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6
Surefire Ways to Achieve Your Goals for
2005 |
by:
Lorraine
Pirihi |
Hope
you had a good rest and are all fired up
for the year ahead.
Whilst you were sitting on the beach or
lazing around during your time off, which
of the following changes to your life did
you decide to make this year?
To have the body of Elle McPherson or Nathan
Buckley
Find a stimulating job
Take up a sport or hobby
Buy your dream home
Travel to an exotic destination
Have more time with your family
Establish your own business
Double your income
Become involved in the community
Develop your creativity
Improve your skills
Create a plan for your financial future
Have more fun
Enhance your current relationship or find
a new partner
All of the above
To help you channel your energy into achieving
this year's goals, here are some practical
ways to get started. After all, there is
no reason why you shouldn't start immediately,
is there?
How to Get Started
1. Write a list of what you want to achieve
this year.
2. Make sure what you've written down is
specific, measurable and attainable. e.g.
Lose 5 kgs
. ..by 30/2/05.
3. Write no.1 against the most important
goal. Write no.2 against the next most important
goal.
Continue numbering the rest of the goals.
4. Look at the goal with no.1 next to it.
i.e. lose 5 kilos. Start a separate list
with the heading . .. Lose 5 kilos. by 28/2/05
5. Write down the action steps you need
to take to achieve this goal:
a. Join gym
b. Decide which specific days and times
you will attend
c. Purchase gym gear
d. See nutritionist
6. Enter the action steps into your diary/electronic
organiser on the day(s) you will do these:
Jan 15th - join gym
Jan 16th - book nutritionist
Attend gym Monday/Wednesday/Friday at 6.00
a.m.
Ensure when you book time for yourself in
your diary you treat it as a top priority.
Unless there is an earthquake or equally
devastating disaster occurring, keep that
time sacred.
To ensure your goals are achieved it is
imperative to write them down and then plan
the appropriate steps to take in your diary.
Otherwise your goals could end up being
wishful thinking!
Goal/Dream Chart
Having visual reminders is a great way to
prompt and keep you motivated to follow
through. Cut out a picture of the body you'd
like to have from a magazine and stick a
photo of your head on top of it. Alternatively
if you want to recapture the way you were
some time ago, find an old photo of yourself.
You can place these on your desktop, car
dashboard and the fridge at home.
Do this for your other goals (minus the
head). In fact having a dream chart with
pictures or words of the things you want
to achieve is a great stimulus for your
sub-conscious mind. Sticking these reminders
onto green paper is even more effective.
I have one of these in my office and guess
what? It actually works!
Action Is The Key
Once you've identified what you want, written
it down, planned when you will take action
and done your goal/dream chart, nothing
will happen unless you get off your butt
and take action towards those goals.
Avoid the 'Too Much Too Soon' Syndrome
Often people try making many changes at
once then get disillusioned because there
are too many things to do and just give
up. If you've done this in the past, tackle
one goal at a time. If you really have difficulty
going it alone, you may benefit from using
the services of a coach like myself who
will keep you on track. The right person
will help you accelerate your success.
Jenny's Story
One of my clients was extremely overweight
by at least 30 kilos. Apart from her business
goals, losing the weight was her highest
priority .or so she said. We looked at her
diet and exercise and worked out a plan,
according to what she was committed to do.
Notice here I've said committed. Over the
three months I worked with Jenny she was
like most people in this area.inconsistent.
She'd exercise regularly and eat healthily
for a couple of weeks and then make excuses
as to why she couldn't or wouldn't stick
to the plan.
There was no reason why she couldn't achieve
her weight loss goal, after all the program
we worked out together was easy to do. A
few changes to her eating habits, regular
exercise and planning would do the trick.
The only challenge was Jenny. She wouldn't
consistently do it. It all boiled down to
that she wasn't serious enough about losing
the weight and was not prepared to make
the changes.yet. I did suggest seeing a
nutritionist or making contact with a specific
weight loss organisation to provide her
with continuing support. However, Jenny
was adamant that she could manage herself.
After three months of coaching, Jenny lost
5 kilos. It was certainly better than nothing,
however she could have lost much more if
only she took the necessary action, consistently.
A few weeks later I rang Jenny to see how
she was progressing with the various changes
she had made through coaching. She excitedly
told me she had finally got her act together
as a result of the progress she had made
with me, joined Weightwatchers and lost
another 20kgs! She got committed.
Dare to Fail
In Billi Lim's bestselling book "Dare to
Fail" he shares the following story:
A woman once walked up to a little old man
rocking in a chair on his porch.
"I couldn't help noticing how happy you
look", she said. "What's the secret for
a long happy life?'
"I smoke three packs of cigarettes a day',
he said. "I also drink a case of whisky
a week, eat fatty foods and never exercise."
"That's amazing, the woman said. "How old
are you?"
"Twenty-six", he said.
The Final Word
You too can achieve your 2005 goals if you
really want to. The goals you set must fit
in with your values. For instance if you
really value your health and well-being
(and you should.you're no good to anyone
if you're sick or even worse.dead,) then
it will be easier for you to take action
around this area.
Plan and get off your butt now because it
won't be long until you hear that familiar
cry "I'm too busy, I don't have the time!"
About the Author
Lorraine Pirihi is Australia's Personal
Productivity Specialist and Leading Life
Coach. Her business The Office Organiser
specialises in showing small business
owners and managers, how to get organised
at work so they can have a life! Lorraine
is also a dynamic speaker and has produced
many products including "How to Survive
and Thrive at Work!"
To subscribe to her free ezine visit www.office-organiser.com.au |
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