NOTE: If you are looking for get rich quick, or name it and claim it tactics this is not the post for you.  If you want solid goal setting teaching then this is for you.

When you choose to set your goals, you are taking control of your life. You know what direction to go in and while the future is not completely clear, you know where ultimate destination is.

If you are a Christian reading this I want to say up front your biggest goal should be a deeper relationship with Christ.  That is the greatest goal for all professing Christians.  Through that relationship all goals should be set.

Most people do not set goals and they give several reasons:

• they are scared of what might happen
• they are afraid of the sacrifice
• they don’t know what to do once they are set
• they don’t want to do the work
• they don’t believe in themselves
• they don’t want invest the time
• they have been told Christians don’t set goals

The list really can go on and on.  You have to decide where you are willing to draw the line and start using self-control and discipline in your life.

Let’s Set Goals

Step 1 – Be absolutely honest about what you want.  Get a notebook if you don’t have a notebook get a sheet of paper for now and write down everything you want to be in life, everything you want to do in life, and everything you want to have in life.  This is the time when you need to get really honest with yourself and with God.  Ten years ago when I started setting goals my list was a lot different from what it is today.  I wanted a huge house, a new truck, and to be world-famous.  What that did was put me face to face with things I really didn’t want, but I thought I wanted.  God knows your heart before you even write it, so nothing you can put on this will be a surprise to Him.  Remember this, it is not usually the goal that we really want, but the feeling of how we believe the goal will make us feel.

This exercise should take about 30 minutes, so really go after it and write down everything you can think of.  If you are on the computer on of the apps I like to use to manage my time is Focus Booster it is a free app that times you for 25 minutes so you can take breaks and clear your head.

Step 2 – Put your goals into categories. This should take no more than 20 minutes to start.  Putting your goals into categories will help you see where you are focusing your life.  You can use Job, Business, Relationships, Family , Travel, Finances, Self, Personal, Volunteering, Vacation, Retirement, Spiritual, Education… the list really is endless, and some things will overlap.  Don’t make this harder than it is.  Job, Family, Spiritual, Kids, And Self can encompass a lot of things.  Just like the first step this can be modified later.  On of the great things about this process is, when you start thinking about it, you will think about it a lot and when you are laying in bed just about to go to sleep, the really big idea will pop into your head and the categories will get very specific.

Step 3 – Give your goals a time frame.  Decide how long each goal will take to achieve.  Use increments to decide.  I use 1 year, 3 years, 5 years, 10 years, and over 10 years.  Everything that is easy, goes in 1 year, everything that seems really hard right now goes into the over 10 years category.  Again this is not rocket science, you can make the categories into whatever you want, just don’t make them every year or every six months.  You don’t need that mush structure for this because it will drive you crazy.

Step 4 – Prioritize your goals. By prioritize I mean which 1 year goal is most important, and which is least.  Which 5 year goal is most important and which is least, and so on for all time increments. This may seem redundant but look at it this way.  If you have a five year goal that is a very high priority for you, you are more apt to work on that goal now, than a relatively minor year three goal.  Since most of my goals now involve travel, I have to decide if the new android tablet is a must now or should I put the money in to the travel savings account. Priorities keep you honest.

Step 5 – Are these goals morally right and fair to everyone involved? This question comes from Zig Ziglar and may be the most important question you can ask.  If your goals involve others, you need to discuss them and their outcome with everyone involved.

Finish up with these questions

• Are your goals clear?
• Are they balanced?
• Do they inspire you?

Do Your Best

Doing your best  is part of doing what you were created to do. You can not do better than your best, and you can only do your best at what you were created to do.  We are all unique, and have been given abilities to do things that no one else can do, and be someone no one else can be. You may not have been able to decide where you were born, but you can decide what you do with the life you have been given.

Think Small To Grow Big

We were all created for a reason.  While I can’t tell you what you were created to do,  I can tell you that you have a natural ability that only you can use.  You are in control of yourself, and you are in control of whether or not you use your gifts.  Our tagline is, “Get There, Stay There, And Pass It On.”  I use it because I know the only way to get to the top of the mountain is to start the climb.  Mountain climbers know that training and climbing smaller mountains is the key to success when climbing bigger mountains.  You will never climb Everest, if you have not first climbed a hill.  The same goes for your life, if you are not willing to do your best and climb the smaller hills first, you will never be a true success.

