Driving down the highway with only a few feet of visibility?

You could be just a short distance from a beautiful vast ocean and not be able to see it.

You look up in the sky and all you see is a dense heavy layer of fog.

Driving in the fog can be quite scary at times.  You have your headlights on, drive slower, more cautiously, keeping your eyes open for other vehicles on the road – especially slower vehicles.  Sometimes you have to strain to see the lines on the road in order for you to stay in your lane and not cross over into oncoming traffic.

You keep driving in faith that you will reach your destination.  You know your destination is there -  Even if you’ve never been there before, you know it is there.

This is the way life is.  We never really know what’s up ahead. We thrust forward believing that what lays ahead will provide a happier brighter future for us.

Would you be driving around in the fog if you had no destination?

Probably not.  The question is – Are you living your life in this fog?

Do you know where you’re going and how to get there?

Have you pulled out your map of life and written down the directions to get where you want to go?

You say there is no map of life???

But, there is …..

If you’re like most people, you probably find a car to follow when you’re driving in the fog.  You utilize not only the light of their car – but also rely on the fact that they have already driven the road that you will soon be on.

You’ll find that many people have been where you are now and have arrived at where you want to be.  They have taken various roads to get there.  Discover the various paths they took and find the road with the least resistance to follow.

This is the map of life – Find somebody that is where you want to be … and follow their map.  It’s so much easier than driving down an unmarked dirt road that has never been travelled before.  Stop driving aimlessly in the fog of life.

Or

Do you believe the New Year’s holiday is an opportunity for change?

Resolution makers generally fall into one of three categories:

1. Serious Resolution Makers

These individuals dedicate themselves to reach their goal – usually in self-improvement. They set their goals and plan the steps to achieve them. They take ACTION.

2. Good Intentions

These people really want to change. They say “This year will be different”. They probably manage the first week or two of following through then they abandon them. These people usually have a plan to begin with.

3. On the Spot Resolutions

These poople make up a New Yeaar’s Resoultion on the spot when they are asked what their resoultuion is. They rarely have any intentions on following through.

What group do you fall into?

Often times people don’t take New Years Resoulutions seriously. They believe it’s all a big joke ….

New Years is actually the perfect time to dedicate yourself to a goal. Here’s why:

• You can reflect on your successes and failures of the previous year
• You have the right frame of mind to plan for the future
• It’s easier to gain the support of family and friends that have thesame or similar goals
• It’s easy to measure your goals. The timeframe of a year is an excellent yardstick
• You have 12 months which is enought time to plan, execute and achieve your goals – even if you hit some roadblocks along the way.

Why do we make resolutions?

Think about your past resolutions …

• Why did you make them?
• What did you hope to accomplish?
• Were you just going along with the crowd?
• Did you really want to change your life?
• Did you take the opportunity to change your lfie seriously?
• Do you subcribe to the theory “Resolutions are made to be broken”?

Do you really want to change your life?

YOU CAN!!!

Want to give it a try?

Here’s how:

1. Choose a resolution that you believe you can attain. If you choose a goal to lose 30 pounds in January or to exercise an hour every day you’ll brobably give up because within a week or so you’ll feel overwhelmed and frustrated. Choosing small goals you can attain helps you to create a pattern of success.
2. Break it up into small steps. Any large goal can be broken into a series of smaller goals. For example, if you want to lose 50 pounds, begin by setting a smaller goal. Maybe losing five pounds is a good start.
3. Set a Deadline. Having a deadline helps you to stay on track and to track your progress. For example, if your goal is to lose 50 pounds, and your smaller goal is 5 pounds a month, you should achieve your big goal in 10 months. (Sound like a long time? How fast did 2008 pass?)
4. Reward yourself – For each small success you need to reward yourself. If your goal is to lose weight, then you don’t want to reward yourself with food. You may want a new outfit, a night out, a massage – get creative.
5. Be Prepared – Regardless of your resoulution you will have obstacles to face. Plan for these obstacles and be prepared to face them head-on. For example, if your goal is to stop smoking, be prepared for cravings and have something ready to distract you for 5 to 10 minutes. (Any type of cravings rarely last longer than 10 minutes)

New Year’s Resolutions don’t have to be broken!

Establish a Winning Attitude, Set Proper Goals, and your New Year’s Resolutions will be life changing and rewarding experiences.

WISHING YOU A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS 2012!!!

While practicing self-discipline isn’t easy, there are many benefits to mastering this art of personal control:

* Self-discipline can help you achieve your goals and realize your dreams. Many times, achieving the goals you set for yourself requires you to sacrifice time, money and energy you might prefer to spend on other things. Are you willing to have this dedication?

