Success and Goals 101

Oh that sweet smell of success, the power you feel throughout your body, the rich taste of reward. Success when achieved embodies all our senses.

Just about everyone wants success, but how many of us really know what we mean when we say it? Your definition reflects your values and beliefs. So stop and think about it for a moment.

Defining what success means for you
Before you can have it, you have to know what it is what it looks like and what if feels like for YOU- does it own a fleet of luxury cars, a private jet, a secluded island, a huge home in a prestigious neighborhood, money in the bank? These are fruits of success, not success itself.

Success is in the journey not the destination.

The importance of SMART goals
Success is the realization and accomplishment of "meaningful goals"- goals that are based on your personal values and beliefs. Meaningful goals have purpose for you; they are realistic, inspiring, measurable and visionary. You can see what they look and feel like when they are accomplished.

According to the SMART System developed by Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson, the most effective, meaningful and useful goals meet five key criteria:

S - specific, significant, stretching
M - measurable, meaningful, motivational
A - attainable, achievable, action-oriented
R - realistic, rewarding, results-oriented
T - time-based, timely, tangible, trackable

A SMART goal is always written out in a way that you can easily understand it AND determine whether and when you have achieved it.

The Power of Written Goals
Written goals have many benefits they:
* Increase your odds of success
* Increase your motivation
* Build self confidence
* Provide Clarity of Purpose
* Move you steadily towards your goal

Written goals document your vision. They provide a mental road map for success. Written goals are not wishes they are well defined statement of what you will do not what you might do! There is enormous power in the simple act of just writing down your goal.

Successful goals have plans
Successful goals have plans to carry them out and action steps to make the plan happen. To be successful in reaching your goals you must stay in daily action working towards achieving your goals. Without action, you could have the hottest idea and the deepest vision, the best strategy but you will not achieve your goals. Taking action and moving forward are keys to success.

"Success is the maximum utilization of the ability that you have."
-- Zig Ziglar

Moving beyond your fear
Goals can increase our level of anxiety and frustration when we let fear or procrastination stop us from pursuing them. Feelings of fear are part of the process. Acknowledge the fear and move forward. If you don't take time to set and actively pursue goals that are inspiring, meaningful and measurable for you, you are likely to find yourself feeling stuck. And we all know how that feels, right?

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other thing."-- Abraham Lincoln

Creating a Vision
What does Success look like to you? What does it feel like? In your minds eye how are you acting, dressing and being in the midst of your success?

In your mind crystallize a vision of exactly what it is you want to attain. In your heart, who do you really want to become? In your soul, what feels right, comfortable and peaceful?

As Earl Nightingale says "People with goals succeed because they know where they are going" They have clarity, vision and focus.
Clarity is power.

The successful person is like any other person; they just have clarity and well established focus on what they really want in life. They have goals and they work daily on achieving them.

By now you are probably wondering "Will I ever find success?" The answer is YES. If you believe you will and act on it you will find success. But first you must identify what success means for you. Here are six steps to get you started.

Six steps for identifying what success means for you:

1. Identify your purpose. We are all here for a reason, to serve some purpose. Look within yourself and think about thing(s) that inspires you.

2. Determine WHY you want what you want. You need a strong reason to push you to success. It is your drive, passion and persistence that will get you through the obstacles, challenges and hurdles that you confront along the way. Experts say, 80% of Success is WHY and 20% is HOW.

3. Document your Vision! Denis Waitley reminds us that "The secret to productive goal setting is in establishing clearly defined goals, writing them down and then focusing on them several times a day with words, pictures and emotions as if we've already achieved them." Remember a goal that is not written down is a wish!

4. Create a vision. See your self as having, being and doing exactly what you want to have, be and do. Create a mind map of your success. Visualize it! See it! Feel it! Believe in it! Do it!

5. Find a role model. Someone who is already successful doing what you want to do. Studying how they achieved their success will help accelerate yours.

6. Take action! We can have the best intentions, but your real power and success, comes from the plan and actions you design to help you achieve your goals.

"God gave us two ends. One to sit on and one to think with. Success depends on which one you use; head you win -- tails, you lose."-- Anonymous

Now that you have the necessary tools to start you on the path to success, start moving into action. Contact me to set up a free session to jump start you on your path to success.

"Do not wait; the time will never be 'just right'. Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along." -Napoleon Hill