Goals! You Can Achieve More Than You've Ever Dreamed.

  Alright, so we are almost two months into 2011 and you haven't set your goals or you made a new year's resolution and it has already been declared a failure. It is never too late to get started.

  When I look back at the years that I have set goals and written them down compared to the years when I didn't have any goals, there is no question that when I set goals and wrote them down, I achieved far more that year.

  It is always a struggle because, after all, achieving our goals requires discipline and change. Any change is hard and perminant change is REALLY hard. But if you want to see success, true success in every area of your life, you will have to fight for it. I think, now more than ever, we all need goals.

  Here are a few reasons why I believe people don't set goals:

• They don't know how to set goals
• They are searching for the perfect way to set goals
• They are afraid of change
• They are afraid of failure
• They are afraid of success

  Whatever your reason for not setting goals in the past, let me urge you to just go for it and see what you can accomplish. Start by just setting a few small goals and work to achieve them and reward yourself once you have accomplished a goal.

"I find it fascinating that most people plan their vacations with better care than they plan their lives. Perhaps it's because escape is easier than change"   

    -Jim Rohn

  It is believed that only 3% - 5% of all people set goals and write them down. So, if you decide you are going to set goals and work them, you will be among a select group. Goals are used by top-level athletes, successful business people, and high achievers in all fields.

   

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments"     -Jim Rohn

  I have done alot of research on the subject of goal setting, but I am far from an expert. The following are some points that I have found to be the most helpful for me.

• Write them down with a deadline along with smaller manageable action steps to help you achieve the goal. Each action step should have a deadline as well. There are few specific ways to write the goal, but I prefer to write them in future tense, so for example, "I am losing 10 pounds by June 30th."
• Keep your goal list handy and read over them often, preferably every day.
• Create a goal board with pictures of your goals, maybe it's a picture of the new car you want. Visualize what it will look like or what you will feel like when you achieve that goal.
• Set short term and long term goals. For example, set 1 year goals, 5 year goals, and maybe even 10 year goals. For immediate action, try setting some 10 day goals.
• Set goals in different areas of your life. An example would be Business, Personal, Family, Financial, and Spiritual. You can obviously break this down to even more categories, but these have worked well for me.
• Make them Vibrant and Exciting.
• Make sure you have a powerful "Why" for each goal. Write it down in paragraph form and make sure it is your "why", not someone elses.
• Stay with it, if you slack off for a month or two, don't beat yourself up. Just get back to it and keep persisting
• Make your goals S.M.A.R.T. - this stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound (trackable)

  There are many good books out there on the subject of goal setting and there are many different ways to write goals and you have to find that way that works best for you. Even setting the smallest goal can have a huge affect on your life.
  I hope this helps and if any of your goals involve the buying or selling of real estate, I would be glad to help you.

To view all my listings in Bucks and Montgomery Counties, visit my website: http://www.patgarisrealtor.com/