of ours. We rush, rush, rush, and we are constantly listening to noise all around us. The human heart was meant for times of quiet, to peer deep within.

It is when we do this that our hearts are set free to soar and take flight on the wings of our own dreams! Schedule some quiet "dream time" this week. No other people. No cell phone. No computer. Just you, a pad, a pen, and your thoughts.

Think about what really thrills you. When you are quiet, think about those things that really get your blood moving.

What would you LOVE to do, either for fun or for a living? What would you love to accomplish? What would you try if you were guaranteed to succeed? What big thoughts move your heart into a state of excitement and joy?

When you answer these questions you will feel GREAT and you will be in the "dream zone." It is only when we get to this point that we experience what OUR dreams are!

Write down all of your dreams as you have them. Don't think of any as too outlandish or foolish - remember, you're dreaming! Let the thoughts fly and take careful record.

Now, prioritize those dreams. Which are most important? Which are most feasible? Which would you love to do the most?

Put them in the order in which you will actually try to attain them. Remember, we are always moving toward action, not just dreaming.

3. S.M.A.R.T. Goals. S.M.A.R.T. means Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-sensitive.

I really like this acronym S.M.A.R.T., because we want to be smart when we set our goals.

We want to intelligently decide what our goals will be so that we can actually accomplish them. We want to set the goals that our heart conceives, our minds believe and that our bodies will carry out.

Specific: Goals are no place to waffle. They are no place to be vague. Ambiguous goals produce ambiguous results. Incomplete goals produce incomplete futures.

Measurable: Always set goals that are measurable. I would say "specifically measurable" to take into account our principle of being specific as well.

Attainable: One of the detrimental things that many people do - and they do it with good intentions - is to set goals that are so high they are unattainable.

Realistic: The root word of realistic is "real." A goal has to be something that we can reasonably make "real" or a "reality" in our lives.

There are some goals that simply are not realistic. You have to be able to say, even if it is a tremendously stretching goal, that yes, indeed, it is entirely realistic -- that you could make it.

You may even have to say that it will take x, y, and z to do it, but if those happen, then it can be done. This is in no way to say it shouldn't be a big goal, but it must be realistic.

I think that life itself is much more productive if there is a timeframe connected to it. Could you imagine how much procrastination there would be on earth if people never died?

We would never get "around to it." We could always put it off. One of the powerful aspects of a great goal is that it has an end, a time in which you are shooting to accomplish it.

You start working on it because you know there is an end. As time goes by you work on it because you don't want to get behind. As it approaches, you work diligently because you want to meet the deadline.

You may even have to break down a big goal into different parts of measurement and time frames. That is okay. Set smaller goals and work them out in their own time. A S.M.A.R.T. goal has a timeline.

4. Accountability (A contract with yourself or someone else). When someone knows what your goals are, they hold you accountable by asking you to "give an account" of where you are in the process of achieving that goal.

Accountability puts some teeth into the process. If a goal is set and only one person knows it, does it really have any power? Many times, no.

At the very least, it isn't as powerful as if you have one or more other people who can hold you accountable to your goal.

When you put these 4 key pieces together, you are putting yourself in a position of power that will catapult you toward achieving your goals.

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“The Top 10 Best Ideas For Setting Goals”
You cannot pick up a book or participate in a training program today without the author or instructor teaching the power of goal setting. Yet, most people today spend more time planning a two-week vacation than planning their lives by setting goals.

It's been said that achieving goals is not a problem--it's SETTING goals that is the problem. People just don't do it. They leave their lives to chance...and usually end up broke by the time they reach retirement.

To make 2009 your best year ever, arrange to have lots of extremely good days!

To make this New Year a great year, you'll want to collect approximately 365 great days, and most days begin in the morning.

In all seriousness, how you begin the morning sets the tone for the day, which is the time of your life.

Others begin at the gym, while others start by getting the kids dressed and off to school.

Some make oatmeal, fruit and coffee; I usually walk the dog and write for a few minutes.

I think success requires that you start the day in the way that is right for you.

You can't wait for a big break, for a better economy, warmer weather or until you "feel like it."

As someone wisely said, "don't wait for your ship come in, swim out to meet it!"

