Put out the fire and your whole day goes up in smoke and you don't realize that somebody's guilty of arson.
To be successful in today's highly-competitive world you must be focused. You must have long and short-term goals.
When you know where you want to go, it's easy to determine whether or not the work, tasks, and projects you're working on will take you there.
Here are three strategies you can use to leverage your time:
1. Block out time for yourself. Close the door. Turn off the phone. And give yourself an hour of uninterrupted time each day.
2. Work on your most important work, tasks and projects. Only do the things that have value. Eliminate everything else.
3. Use your Prime Time. There's a time of day when you do your best work. When you've the most energy and enthusiasm. Tackle your most important work at the time of day you're at your best.
Set your goals. Leverage your time. And you'll become more successful than you ever dreamed.
Use your time well and you will be successful.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Friday, February 1, 2008
A GOAL WITHOUT A PLAN IS MERELY A WISH
This is the first, and important question you need to ask yourself. Why? If your reason for setting your goal is not sincere, your motivation and enthusiasm can wane drastically as you progress on your goal path. Setting personal goals is just that - personal, and if you do not have deep-rooted reason for your goal, your chances of succeeding are reduced dramatically.
We generally set goals because we are unhappy with where we are, either in life, our job, or a relationship. As Og Mandino says, "People don't change when they feel good. They change when they're fed up. When things are going all right, we all tend to do pretty much what we've been doing. Pain pushes us to those crucial turning points. We hurt, then we finally choose. It's that adverb finally. Enough is enough.!"
We want something better. An example is a better paying position at work, or a management position. Maybe it can be that we want to lose weight, or become healthier. Whatever it is, we generally set goals as result of wanting something better.
Animals function on instinct. They sleep, eat and procreate. That's it.
We humans have a thinking ability. And it is with this thinking ability that we have the urge to achieve something better. But we are also an inherently lazy creature, and we tend to have a resistance to effort.
Goals help keep us motivated
When we have something to aim at, something we achieve, we usually become excited. Think of going to your favorite restaurant. While you're getting ready, you can almost smell and taste your meal, and you are excited. It is no different when you have a goal to aim at, and this is especially relevant if you have a life goal. Each milestone that you reach, increases your excitement, aka your motivation. Especially, think of when you go on holiday. What is your level of excitement just prior to leaving on holiday, and to what level does this excitement rise shortly before leaving? And then as you progress on your journey? Using the holiday example, this excitement keeps rising the nearer you get to your destination.
Goals undoubtedly give us direction. An example here is when we want to progress in our career.
Let's say we want to secure a management position. We increase our knowledge and experience, and as result we become more equipped for the position. It is the objective of the management position that motivates us to undergo training, for example. Our goals enable us to move forward, and moving forward can only be beneficial. Go for the gold.
Successful people are goal orientated
Whatever your definition of success is, you will find it difficult to reach that level of success without goals.
If you don't have a target, the arrow will hit nothing.
It is very important to remember that goals are not static. As our circumstances change, it is inevitable that our goals change. The goals you had when you left school are very different to your goals ten years after school. Similarly, after marriage and children come along, your goals once again change. It is important to remember that when your circumstances change, review and, where necessary adapt your goals. The golden rule of setting your goals is to remain on your goal path.
Without a doubt, having personal goals keeps your enthusiasm up.
Using a map for our holiday
It is usual for us to consult a map when we go on holiday, and yet, sadly, for the holiday of life, we don't consider consulting a map for this important journey. And when we don't reach our destination, we become frustrated and annoyed. Yet, when we go on holiday, without a map, and we get lost we similarly get annoyed. And yet, this something we don't repeatedly do. Your goals, and especially your goal path, is your map for your life.
Having goals, or at the very least, a goal, will enable you to know where you're going in life. Goals do give us direction.
Thomas Edison is well-known for saying he didn't fail, but found 10 000 ways it didn't work. He had thousands of attempts over many years to invent the electric light bulb, but he knew exactly what he wanted, and his goal kept him going until he achieved it.
Oprah Winfrey was an abused child who was determined to make a better life for herself. Michelle Kwan had a goal to be the best skater in the world.
