Setting and achieving your goals

Setting and achieving your goals can be one of the most stressful and sometimes futile things you ever do in your life.

Each new year brings new resolutions. People make unrealistic promises to themselves knowing that many of them are sure to be broken. But we do it anyway, because it is a tradition that has been passed down through many generations.

There are several ways to plan for reaching your goals that can greatly increases your chances for success and reduce the amount of stress involved.

First, you must understand that while goals should be written down, they need not be etched in stone. For instance, say that you want to lose 20 pounds in the next two months, and two months later, you have only lost 15 pounds.

Many people would see this as a failure, get depressed, and go back to their unhealthy habits. The results are predictable. They gain back the weight they lost (or more) and end up back at square one.

Achieving one of your goals is like driving to a different city. You never travel in a straight line. You make turns, take detours, and sometimes get lost (although most men would never admit to this). Do you go back home and start over? Of course not. You just make adjustments from your current location.

Taking the above example once again, losing 15 pounds instead of 20 is not failure! Absolutely not. You simply need to make the necessary adjustments in your goal and continue on. Instead of dwelling on your inability to lose 20 pounds, consider that you now only need to lose five pounds. Since you just lost 15 pounds in two months, losing five more in the next month should be a snap. But if you do not, you simply make the necessary adjusts once again from that point. Each goal gets easier and easier.

You should also make reasonably achievable goals. If you need to lose 100 pounds, do not plan to lose it in the next six months. That is not only unreasonable, it can be dangerous to your health. However, losing 100 pounds in 12 months breaks down to slightly less that two pounds per week. That is certainly within reason.

If your goal is to earn a million dollars in the next year, that is admirable. But have you thought about how you are going to do that? If you are starting from scratch, that may not be a reasonable goal. Perhaps you should start by building a foundation first and shooting for your first million dollars next year.

Of course, if you plan on making a million dollars next year and only make 20 dollarss, you only have $999,980 to go.

Leigh Everett

Success University

Procrastination is almost a way of life for many people, but it's hard to know exactly why people procrastinate.

When people procrastinate, they are usually putting off doing something that will be a benefit, but for some reason there is more energy put forth to put off the task than to do it. This is a very bad habit and is one reason many people do not achieve their dreams.

Procrastination is an easy way of putting off goals and dreams for another time; goals and dreams that you want to come true, but something is holding you back. There may be a subconscious fear of failure, or a fear of change that is stronger than the goal of success. If you want success badly enough you will face your fears and decide to start immediately doing those things you have put off for so long.

Here's the quickest way to get started:

First, make a list of all the things you need to do that you have been putting off, you probably have this "to do" list already drafted in your office. Then, go to a quiet place where you will not be interrupted for about 20 minutes. Go through each item on the list and write down your excuse(s) for not having completed the task already. Maybe there is a money problem, or you do not think you have enough education or the proper qualifications. Whatever it is, just write it down and do not worry about how it will be resolved right now.

Next, go through the list again and write down the benefits you currently enjoy because you are procrastinating on these tasks. Yes, you are receiving a benefit for not doing the task; otherwise you would have done it by now. For example, if you wrote down that you do not have enough education, then the benefit you are receiving right now by not getting an education is that you have more money than you would if you were spending it on school. Another benefit of this same item is that you have more time to do what you want, instead of spending it in school. Remember the old saying "time is money." Are you really making enough money in your current position to make it worth the time spent there?

Finally, look at all the reasons you have listed as excuses for procrastinating, and the benefits you are receiving. Do these still make sense? This is the time to sit down again and make a plan - a plan that you will stick to and not put off for any longer. Now is the time to make a "to do" list that you will actually do! First, while they are still in your thoughts, quickly write down a list of things you will do to make your dreams a reality. Then, go through the list again and put them in the order you will do them (example: Do you need to get a loan before you can go to college?) Also, write down the date that you will complete each item.

Now that you have your work cut out for you in a manageable way, go out and make your dreams come true!

Success University

To Be Successful, You Must Stay Motivated!

If you surveyed 50 people asking each their definition of success, chances are you would receive fifty different answers. Even so, there are certain steps everyone must follow in order to be successful. One of the most important is - staying motivated.

Do you have a new job? Have you started your own business? Are you in the process of earning a degree? Do you have the desire to lose weight? If one of these scenarios are a recent event in your life, you are probably still excited about the opportunity. That also probably means you are motivated, as well. Excitement and motivation, often, work hand in hand.

But, how do you stay motivated after several weeks or months have gone by? How do you maintain the same level of excitement that you had when you began your new adventure?

