Before we get started I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the following:
For all your reasons in the world to set and achieve goals, please make sure that the pursuit of happiness is not attached to any of them. What I mean is, you have the power to choose at any given moment, “to be happy or not, and to what degree”. If you tell yourself that after you achieve a particular goal, than you will be happy, you are headed for a rude awakening. If you have a spouse or children then your responsibility to get your “ducks in a row” is even more crucial.
If your ability to let happiness into your life is attached to any goal, anyone or anything then:
1. Your ability to achieve that goal diminishes greatly because in order to achieve at the highest level, you must come from a place of happiness, strength and wellbeing.
2. You miss out on the journey. It’s really all about the journey, not the arriving.
3. Individuals have a tremendous amount of power to affect their lives and the lives of others. Unfortunately, most attempt to influence things they have no control over, like trying to change other people. There isn’t nearly enough time spent learning how to control their own thoughts, feelings and emotions.
The process of setting goals helps you choose where you want to go in life. By knowing precisely what you want to achieve, you know where you have to concentrate your efforts. You’ll also quickly spot the distractions that would otherwise lure you from your course. Put a realistic time limit on each goal. Read your goals daily. Notice if what you are doing is bringing you closer to or further away from your goal. Make sure there is no conflict with other areas of your life. To pursue something you deem as important and hurt another area of your life, may not be a good trade off. So please monitor your process from a holistic point of view, not just the narrowed view of a particular goal. Here are some suggestions to get you thinking:
A) FINANCIAL:
- Pay off all credit card debt within 12 months.
- I will add up all my income & expenses for this past year.
- Increase my sales by 25% for the remainder of this year.
- Save $200 a month towards my child’s college fund after all CC debt is paid.
- Have 6 months of living expenses saved (This is the minimum liquidity you need) start after all CC debt is paid off.
Side-note: You are entitled to a free credit report once a year from each of the 3 major rating companies. I suggest you do this at least once a year
B) PHYSICAL: What would make you feel better about yourself?
- Loss 20lbs.
- Take 7 strokes off my golf game.
- Learn a new sport, possibly include your significant other, child or friend.
- Quit smoking.
- Stop overworking.
- Try a new hair style.
C) MENTAL:
- Continued Education. I will feed my mind with knowledge every day.
- In the middle of the day I will take 30 minutes of me-time to relax and re-new.
- I will notice before I become overwhelmed and take a breather.
- I will become more aware of my patterns. We all have them & we have them for everything we do. From the way we spend money, to the way we communicate with our significant others. Most of our patterns are subconscious until we decide to take a step out of our selves to look objectively at them.
D) EMOTIONAL:
- I will make it a top priority to make my significant other feel more loved and secure, starting when I get home tonight.
- I will attend all of my child’s plays this year.
- I will Introduce myself to someone I’d like to meet this weekend. It could be a love interest or someone I’d like to network with.
- From this moment fourth I refuse to get involved in arguments, instead I’ll find other ways of expressing myself without anger or rage.
- Tomorrow after dinner I will sit down with my family & ask them what they would like to see me to do differently.
E) SPIRITUAL:
- I will take time each day to be by myself to meditate and reflect.
- I will take my family to our place of worship three times a month.
Robert Frost said it best: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference” The first road might lead you to an average life at best, the other-to greatness!
“Make this year the best year you’ve ever had! It’s all by design!!“
Steven Arecco is available for lecturing on a multitude of business and personal development topics. Those topics can be found at www.stevenarecco.com. Apart from his time on stage, Steven is happy to support the event with any social or other interactions such as dinners or group activities. Steven will do everything within his ability to contribute to the success of your event, every time.
