As I mentioned in Part One in controlling our thoughts and attitudes, visualisation is a great help in setting your personal goals. Use it as a tool, be persistent, like a yappy dog biting at your

As I mentioned in Part One in controlling our thoughts and
attitudes, visualisation is a great help in setting your personal
goals. Use it as a tool, be persistent, like a yappy dog biting
at your ankles and you'll get there in the end. (That's a simile, BTW).

American John Kehoe has written extensively on this
subject in various works. He is the one who hibernated in
the woods of Canada or Alaska for five years contemplating
the mind and talking to the trees, like Bonnie Prince Charlie
talking to the plants! I should have been a lumberjack
instead of a writer; but then I can't imagine myself
floating down a swollen river and balancing on a log!


I too am writing in virtual hibernation. Perhaps it's good
for writing by forcing one to focus. Anyway, the creative
juices seem to flow well here in Gisborne, New Zealand.
(Incidentally, the country has produced some great Kiwi writers).

Some more on VISUALISATION...

Work out what your goal is. What you want to become?
What sort of person do you want to be? Picture what
changes you want to make in yourself and in your life...for
the better, of course.

Set stepping stones (or sub-goals) as sign posts along
the way. To guide you and ensure that you stay on track.
They can be your short-term or medium term goals, say
one month to one year. The marathon runner doesn't
think of the finish line , but, the lamp post in the
distance...or the next drink spot. Thinking of the big
picture often seems impossible, so it can be very
discouraging. Take small steps... and one at a time. You
can get get loads of satisfaction from taking one step at
a time. Attaining sub goals can help you with a more
immediate focus and it rewards you along the way in your
pursuit of the grand plan.

Make daily affirmations to yourself to keep yourself positive
and focussed on the way ahead. (Remember, affirmations
and self talk from Chapter Five). Have written goal checks
to ensure that you are on track - on the right path. These
are a good aid in reassessing your performance and how
well you are doing on your chosen path. I've gone so far
down my track, if it's the wrong one it's a bit late to turn
back. I'll just visit the soup kitchens! "What a stuff up"!
Seriously (for a change) though, it's never too late to
change direction; look at South Africa and apartheid, the
fall of Communism, Yugoslavia, Israel and Palestine...

Set priorities. It is important to have flexible goals; they
are not set in concrete and can be changed as you change
and develop. Remember changing goals in mid stream
doesn't mean losing ground (or "the plot"). As long as
you grow personally, you are making the most of yourself.

SUMMARY:

1. Set big goals

2. Make long range goals

3. Make short term and daily goals

4. Goals should be specific

5. Goals should be realistic

6. Luck is not involved in achieving goals

7. Don't make goals to please someone else - they are for
you alone.

It's your life and no one else can live it for you. Listen to
your parent's advice; but young adults, you make the
decision about the career you want. Not knowing what
I wanted to do after finishing school (and then university),
I followed my father into insurance, not thinking that I
would have to spend half my working/waking life in that
occupation, "dumbo"!



In setting goals we need to allow for our future growth
and development. If you want to grow, you've got to
eat your "veggies" and use your potential to the fullest.

Life is one long journey of self discovery. It is also a great
opportunity for self improvement - to grow day by day,
even though you might have the occasional stumble.
If you accept yourself and are happy just the way you
are, that's fine by me too.

"Plant the right seed to get the right plant"
- anon

"Keep your mind on what you want and off what you don't
want"
- Napoleon Hill

"You will become as small as your controlling desires; as
great as your dominant aspiration"
- James Allen



Now that we've defined and set our goals, lets look at
ACHIEVING them by getting and then staying FOCUSSED...

*

HOW TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS:

There are a number of important factors that make people
successful in achieving their personal goals... and I believe
goalsetting is the key ingredient to personal success.
What else determines whether we will achieve our goals?
I think the following attributes are critical:

* A strong belief in oneself and one's ability to succeed

* Good self esteem

* Self confidence

* Self discipline

* A burning desire to achieve your pre-set goals

* A sound strategy with a great deal of thought given to
PLANNING

* A desire to give something back to society and invest in
people; ie. to make some contribution to your "little patch"
of the world. This leads into the next one...

* Having worthy goals which benefit one self and others

* A winning focus and a positive attitude. This is very very
very important.

* Consistancy and commitment

* The ability to avoid distractions, ie. the ability to FOCUS

* Affirming oneself daily that you are of value to the world

* An ability to take calculated risks. I've taken a few chances in my time (perhaps too many) ... maybe you have as well.

* An ability to learn from your mistakes and to overcome
the fear of making mistakes

* The ability to handle stress well
(I'm not so "hot" on that one!).

* Taking frequent exercise - because a healthy body keeps
the mind healthy

* Taking time out for relaxation

* Self motivation,

and most important of all,

* Personal integrity and a sense of ethics. Who says
millionaires and other successful people lack integrity and
rip off gullible people in the street? I for one, definitely
don't believe it. I think quite a few businessmen may be
ruthless, but most of them have high moral codes of behaviour.
But most importantly, they have the "bucks" to improve
people's lives in the community...as long as they are not
too stingy.

BALANCE:

Remember, it is vital to live a balanced life. So look at your
goals in all areas of your life: material, physical, career,
psychological and most importantly, spiritual. I think it's terribly important
to BELIEVE and have FAITH that things will work out in
the future for you. That BELIEF (either in yourself or in a
Higher Being) will largely determine your attitude...how
happy or unhappy your life will be.

About the Author

Creative Writing Course
http://www.nzenterprise.com/writer/creative.html
http://www.novelty-gift.com
For interactive computer and internet coaching on CD, click on:
http://www.nzenterprise.com/4reel/
To get our Newsletter please Email:
info@novelty-giftcom