There are many things you can do to stay motivated. It is important to set aside a few minutes or more, each day, in an effort to keep your motivation level at its highest. There will be days that you may feel less motivated then usual. Let's face it; we all have a bad day now and then. So, by doing all that you can to maintain a positive attitude, your "down days" will probably be few and far between.

Read a book. There are hundreds of books that have been written on the topic of motivation. Visit your local bookstore or library and browse the shelves. Ask the clerk or librarian for author and title recommendations. Both will be happy to help you.

If you have a busy schedule, don't despair. Set aside 15 or 20 minutes each day. Even if you only read a few pages, during that time, it WILL help to keep you motivated. I do it and can attest to the fact that it really DOES work!

If you are in the process of achieving a goal such as weight loss or top salesperson, make a "dream board". A dream board is a poster, of sorts. If a trimmer figure is your goal, cut out pictures of the new wardrobe you will someday buy.

If you dream of out-selling your peers, find pictures of your dream home or vacation destination... of the new car you would LOVE to drive. Make a collage with these pictures and hand it somewhere where you will see it each day.

There are many other things you can do to stay motivated. Believe in yourself. Stay healthy. Maintain a positive attitude.

You will be amazed at what you can achieve!

Leigh Everett

Success University

Taking a Chance on Healthy living

One of the most important aspects of living a healthy and prosperous life is understanding "risk." By this I mean knowing how to understand and analyze situations in life that affect health. Being able to accurately weigh benefits and risks when making health decisions is very important! Too often decisions are based on incomplete or inaccurate information and this is a huge mistake with significant consequences!

Failure to accurately assess risk keeps people locked in all kinds of unhealthy situations including poor eating and exercise habits (lifestyle), relationships and jobs. Sometimes people are just afraid to step out and make a change. They see "risk" in making a change when the REAL risk comes from NOT making a change. From my perspective, living with the stress, unhappiness and frustration of indecision and poor health is the greatest risk of all, and one that is definitely not worth taking!

Accessing "risk" is nothing more than collecting information, weighing the alternatives and then making appropriate decisions based on the information.

Some risks to our health are more "real" than others. For example, it is common knowledge that obesity is associated with a wide variety of health problems. On the other hand, there are some health risks that are so remote we rarely think about them. On a practical level, eating highly processed foods and avoiding a daily dose of fresh fruits and vegetables is rarely considered serious. But, as too many have already discovered, the long range consequences of this practice are real and devastating.

Failure to accurately assess risk limits us in many ways. We imagine the "risk" of talking with our children about drugs, dating or sex and we put off having the "talk," even though the risks of NOT talking are infinitely greater. Fear of flying and public speaking are two more "risks" affecting millions of people. But practically speaking, these fears are unfounded. People ride in cars every day, even though cars are far more dangerous than commercial aircraft! It's a failure to accurately assess risk, and it limits our health, prosperity and pleasure in life.

The goods news is that failure to accurately access risk is reversible! The effects of those decisions to eat inappropriately or NOT to exercise are, as the common expression goes, "do-overs." We can effect positive change in our lives by following a few simple steps to accurately access risk:

1. Accurately define your present situation and access your health "risks". Are you eating a healthy diet? Are you getting enough exercise and good quality sleep? What are the consequences if you DON'T change? Weigh the benefits of healthier living vs the potential risks such as increased cost, inconvenience or discomfort.

2. What do you stand to gain if you change your present circumstances? Assess the "up-side" potential. Too often we look only at the "downside" risk and forget the benefits. What good things might happen if you take the risk and win?

3. Limit the "down-side" if you happen to make a wrong decision. Don't continue down a path if it does not produce results. This is especially important when following weight loss programs. If the pounds are not coming off or if the weight loss is only temporary, find a new program! You not only want to lose weight, but want to sustain the weight loss for as long as possible. Take steps to ensure this will happen. Clear, concise, realistic objectives will definitely help.

4. Reduce your risk by being smart! Understand the situation and seek the advice of experts in the field of health and nutrition. This includes finding and forming partnerships to receive support and get good advice.

5. Have a fall-back position. If the decision you make fails to produce the desired results, be prepared to take a long, hard look at the circumstances and be prepared to change what you are doing.

Everything in life involves some element of risk. Driving your car, meeting someone new, crossing the street...but we do them every day. Winners in life are willing to accept the risk and continue on their way! Get involved, be smart about how you play the game, come prepared for a few failures along the way, but don't quite. You will reap the benefits for your effort and live a happier and healthier life. I like to remember the words of the great Winston Churchill when he said, "Never, never, never give up!"

Leigh Everett

Success University

Having a Strong Sense Of Self Confidence

A good number of women who are attacked are chosen because of the way they presented themselves. Something about their posture told the assailant, “here is a weak woman, I can take her”. If you are scared out of your gourd, it will show.