* Self-discipline helps you get more done. By cutting out time wasters in your day, you can accomplish more every day and reach your goal sooner. Without the self-discipline to stick to a task, you can be easily distracted by less important details. Are you willing to remove these distractions?

* Self-discipline helps you have greater focus. By shutting out the things that take you away from your work, you can focus on what is most important. You can’t say yes to everything and everyone; you must be able to focus on one thing at a time and do it well.

In “The Science of Self-Discipline” Kerry Johnson teaches proven-effective techniques that empowers you to exercise self-discipline Automatically.

Focus is nearly impossible to achieve without self-discipline, and goals are nearly impossible to achieve without focus. Are you willing to focus intensely on your goals?

The keys to self-discipline are simple. If you make a commitment to someone, keep it. If you make a commitment to yourself, guard it with your life!

* If you break a commitment to yourself, remember that you are human. You need to prioritize your commitments to yourself in the same way you prioritize other people’s needs.

Part of self-discipline is self-respect. In order to live the life you truly desire, you need to care for yourself properly.

Respect every part of yourself:

1. Respect your body. Pay attention to the signals your body sends you. We’re masterfully created, and your body will tell you when something is out of balance. Listen to the signals and treat yourself with VIP handling to be the strongest and most productive you can be!

* Consider adding exercise or yoga to your daily routine to help you achieve balance in your body and mind.

2. Nurture your mind by filling it with positive, engaging information.

* Read books for the sheer joy of learning.
* Engage in meaningful discussions with people of all backgrounds and philosophies.
* Avoid negative people and conversations.
* Listen to joyful, uplifting music instead of letting the television flood your mind with commercialism and negativity.

3. Respect the spiritual part of yourself. It’s important to feel connected to something larger than you are. Connect with your Creator by meditating, praying or spending time in nature.

* Attend worship services at a local church, if that’s part of your belief system.
* Allow the spiritual side of yourself to become stronger and more important to you.
* Base decisions on the greater good rather than simply what feels good at the time.

4. Respect your physical health. Taking good care of your health requires self-discipline. Your body will help you accomplish amazing things if you treat it properly!

* Eat a healthy diet.
* Get plenty of rest and exercise.
* Strive to maintain a healthy weight.
* Refuse to smoke.
* Avoid over indulging in caffeine or alcohol.

5. Respect your time. This includes your work time, family time, playtime and personal time. Make space in your life for every area. Schedule family time and alone time just as you do work time and other obligations.

* By adding everything to your written agenda, you create a priority within yourself and self-discipline helps you stick to your priorities.

If you want to live your life to the fullest and achieve your goals, self-discipline is a must. Learning how to control your impulses and make strong decisions is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Self-discipline can bring you the life you always wanted.

Specific – Measurable – Attainable – Realistic – Time Bound

Specific
Specific tells exactly what you want to achieve by answering the why, how, when and where of your goal.  The clearer your goal, the better odds you have of achieving it. It should be so clear that a child would be able to tell you when you have achieved it. Remember Clarity equals Success!!!

Measurable
You should be able to track and measure your progress along the way. Each measured success builds momentum and motivation as it lets you know you are moving in the right direction.

Attainable
If it is, possible that one person can achieve this goal then YOU CAN too! Be confident that you can and will achieve your goal. The only goal that is never reached is the one that you give up on.  (A goal that would be unattainable would be something in the area of “I want to end hunger in the world” or “I will create world peace”.)

Realistic
Your subconscious needs to believe that it is realistic and possible for you to achieve it. Continue to build your confidence in achieving your goal by reading your goal daily, affirmations, visualization and writing down what achieving your goal will look and feel like

Time Bound
Your goal needs a deadline. They help you to track your progress and keep you focused. Deadlines are not set in stone. Do your very best to achieve your goal on time, but be flexible enough to extend the deadline if you need to.
Download your free SMART Goals Workseet

Example of a SMART Goal:

If your goal is to be healthier, your goal might look something like this:

Specific – I wear size 10 clothing, Exercise an hour a day for 6 days a week, and eat at least 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Measurable – In the above statement you can measure where you are now in relation to wearing a size 10, exercising an hour a day and eating 9 servings of fruits and vegetables. Where are you now? Begin achieving your goal with smaller measureable actionable baby steps that you can easily attain such as eating one fruit daily.

Attainable – Being healthier is an achievable goal, regardless of your age, sex and current weight

Realistic – Being healthier is realistic for almost every person alive.

Time Bound – How long will it take you to achieve the goal? What baby steps can you take to achieve the greater goal? Set a deadline.