If you want proof that goal setting works, and is valuable in your life, think of musicians. They are one of the best examples of having determination in not only setting, but also achieving their goals. Athletes don't become record holders by chance - it is only through effective goal setting. Top sales people work consciously at their goals, and as result become star performers. No-one becomes an astronaut by accident.
Every person who becomes successful in whatever field or area they choose, followed a goal path - a map to achieve their success.
Role of an effective goal setting system
If you have a dream, and want to achieve something better in life, having a goal can bring you success.
An effective goal setting system must get you on your road to success. It should also give you the tools to enable you to gain confidence in reaching your goal. There are many books and programs available that can help you set your goal. It is my belief that anyone can set a goal, but the important thing is to reach your goal.
An effective goal setting system should be a blueprint, and enable you to determine where you want to go with your life, and be an aid to keeping you on your goal path.
Having a goal, success is possible. Without goals, success is rarely possible - whatever area in your life.
We generally set goals because we are unhappy with where we are, either in life, our job, or a relationship. As Og Mandino says, "People don't change when they feel good. They change when they're fed up. When things are going all right, we all tend to do pretty much what we've been doing. Pain pushes us to those crucial turning points. We hurt, then we finally choose. It's that adverb finally. Enough is enough.!"
We want something better. An example is a better paying position at work, or a management position. Maybe it can be that we want to lose weight, or become healthier. Whatever it is, we generally set goals as result of wanting something better.
Animals function on instinct. They sleep, eat and procreate. That's it.
We humans have a thinking ability. And it is with this thinking ability that we have the urge to achieve something better. But we are also an inherently lazy creature, and we tend to have a resistance to effort.
Goals help keep us motivated
When we have something to aim at, something we achieve, we usually become excited. Think of going to your favorite restaurant. While you're getting ready, you can almost smell and taste your meal, and you are excited. It is no different when you have a goal to aim at, and this is especially relevant if you have a life goal. Each milestone that you reach, increases your excitement, aka your motivation. Especially, think of when you go on holiday. What is your level of excitement just prior to leaving on holiday, and to what level does this excitement rise shortly before leaving? And then as you progress on your journey? Using the holiday example, this excitement keeps rising the nearer you get to your destination.
Goals undoubtedly give us direction. An example here is when we want to progress in our career.
Let's say we want to secure a management position. We increase our knowledge and experience, and as result we become more equipped for the position. It is the objective of the management position that motivates us to undergo training, for example. Our goals enable us to move forward, and moving forward can only be beneficial. Go for the gold.
Successful people are goal orientated
Whatever your definition of success is, you will find it difficult to reach that level of success without goals.
If you don't have a target, the arrow will hit nothing.
It is very important to remember that goals are not static. As our circumstances change, it is inevitable that our goals change. The goals you had when you left school are very different to your goals ten years after school. Similarly, after marriage and children come along, your goals once again change. It is important to remember that when your circumstances change, review and, where necessary adapt your goals. The golden rule of setting your goals is to remain on your goal path.
Without a doubt, having personal goals keeps your enthusiasm up.
Using a map for our holiday
It is usual for us to consult a map when we go on holiday, and yet, sadly, for the holiday of life, we don't consider consulting a map for this important journey. And when we don't reach our destination, we become frustrated and annoyed. Yet, when we go on holiday, without a map, and we get lost we similarly get annoyed. And yet, this something we don't repeatedly do. Your goals, and especially your goal path, is your map for your life.
Having goals, or at the very least, a goal, will enable you to know where you're going in life. Goals do give us direction.
Thomas Edison is well-known for saying he didn't fail, but found 10 000 ways it didn't work. He had thousands of attempts over many years to invent the electric light bulb, but he knew exactly what he wanted, and his goal kept him going until he achieved it.
Oprah Winfrey was an abused child who was determined to make a better life for herself. Michelle Kwan had a goal to be the best skater in the world.
If you want proof that goal setting works, and is valuable in your life, think of musicians. They are one of the best examples of having determination in not only setting, but also achieving their goals. Athletes don't become record holders by chance - it is only through effective goal setting. Top sales people work consciously at their goals, and as result become star performers. No-one becomes an astronaut by accident.
Every person who becomes successful in whatever field or area they choose, followed a goal path - a map to achieve their success.