Low self esteem or fearfulness looks like slouched shoulders; head down, arms folded in front or in pockets. Confidence looks like walking tall, shoulders back, head up, eye to eye contact, arms at the side. One statistic revealed that those trained in martial arts are less likely to ever be attacked because of the way they carry themselves. They’ve been trained to defend themselves and to not take a weak position. They have confidence.

Try this experiment. The next time you’re in a public place, mall, grocery store, the beach, no matter, walk past all the people and look them directly in the eye. You might want to smile a little or offer a “how ya doin’?” so they don’t think you’re stalking them. You’ll be amazed at the number of people who will not look at you. They’ll look down or away but not at you. Of course, in some cultures it’s not proper to look people in the eye. Be sensitive to that. But in many circles you will find it hard to find 10 people who will look at you.

By you looking at them, in some subconscious way you’re communicating that you are not afraid. You’re not sending nonverbal clues that you lack confidence. To get into the practice of always looking people in the eye, take it one step further and see what color eyes they have. It only takes a quick glance, you’re not starring down people but if you make an effort to determine eye color, you can be confident that you’re properly looking people head on in the eyes.

Get your hands out of your pockets when you walk. Uncross those arms that are locked across your chest. Not only does it look stronger and friendlier to have open arms, it’s safer. Should the need arise that you need to thwart off a would-be attacker; you’re going to need your arms to free yourself. How easy it is for one to come up from behind you and grab you if your arms are tucked neatly away? You’re just making it easy. How can you poke out eyeballs, or jab Adam’s apples or throw an elbow to the ribs if your arms are hugging yourself.

“But I AM scared,” you confess. There are two things you can do about that. One is take some self defense classes and learn how to not be afraid. The other and immediate method to change how you project yourself is to fake it until you make it. You may be scared out of your wits, but if you get the self talk going, “I am NOT afraid” and get the body language to follow it, head up, shoulders back, arms open, then you’re at least giving the allusion that you are not a weak prey.

Half of your battle is in the mind. Do something about it.

Leigh Everett

Success University

"Success In Any Entrepreneurial Endeavor Is Contingent On A Simple Truth: Learning Does Not Always Require Thinking."

Actually, thinking often hinders learning. Hinders learning? That flies in the face of most of what we know, doesn't it? As children we were often reproached when we made mistakes: "You just weren't thinking! Don't you ever think about what you're doing?"

Then there's the most successful personal development book of all time telling us to do what? ...That's right, "Think and Grow Rich". True it is a fantastic book and a must read for success minded people. But many of us get so tangled in thoughts that we can't get out of our "heads" and take the action required for success.

Socrates, one of the greatest "thinkers" of all time, said, "Action equals knowledge." Action, not thinking, is how we achieve results. Take playing the piano for instance. We could think about playing the piano but we will never become better until we start pecking away at the keys. If you were to ask an accomplished pianist to think about what they are playing in the middle of a rapturous concert, the music would probably fall apart into a series of painfully disconnected notes.

Same is true with typing. Ask a person who flawlessly types over 70 words a minute to think about the key strokes, and you could probably watch the mistakes pile up. Thinking hinders execution. Thinking can hinder success. The fact of the matter is we can intellectualize all we want, but until we take action we will never accomplish anything.

There is a mantra in the martial arts that says "Ready, Fire, Aim". Simply put, this means take action and correct that action as you go. It is quite probable that many businesses never get out of the starting gate because of over-thinking and over analyzing. Most people want all their ducks to be lined up in a row before they begin. This will never happen. The time will never be perfect. The key is to get started and then "keep on keeping on."

In the martial arts, students practice moves over and over and over again. They train their bodies to transcend thought and take action in the moment. Imagine a trained martial artist getting attacked on the street thinking, "Hmm, okay I'm being attacked. Should I turn my body this way or should it be the other way? Okay, now I have to trap the assailments arms, tighten my fists, pull back, and strike."

Of course this is not what happens in the martial arts. The key teaching in the martial arts is to ACT. NOW! ...In spite of the mind's tenancy to analyze the situation.

The worst kind of thinking is fear of failure. The "What if" disease. "What if I fail? What if people laugh at me? What if I lose all my money? What if, what if, what if?

Fear is paralyzing. It stops the movement necessary for success. Fear weakens our resolve, cripples our creativity, and ultimately stagnates our successes. Conversely, movement overcomes fear. When struck by fear, move. Do something!

So, don't wait to explore your entrepreneurial spirit; take action now. When those pesky thoughts creep up, and they will, scare them away with the mantra, "Don't think, don't think, don't think, don't think..." and watch your dreams and goals cascade toward you.

What is the bottom line? "Don't think and grow rich."

Leigh Everett

Success University