Decide carefully and precisely exactly how you want to start your day each morning. Think carefully about what gets you going, what seems "right" and special.

What empowers you, gives you confidence and energy for the day? Be intentional about the morning!

Negotiate your schedule, explain to the kids, do whatever it takes, but make it happen. Your life begins fresh and new each morning.

Specifically, I suggest you start your morning before going to bed the night before. Set the breakfast table, arrange your wardrobe, do what you need to do.

Set the alarm clock, get a good night's sleep, wake up with a plan and activate it immediately.

To make 2009 your best year ever, arrange to have lots of extremely good days! Work hard, play often. Sing and dance, read more, hug and laugh more.

Be more daring, take more naps, invent something, take a trip, have brunch with your best friend. Arrange for 365 great days and I promise, the year will take care of itself!

I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farmhouse, and discovered he had just finished a tough first day on the job: a flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric drill quit and his ancient one ton truck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence.

Upon arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands.

As he opened the door he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss. Afterwards he walked me back to my car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me, so I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.

"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied. "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, those troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home and ask God to take care of them. Then in the morning I pick them up again."

"Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before."

And if you are setting personal goals for the year ahead, remember the simplest plan I have EVER heard of:

In order to achieve any and every goal, you simply need to answer these 3 questions.

Have a fabulous New Year, and wishing all the very best to you and your loved ones, from me and mine!

To read further self help Personal Development and Life Skills articles on Goal Setting and New Year Resolutions, click on the self help article links below:

HA233 Making and Keeping New Year's Resolutions, self help goal setting article
In many ways, I believe that resolutions for the new year suffer from quite a bit of hype and a great deal of misunderstanding. They seem to be throw-away promises to ourselves for many people, and it's nothing for most people to resolve to eat fewer sweets during the year, break the resolution a week or two later, then forget that they ever made it.

We joke about how quickly we break our resolutions, completely ignoring the fact that we are, indeed, breaking a promise to ourselves when we do so.

HA32 A Resolution Method that Works by N Neta
At the end of each year, it is traditional to make a New Year's Resolution. With such "agreements", we commit ourselves to resolving personal issues, yet more often than not, fail to keep these commitments.

The concept in itself is a good one: to make an assessment of our lives, to contemplate what we wish to modify during the following twelve months, and then making a commitment to that change. What therefore, can we do to enhance the probability of successful attainment of our resolutions?

It seems this salesman set his goals for the coming year. He had a target for volume of sales and acquired new business. He then planned his work schedule to accomplish these goals.

The reason you keep hearing about it is because it really is important to your life. A good definition of goals is that they are dreams with deadlines

Action. The whole world loves to watch those who make things happen, and it rewards them for causing waves of productive enterprise

HA85 6 Steps - Get Where You Want to Go-Without Stress, goalsetting self help article by C.Halsey
The comment I hear most frequently from business people is that they feel overwhelmed with work, and are often playing the game of "catch up."

But there is a way for getting it all done without being overwhelmed. You are probably thinking, "but you don't understand - all the phone calls, on the spot decisions, immediate tasks." But I do understand. These are the realities of business.

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My Grandpa Vetter said his definition of 'Will Power' was, "Where there's a will, I want to be in it."

As you sit there reading these words, letting your eyes move from word to word, thinking your next thought you may be wondering is my 'will' strong enough or how can I build more 'will power'?

HA235 Kick the Procrastination Habit by Maria Gracia
"I'll get to it -- when I get a chance.” You know what that means, don't you? You'll never get to it!

Here are 8 simple ways to kick the procrastination habit and start getting things done.

“Desideratum Poem”
Here is the Desiderata also sometimes spelled Desiderada. Reading this famous poem daily will cause a positive mental shift. It says to remember what peace there may be in silence.

With this in mind, take 5-30 minutes daily to be still and contemplate the words in this poem. Reading this poem helps me to realize that what I think is important most of the time, is not that important at all.

“How dreams become goals”
It is wonderful to have a dream. It can also be wonderful to have a goal. True, there is a school of thought that maintains we should not need goals. We looked at this view a few months ago.

