First of all, I would like to wish you a very Happy, Healthy and Abundant 2009!  To ensure that this is a reality I thought that starting the New Year with a blog entry about setting Goals would be a great start.  I would particularly like to thank Gareth for inspiring me to blog on this subject.  I am not sure if you have made any New Year's resolutions.  If you have, this may help to enhance them, if you haven't then you might like to call them goals instead.  If you have made resolutions in the past and found that they have evaporated somewhere between the 3rd week of January and the 2nd week of February, then read on......

There are a whole plethora of books and articles on the subject of Goal setting and they all contribute something useful.  So what are Goals and how do they differ from to-do lists?  In my model of the world, I see Goals as the end result of my desires and wishes.  I see the to-do lists as the mechanics of achieving them on a day to day basis.  The really important thing to understand about Goal setting is that the Goals you set yourself must be: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Specific. When you think about actually having them, close your eyes and notice what you feel inside.  If you feel a stir of excitement or butterflies in your stomach and/or a widening smile on your face, you are probably on to something worth stretching for.

It is really important that you state your Goals in the present, as though you already have them.  You should also express them in first person, i.e "I" and they should be written in language that inspires you!  I also like to use Bob Proctor's suggestion from 'The Secret' which is to use gratitude for having them.  e.g. "I am so happy and grateful now that I am 80 kilos and have a toned and muscular body".  "It is now the first week of May and I am enjoying the increased energy levels and compliments from my friends and family about the way my body looks".  Starting to get the picture?  What you have to understand is that the human mind does not differentiate between fact and fantasy, it doesn't care............so you may as well give it something really great to work with!  You should keep your Goals somewhere very visible where you will see them several times per day.  You should repeat your affirming statements several times a day and start including them into your conversations with friends, colleagues and family members. 

Remember that from the overall Goal you will then distill down some specific actions that will become 'To Do Lists' on a regular basis.  I urge you to close your eyes and daydream about your Goals as often as possible so that you can feel what it is like to actually have the thing(s) that you want and then watch your garden grow.  Having a layer of accountability is also a great way ensuring that you have some support and backing.  I have made a career out of coaching and helping my clients to keep their goals alive and in focus.  If you cannot afford a coach you can enlist the help of a friend or family member.  You can also add colour and pictures to your Goal with you in it (very important) so that you feel energised and excited by them.  Tomorrow we will take a look at some examples and methodologies of translating them into actions that will help achieve your desired results.