Thrive Where You Are

If you are beginning a small business or working from home, don’t give up the job you have now if you are not willing to do it to the best of your ability.  I see many people who are not happy where they are.  They have a bad boss, or bad people around them, or they just hate the job they have.  If this is you; my suggestion is to learn to do the job as best you can and if you are starting a business let the job be your seed money.  I know many other career/business coaches that will tell you to get out now if you hate the job because the pressure of being unemployed will drive you to do whatever it takes to get the business off the ground.  That may be true, but if it takes a year or more, you may run out of money  and in today’s economy you may not get a job if you need one.  So learn to do your best at the job you have, and do your best at the career you are creating until it can support you.

Give Only 100%

Many times we are hampered in doing our best by believing that doing more, is doing our best.  If you are trying to do more, or even less than you can, are you really doing your best?  If you do more than 100% you are probably skipping things and are out of balance in one or more areas of your life.  If you are doing less than 100% you are getting the benefit of someone elses work and that is just like stealing.  Give 100% to whatever you do.  If you can’t give 100% cut out things until you can give it to all you do.

Practice, Practice, Practice

This may seem childish but it is the only way to become the best at what you do.  If you want to speak in front of audiences then get in front of the mirror and talk.  If you want to play golf then get on the range and hit.  Michael Jordan didn’t learn to shoot playing video games, he went out and shot tens of thousands of baskets.  You have to as well.  If you want to teach a subject you have to read books and take notes.  The process is long but it has to be done.  Dr. John C Maxwell said this, “There is a price to pay for everything. You can either pay it now, or you can pay it later, but there will be a price paid.”

Success is built one accomplishment at a time. If you never do anything you will never accomplish anything.  So as you stand at the bottom, or the middle, or wherever you are on the mountain of life remember this.  You and only you can figure out what you have been created to do.  You and only you can decide to be a success at the job you have.  And, As long as there is breath in your lungs you have a choice about how high up the mountain you go. Decide what success looks like and start the climb today.

Image Via Wikimedia Under CC 2.5 Liscense

What You Get:

• Month 1) Personal Development – Become the person you truly desire to be by engaging in a life-long strategy of skills, knowledge and self-improvement (which will also place you in the upper echelon of your particular industry).
• Month 2) Goal-setting – Achieve a sense of purpose behind every action as well as multiply your long-term success quotient by having a set of clearly defined 10-year goals.
• Month 3) Health – Spiritual/Physical/Emotional - Improve your looks, confidence, energy, quality and length of life by having a consistent health/fitness philosophy and maintaining a health plan.
• Month 4) Money - Financial Independence/Getting Out of Debt/Saving/Giving – Place yourself ahead of 85% of the population and increase by 90% your odds of achieving financial independence by retirement age simply by having a sound financial philosophy and proven investment plan.
• Month 5) Relationships – Improve your ability to be a more effective and loving parent, spouse and friend by improving your relational skills.
• Month 6) Time Management – Gain between 10 and 15 additional forty-hour work weeks per year (multiply one to two hours a day by 365 days a year) by applying more productive time management methods each day.
• Month 7) Networking/Referrals – Tap into one of the greatest resources we posses as well as have a greater, more positive influence in the marketplace by utilizing our current relationships and networking base.
• Month 8 ) Selling/Negotiating – Increase your production by 10%-50% without investing more time or effort by improving your selling, networking and negotiation skills.
• Month 9) Communication/Presentation – Increase every level of performance related to your company, staff and individual performance, as well as all your personal relationships, by mastering the art of communication.
• Month 10) Leadership – Multiply your efforts and have a positive influence over a larger sphere of people by learning effective leadership and management skills.
• Month 11) Accelerated Learning – Quickly improve your skills and aptitude to gain and retain knowledge in any area (communication, time management, leadership, etc.) through Memory and Speed Reading techniques and more.
• Month 12) Legacy/Contribution – Take the time to apply your skills in making a difference in your community and world; something that will have an impact on future generations.

Receive 12 Conference Calls (one per month) with a specific focus and hosted by a Premier Expert in each of the 12 Pillars of Success including Jim Rohn, Chris Widener, Zig Ziglar, Nido Qubein, Vic Johnson, Loral Langemeier, Brian Tracy, Bob Burg, Ron White and Mark Sanborn

Now Is The Time To Start Your One Year Success Plan!