Role of an effective goal setting system
If you have a dream, and want to achieve something better in life, having a goal can bring you success.
An effective goal setting system must get you on your road to success. It should also give you the tools to enable you to gain confidence in reaching your goal. There are many books and programs available that can help you set your goal. It is my belief that anyone can set a goal, but the important thing is to reach your goal.
An effective goal setting system should be a blueprint, and enable you to determine where you want to go with your life, and be an aid to keeping you on your goal path.
Having a goal, success is possible. Without goals, success is rarely possible - whatever area in your life.
You will reach your goals.
WHAT ARE YOU SEEING? PROBLEMS OR OPPORTUNITIES
As best I can tell here’s how it breaks down.
Some people see problems as opportunities. Understanding that getting through each opportunity puts them closer to the next one. Kind of going through life with a stair step mentality. Excited to get to the next round of new opportunities because they are seen as ‘steps’ along a pathway. They feel like the bigger the opportunity (problem) the better because that means a bigger step taken. With this outlook they welcome big challenges. They push ahead boldly, as though it were a sporting event in which the opportunities were the opponent.
The opportunity being the thing that must be overcome or conquered in order to move up to higher levels of competition. Thereby bringing higher levels of enjoyment. Enjoying the whole process the way one might enjoy a weekend hobby or the companionship of a loved one. These are the kinds of people who charge out of bed in the mornings because they see the upcoming day as another opportunity to be great.
Conversely there are those who don’t ever want there to be any problems (opportunities). Believing that problems are to be avoided at all costs. In the minds of these people problems are all bad. They see the very occurrence of opportunity as a problem. They get caught up believing that it’s the end of something rather than focusing on the new beginning that lies before them once the challenge is met. These are the people who never confront either themselves or others. They just accept. "Whatever works for you." "If that’s what you want."
These people don’t realize it but they are victims. Accepting what comes instead of actively going to where they want to be. Sometimes they see themselves as peacekeepers. Which is not a bad thing to be but peacemaking would be an even higher aspiration.
Peacemakers lean into conflict. Knowing the only true way to keep peace is by resolving issues through confronting them rather than not. Martin Luther King Jr. was a peacemaker. A peacemaker would rather go through instead of dancing around things. Jesus Christ was a peacemaker. They understand going through is conquering while dancing around is avoiding. Mohandas Gandhi was a peacemaker. Avoiding is putting things off until they are so big and painful that they become, well, unavoidable. I challenge you, as I have challenged myself to stop avoiding things and deal with them. If things in your life aren’t the way you need them to be in order to feel what you need to feel check yourself. Are you resolving or avoiding?
And so the question, Which are you, a peacekeeper or a peacemaker? Do you see opportunities or do you only see problems? Are you busy keeping the peace, or are you actively confronting and resolving those issues in your life that are calling for resolution? How do you view the challenges you are currently facing, annoyances or welcomed opportunities?
Do you look forward to and welcome opportunities that challenge and grow you in the process? Have you accepted the fact that sometimes life is not comfortable but that "real life" happens in the midst of this discomfort? Are you content to accept what life dishes out or are you scratching and clawing in the trenches to pull from life and yourself the things you want and deserve?
Which is it going to be for you, Victim or Victor? The choice is all yours.
I offer these as my final thoughts on the subject:
Those of us who are crazy enough to think we can change the world, our world, are the one’s who will surely do it. If you want to make your world a better place in which to live, start by seizing the opportunities that are right now before you.
Make that telephone call…Write that letter…Confront that person…Then tell them you love them.Accept that setback and move on to the next battle…Share the gift of ‘you’ with somebody, anybody.Forgive…Forget…Do something… Do Anything!Live!!
Thanks for sharing your time with me. I welcome your thoughts, comments.
Live some. Love some. Learn some. Everyday.
You are blessed.
Some people see problems as opportunities. Understanding that getting through each opportunity puts them closer to the next one. Kind of going through life with a stair step mentality. Excited to get to the next round of new opportunities because they are seen as ‘steps’ along a pathway. They feel like the bigger the opportunity (problem) the better because that means a bigger step taken. With this outlook they welcome big challenges. They push ahead boldly, as though it were a sporting event in which the opportunities were the opponent.
