If you are like most people, you make new year's resolutions every January and before Valentine's Day they are already forgotten, you lost interest or motivation and for some reason or another, they do not last all year. If you look, the word "resolution" means "decree," an almost irreversible decision you make regarding something.
The problem is that unless you are an absolutely excellent person in keeping your word with yourself and keeping your promises, these resolutions end up being words that are blown away by the wind. This is why instead of thinking about resolutions, a better alternative is to consider setting goals.
Setting goals is different than a resolution, because a goal, if it is well formed, is a plan with a detailed action plan, you decide what you want to achieve, you stay busy taking action focused on what you want to achieve UNTIL you achieve it.
There is something magical when you stop thinking about resolutions and start making powerful goals for yourself BUT as long as you do it the right way. In my experience working in the field of self-improvement, I realize that many people have a wrong sense of setting goals, they think that just by writing them, as if by magic, they will manifest.
I'm going to show you how to set powerful goals for yourself, which will help you stay focused until you reach them.
7 characteristics that your goals must have to achieve the results you are looking for
- Decide what you want to achieve and by when
Be specific and write it in detail. If it's a car of the year, what brand? How many doors? What color? Leather seats? For what date do you want to have it parked in front of your house?
If you are not specific and let's say you want a BMW, don't feel bad when what you receive is a Hyundai….in 10 years !!!! Be specific with what you want and when you want it. Your goal should be expressed with what you want and NOT with what you DO NOT want.
For example, if your goal is to lose weight, don't say: "I don't want to be fat." Your mind does NOT process negatives, only images. When you say "I don't want to be fat", what image do you have in your mind? Clear! that of a fat person and that is what you will continue to attract to your reality. To a great extent you are the result of the images that you keep in your mind.
One of the correct ways to express this goal would be: "By June 30, 20XX I weigh 145 pounds." Your goal must narrow you… it must take you out of your comfort place.
If your goal is too easy, then you will not grow. WATCH OUT! the opposite extreme can also be negative. There are people who set very high goals and spend their lives in «lalalandia». I have no problem thinking big, the fact is that many people freeze when they notice that their goal is much bigger than they are. This casually brings me to the next point. Determine what type of person you must become to achieve this goal
. What qualities of character should you develop? What new habits should you create? What new knowledge and skills should you acquire? Which new people should you meet?
Working with my coaching clients and thousands of people in my seminars, I am still amazed at the fact that many want to achieve great things, but are unwilling to grow.
I'm going to tell you something: Do not ask for cars, vacations, houses or luxuries… ask to become the type of person who attracts these things to your life, in this way your identity will not be tied to the material but to your greatness.
Believe me, when you do this, you can fully enjoy your achievements. You should be passionate about this goal
If thinking about your goal does not feel like butterflies in your stomach because of the emotion you feel for what you are going to create in your life, write them again until the fact of reading and thinking about them excites you. The best way to accomplish this is by writing the reason why you want to achieve this goal. Your goal must be ecological.
What I mean is that you must take into account how the other areas of your life will be affected (positively or negatively) when carrying out this goal (your work, or business, your family relationship, your health, your finances, etc.).
There are many entrepreneurs who achieve great goals in their businesses, but in the end they have no one to share their achievements with since they lost their partner and communication with their children since they were never present… do not let this happen to you. This goal should be broken down into mini-goals and actions.
One of the most important reasons most people do not achieve their goals is that they think they are too big and will never be achieved.
The real problem is that they do not realize that the goals are projects….a set of mini-objectives and actions that when finished fulfill the goal.
For example, if you work in a multi-level organization (like Amway) and your goal is to increase your income by 30%, mini-objectives would be to get 5 new members in your line and specific actions would be, go out to recruit next Monday to 10:00 am.
There you have it. If your goals have these 7 characteristics, you are automatically separating yourself from the 80% of people who live their lives far below their potential, who live at the mercy of circumstances instead of being protagonists of their own lives.
Now, to place yourself in the 3% of successful people, you only need one important ingredient where many stagnate: take ACTION!
I know many people who are excellent at shaping their goals, but fail at the most important step as they find thousands of excuses for not taking action. If you are one of these people, I recommend you examine your stories, or the excuses, or the reasons why you justify not taking action. If you work carefully on feature # 4, this will undoubtedly work for you, but if you need help, consider working with a Coach. I have my own coach and every successful person has worked with a coach.
As you may have noticed, this process is totally different from the famous new year's resolutions. Someone once said that the best way to predict the future is to create it.
Use these criteria to form your goals and without a doubt you will create the best of your years. This year do not accept less than you deserve. This year commit to creating your future according to what you decide and not what others want for you. This year face your fears and your limiting beliefs there is greatness in you. This year don't listen to "vampires" who want to steal your energy and your dreams, finding fault with you and not believing in you. This year can be the beginning of the best of your life if you want it to be so, if you choose to do so and if you are committed.
Are you? I think so.