Create Your Goal Statement:

“By December 31st I am healthier than I have been. I feel more energetic and alive.  I am comfortable in size 10 clothing. I enjoy exercising an hour each day and alternate cardio and strength training. I eat a minimum of 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day and enjoy trying new recipes”
Download your free SMART Goals Workseet

2. Break down long-term goals into several small short-term goals. “I will save $2,400 this year” can become “I will save $46.15 each week.”

3.  Find your why? Why do you want to achieve this goal? What will it mean to you? Are there any negatives about achieving the goal? Do some soul searching. The stronger “WHY” you have to achieve the goal, the motivated you will be to succeed.

4.  Be clear about what you want. “I want to find a job” is way too vague. “I will obtain a job in the legal field that will help me to expand and grow” holds more punch.

5.  Do not keep your goal a secret. By sharing it with people you trust, they will be able to encourage you to keep on going when things get tough.

6.  Write your goal each day. Preferably, with pen and paper, though you can type it on your computer. This cements your goal into your subconscious and builds a strong belief that you can and will achieve it.

7.  Read your goal aloud to yourself each day. Say it with conviction and feeling.

8. State affirmations daily. If you have a hard time believing your affirmation, use questions. Instead of affirming, “I feel confident that I will earn $100,000 a year.” Ask yourself “Why do I feel confident in my ability to earn $100,000 a year?”

9.  Meditate every day. Meditation clears the mind and allows your imagination to be creative in giving you inspired action to take that will speed up your success. Meditation also helps you to stay focused and reduces stress.

10.  Question yourself. When you begin to doubt yourself ask yourself what limiting belief has formed to create the doubt. Is this belief true? Who would you be without the belief? Are you willing to let go of it?

Get your Free SMART Goals Worksheet

11. Search out people that have achieved the goal you are working on. Learn what they did and pick out steps that make sense to you and incorporate them into action items.

12. Brainstorm ideas that can help you achieve your goals faster. Get out a sheet of paper and begin listing everything that you can think of that can help you achieve your goal. You could include items such as learning something new or interviewing people that have succeeded.

13. Visualize yourself achieving your goal. How do you feel? Where are you? Who is with you? What do you look like? What are you wearing? What do you see? What do you hear? Take a few minutes every morning and night – just before falling to sleep, really enjoy the feeling of success!

14. Let go of perfection. NO ONE is perfect – nope, not even you. Aiming for perfection creates success and keeps your talents and goals hidden. Know that things are not supposed to be perfect. Do the best you can and go on to the next step. Imperfection is what makes the world go round and keeps things new and exciting.

15. Be Flexible! Allow freedom for miracles to happen in your life. If your goal is to earn $100,000, do not be specific to every detail of how it will happen. Remember that there are millions of ways to achieve any goal and the way you are thinking, may not be the fastest, easiest or the most fun path to take.

16. Take Action! Regardless of how clear you are about your goal, or how much you visualize and affirm, ACTION is required to achieve any goal. Take some form of action every single day that propels you closer to your dream.

17. REWARD each and every success! This builds self-confidence and cements the belief that you will achieve everything you set your mind to.

18. Be persistent. Do not give up. See yourself blasting through challenges. The challenges you face builds your confidence and creates growth.

Get your Free SMART Goals Worksheet

You would not be able to draw a straight line from Los Angeles to New York and travel in a straight path. You’d have to look a the highways to determine your route. You might also consider any landmarks that you might want to see along the way.

When you begin your journey in Los Angeles you will not be able to see New York. You begin your journey in faith that the roads will take you there, one mile at a time.

To get there you would be traveling approximately 2800 miles. You would drive on more than 20 highways and through at least 11 states; California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. You would drive through small towns, large cities, deserts, mountains and forest. Depending upon the time of year you were driving you would face various weather conditions.

During your journey you may meet many obstacles, such as traffic, car problems, road work and detours. You may also see signs along the way and choose to take another route because something you just hear about sounds inspiring and interesting to you.

Depending upon the obstacles you face, how many times you stop for food and gas, how fast you drive and how often you stop to rest you can expect to arrive in New York anywhere from three to seven days. During the entire journey you have confidence that you will arrive at your destination and are not concerned about the length of time it takes to get you there. You enjoy the trip, the scenery and all the wonderful new things that you get to see and experience.

Think of your goals in the same way. There may be times when your attention needs to be elsewhere. There will be times that you feel inspired to do something, that you may not even realize have the potential to help you get closer to your goal. Regardless of where you are in your journey, take time to appreciate and be grateful for where you are, what you have accomplished, and the beauty that surrounds you.