My own perception of this viewpoint is that it applies to those goal-lists that time management folk’s advocate. They can be useful, or a burden, depending on where you are in your personal growth. Today, though, I am looking at something different.

Your Best Year Ever
A new year is here! Are you ready? By that I mean have you tallied up how much you've spent on each category throughout the year? Have you compared it to your budgeted amounts and computed the differences?

Resolve to Improve Your Finances this Year with Goal setting
Kick off this year with these 7 money resolutions and get a fresh financial start to the new year. At year’s end, you’ll be surprised at how much you’ve reduced your debt load and the money you’ve saved!

These download links will open a new window into another website ENJOY your visit & your free book……

FREE e-Book: How to Create Master Mind Alliance

A Master Mind Alliance is the coordination and leveraging of knowledge, skills and experiences of yourself and others for the attainment of specific goals.

This dynamic e-book from The GoalsGuy provides a step-by-step blueprint that is being implemented by successful people throughout the world to achieve greater levels of success and achievement.

Click here now to download your FREE copy!

For a F`R`E`E Report on Setting and Achieving Your New Year's Resolutions...

Click HERE or on the picture of book To Get Your F`R`E`E Copy (opens a new window)

“Preparing yourself for Public Speaking” Tips to help everyone get ready for their first public speaking presentation with plenty of training resources. Public Speaking Tips

Whether you want to prepare to "re-invent" yourself or just focus on improvement in one specific area of your life, you need a complete solution based on solid fundamentals and instructions from the very wisest.

The Goals "faculty" includes three of the best goals experts in the world: Jim Rohn, Bob Proctor and Brian Tracy.

Your plan all comes together in a one-of-a-kind, interactive, multi-media Action Planner that is designed to help you define your dreams and create the plan to reach them.

As Bill Nall experienced, "This was a great wake up on a lot of topics and has been very helpful for me to get myself dreaming again and to figure out that anyone can change but you have to want to change and I will!"

Or Marcea Barton, who wrote, "The program was great to help me establish my "Passion and Purpose."

An exclusive 'Monday morning wake-up call' was the number one benefit named by current Professional Edition users.

The highly acclaimed Goal Genie software has been added as a bonus -- it cures the number one reason most people don't achieve their goals -- follow up (sells everyday for $39.99).

A four-hour recorded tele-seminar that will walk you step by step to setting up your plan.

A brand new bonus audio, The Best of Zig Ziglar, to accompany the incomparable teaching of Jim Rohn, Brian Tracy and Bob Proctor.

A Life Goals Edition that was inspired by Dr. John Goddard, the modern day "Indiana Jones"

The solid and proven Goals Basic Edition Goal Genie Software (available as a bonus with the Professional Edition or purchase as a stand-alone)

My Money Choices, the debt-reduction program from Loral Langemeier, the Wealth Diva

Go check it out now while it includes a great bunch of bonuses, including audios by Jim Rohn, Zig Ziglar and Bob Proctor.

What's keeping you from earning more money or getting that promotion you've been wanting?

What will you do this year to develop better relationships with those who are important to you?

What will you do in the New Year to ensure a future with a healthy body and spirit?

Whatever your challenge may be, Goals can help you earn more - do more - and be more in the coming year! Like Virginia Wright of Midwest City, OK said, "This Goals program helps to map your life - not just what you need to do, but how to do it as well."

Goals Setting Guide: Goal Setting that works
taught by masters like Jim Rohn,
Brian Tracy, Bob Proctor and others.

Yes, at some point you need to do more than just read these self help strategies, you need to develop and define your goals and get yourself into action.

The sheer Joy of Accomplishment that results from your goal setting efforts is well worth the effort.

Motivate, educate and empower yourself with over 1,000 free personal development Self Help resources, articles and downloads.

If you would like to be more accountable in your goal setting achievement this year, you may get the same benefits from Personal Coaching that I have had.

I participated in the pilot program of the Jim Rohn Coaching, and had enormous benefit - Helene Malmsio

"The reason why most people face the future with apprehension instead of anticipation is because they don't have it well designed." Jim Rohn

Making Your Goals Count

As we enter into this New Year we all tend to have a heightened sense of the opportunities and possibilities that 2005 can bring.