Did you know that you can get  unstoppable confidence to achieve your goals in your life journey.

The goals you set in life are a similar journey.

1. You need to decide upon your destination – What do you want? Where do you want to arrive?

2. Draw up a plan to get there. Figure out what will be needed to get you there. Leave room for flexibility to see the sights and take in the beauty of the life.

3. Start driving – Take Action! Be consistent with your actions. Know that you might take side trips or be held up by some road work, but don’t stop in middle of the road and turn back. Be patient and find the detour around the road block and keep taking action.

With confidence and persistence you will reach your goals during your life  journey one step at a time.

Do you go about your daily life just getting by from one day to the next, all the while saving your dream goals for “someday?”

Wouldn’t you love to turn that “someday” into today?

Your personal goals can become reality, and sooner than you think, too!

By believing in yourself and taking decisive action, even if it’s one small step at a time, you can wake up one day soon and find that you’re living the life of your dreams.

What’s your biggest reason for putting off your goals until a later date?

Is it because your goals are unattainable or require a tremendous change from the life you’re living now?

The good news is, even with such large goals, you can get yourself on the right track by consistently allocating a little free time toward these goals.

Here Are Eight Tips for Bringing Your Personal Goals to Reality:

1. Clarify your goals. Instead of thinking of your goals as vague ideas, determine exactly what you want. If you want money, how much do you want? If you want to lose weight, how much? Specify your goal in a measurable format.

2. Make a solid plan. The planning phase is very important. This is where you figure out how you’re going to get what you want. It’s as simple as choosing a path toward your goal and writing down each step you’ll need to take to achieve it.

3. Hold yourself to deadlines. Give yourself a reasonable amount of time to achieve each step and hold yourself accountable. When the going gets tough, just picture that big payoff you’ll enjoy when you get past your hurdles and achieve your goal.

4. Be prepared to deal with setbacks. Expect the unexpected. Sometimes, things go awry. When facing a setback, learn what you can from the situation and then fight your way back into the game. Most importantly, continue to believe in yourself. Each challenge you overcome makes you stronger.

5. Explore your options. Sometimes when your circumstances in life change, your priorities also change, and that’s okay! Never be afraid of reevaluating your situation and your goals. If you decide to take a different path in life, it’s your decision. Make new goals, and corresponding plans, for your new journey.

6. Be serious about your goals. When you feel that your goals are a priority, it’ll be easier for you to avoid procrastination. Taking your wants and needs seriously could make all the difference between reaching your goals or not.

7. Break your goal into smaller pieces. This tip is especially important when you’re pursuing a large goal. For example, if your goal is to go after a career that involves a great deal of specialized training, then make each type of training a goal in itself. Celebrate as you complete each step because you’re now one step closer to your dream!

8. Get the help you need. There are many people willing to help you reach your goals in life. Whether it’s someone to lean on to give you an extra confidence push, or someone to outsource work to, it’ll show you that you can count on others for help. With help, you can accomplish more.

It all comes down to your attitude. Once you’ve got your goals organized, if you have a positive mindset about achieving them, you’ll also have the drive necessary to keep working until you reach success. Take these strategies to heart, and live the life you desire – and deserve!

Time management today integrates diverse methods of recording time, helping to identify obstacles to the efficient use of time. Constructive use in making long and short term goals is the best and easiest way to manage time. There are numerous methods that can be used to help organize and prioritize the goals to be achieved.

The major element in the overall effective use of time is incorporating essentials of the goal setting process. By setting goals and implementing them, in your professional and personal life, you can effectively manage your time and, as a result, become more productive.

“Goals” is a term that includes many specific obligations that need to be accomplished by a certain time-frame; such as household chores on the personal side, and important professional proposals on the professional side. Depending on the amount of time you have to finish them, these obligations are either short-term, medium-term, or long-term.

Short term goals would be your daily goals such as household chores and projects that need to be finished immediately. Using effective management in short-term goals means that a list is created and each goal on that list is completed on a daily basis.

Medium-term goals are usually goals that need to be accomplished in one week to one month. Depending on the amount of time needed to complete these goals, they can be broken down in smaller segments, which you would complete on a daily basis. For example, if you have a project that needs 6 to 7 hours to complete over a one week period, you could break it down into one hour per day increments.

Long-term goals generally take months or years to complete. They would include such things as getting a college degree over a four year period or building your own house over a 6 month period. Long-term goals can and should be broken down into daily, weekly, monthly and even yearly segments.

Let’s take the example of a four year college degree. You will need to research your financial options, register for classes, take and pass required subjects, complete your homework, etc. Thus long-term goals are made easier and less daunting when broken down into smaller segments and completing them one step at a time until the final goal is reached — in this case, your college degree.

Effective time management skills include setting deadlines. Its important to set shorter deadlines for each phase of your long term goals by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable parts. This is the planning process and it requires that you make a commitment to yourself to meet your long term goals.

• “I want to make a lot of money”
• “I want to be happy”
• “I want to travel”
• “I want to find Mr/Ms Right”
• “I want to own my own home”
• “I want a good job”

What’s wrong with these answers?

They are too generic.  Doesn’t everyone want these things?

You need to dig deeper than these generic answers to determine what it is you really want.

What is a lot of money to you? Exactly how much money do you want to have in the bank? How much do you want to invest? How much do you want to earn? How much will it take each month for you to live the lifestyle you want to live?

Great – You want to be happy … What makes you happy?  Singing, dancing, writing, talking, fishing, golfing, bowling, watching TV, creating, crocheting, sewing, reading??? Where are you the happiest at? Who are you the happiest with?

You want to travel … Where do you want to travel – the next city? Certain cities around the world? Which continents? Which countries? Which States? What do you want to do and see while you’re there?  How do you want to travel – by foot? By train? By plane? By car?

Ahhh you want to find Mr/Ms Right. It’s everyone’s dream to find their soul mate and live happily ever after.  You need to determine exactly what Mr/Ms Right looks like …  Does color of skin matter to you?  Occupation? Age? Hair? Figure?  What personality traits does he/she have … A good listener? A hard worker? Romantic? Likes the finer things in life? What sports does he/she like or dislike? Fitness level? Hobbies? Food tastes?

Owning your own home is one of the all American dreams that are shared by many around the world.  Where do you want your home to be? How many stories? How many bedrooms? Baths? Is it a condo or a single family dwelling? Lots of property or just a small yard? Pool or no pool? What type of flooring? What type of countertops? Is it on the beach? On a lake? In the country? In the city?

Wanting a “good job” stems from the old paradigm that you need to grow up, get a good job and you’ll be happy.  Jobs are not security like they were once believed to be.  What is a good job to you? Is it the pay or what you are doing? Do you want to work for yourself or someone else? Do you want to work for a large company? A small company? The government?  What will your job offer you?

Many people are very unhappy today – because they have taken the first job they found and went with it ….

Why do you want it?

After you determine exactly what you want, you need to identify EVERY reason possible that you want it.  Every single benefit that it will give you.  What joy will it bring you and why?  Your reasons need to be personal.  The personal you make it the better chance you have of achieving it.

Time to get busy!  Get out a piece of paper and find out what you really want and why you want it. Or better yet sign up for coaching session with Cindy.

Self-improvement products include everything from high priced seminars to moderately priced books.  You’ll find a variety of authors, motivational speakers and programs.  The methods and tools used are just as varied. Each of them has something unique to offer you in your path to self-growth.

5 Steps for Self-Growth

1.  Identify the Cause
Look to the past to see how you got where you are today.  For example if your goal is to lose weight then determine what lifestyle factors contributed to your current weight.  It’s important to write down everything you can think of.  This allows you to step back and analyze your list.  With list in hand you can easily see what changes need to be made in order to achieve your desired outcome.

2.  Goal Setting
You need to have a clear goal.  Use the S.M.A.R.T. method when making your goals.  The clearer your goal – the more chances you have of achieving it.

3.  Make a Plan
Formulate a plan in detail, listing each step you need to take action on to reach your goal.  A good place to start is by using the list of lifestyle factors you wrote in the first step.  Expand on these to incorporate as much detain as possible to achieve your self-improvement goal.

4.  Focus and Commitment
Be committed to achieving your goal.  Stay persistent and you will achieve the results you desire.  Set aside a block of time each day to work on your plan.  Don’t allow distractions of everyday life to get in your way.  Working on your goals each day will soon become a habit and be much easier to stick too.

5.  Look for Inspiration
For inspiration look to others that have achieved what you desire. Remember there’s really nothing new.  Don’t try to reinvent the wheel.  There are other people that have overcome the same personal development challenges as your own.  You can also find inspiration and motivation in the form of books, seminars and courses.

* * *

Self Growth is all about identifying the areas of your life that you want to change for the better.  It’s about having an attitude of continual self-improvement – knowing there’s always room for improvement.

By following the steps outline above, committing to the plan and taking action you can be assured of achieving your goals.  Your self confidence will increase with each small accomplishment.

Begin Your Self-Growth Plan Today – By determining what area of your life you would like to change.