The opportunity being the thing that must be overcome or conquered in order to move up to higher levels of competition. Thereby bringing higher levels of enjoyment. Enjoying the whole process the way one might enjoy a weekend hobby or the companionship of a loved one. These are the kinds of people who charge out of bed in the mornings because they see the upcoming day as another opportunity to be great.
Conversely there are those who don’t ever want there to be any problems (opportunities). Believing that problems are to be avoided at all costs. In the minds of these people problems are all bad. They see the very occurrence of opportunity as a problem. They get caught up believing that it’s the end of something rather than focusing on the new beginning that lies before them once the challenge is met. These are the people who never confront either themselves or others. They just accept. "Whatever works for you." "If that’s what you want."
These people don’t realize it but they are victims. Accepting what comes instead of actively going to where they want to be. Sometimes they see themselves as peacekeepers. Which is not a bad thing to be but peacemaking would be an even higher aspiration.
Peacemakers lean into conflict. Knowing the only true way to keep peace is by resolving issues through confronting them rather than not. Martin Luther King Jr. was a peacemaker. A peacemaker would rather go through instead of dancing around things. Jesus Christ was a peacemaker. They understand going through is conquering while dancing around is avoiding. Mohandas Gandhi was a peacemaker. Avoiding is putting things off until they are so big and painful that they become, well, unavoidable. I challenge you, as I have challenged myself to stop avoiding things and deal with them. If things in your life aren’t the way you need them to be in order to feel what you need to feel check yourself. Are you resolving or avoiding?
And so the question, Which are you, a peacekeeper or a peacemaker? Do you see opportunities or do you only see problems? Are you busy keeping the peace, or are you actively confronting and resolving those issues in your life that are calling for resolution? How do you view the challenges you are currently facing, annoyances or welcomed opportunities?
Do you look forward to and welcome opportunities that challenge and grow you in the process? Have you accepted the fact that sometimes life is not comfortable but that "real life" happens in the midst of this discomfort? Are you content to accept what life dishes out or are you scratching and clawing in the trenches to pull from life and yourself the things you want and deserve?
Which is it going to be for you, Victim or Victor? The choice is all yours.
I offer these as my final thoughts on the subject:
Those of us who are crazy enough to think we can change the world, our world, are the one’s who will surely do it. If you want to make your world a better place in which to live, start by seizing the opportunities that are right now before you.
Make that telephone call…Write that letter…Confront that person…Then tell them you love them.Accept that setback and move on to the next battle…Share the gift of ‘you’ with somebody, anybody.Forgive…Forget…Do something… Do Anything!Live!!
Thanks for sharing your time with me. I welcome your thoughts, comments.
Live some. Love some. Learn some. Everyday.
You are blessed.
WHAT ARE YOU SEEING? PROBLEMS OR OPPORTUNITIES
As best I can tell here’s how it breaks down.
Some people see problems as opportunities. Understanding that getting through each opportunity puts them closer to the next one. Kind of going through life with a stair step mentality. Excited to get to the next round of new opportunities because they are seen as ‘steps’ along a pathway. They feel like the bigger the opportunity (problem) the better because that means a bigger step taken. With this outlook they welcome big challenges. They push ahead boldly, as though it were a sporting event in which the opportunities were the opponent.
The opportunity being the thing that must be overcome or conquered in order to move up to higher levels of competition. Thereby bringing higher levels of enjoyment. Enjoying the whole process the way one might enjoy a weekend hobby or the companionship of a loved one. These are the kinds of people who charge out of bed in the mornings because they see the upcoming day as another opportunity to be great.
Conversely there are those who don’t ever want there to be any problems (opportunities). Believing that problems are to be avoided at all costs. In the minds of these people problems are all bad. They see the very occurrence of opportunity as a problem. They get caught up believing that it’s the end of something rather than focusing on the new beginning that lies before them once the challenge is met. These are the people who never confront either themselves or others. They just accept. "Whatever works for you." "If that’s what you want."
These people don’t realize it but they are victims. Accepting what comes instead of actively going to where they want to be. Sometimes they see themselves as peacekeepers. Which is not a bad thing to be but peacemaking would be an even higher aspiration.
Peacemakers lean into conflict. Knowing the only true way to keep peace is by resolving issues through confronting them rather than not. Martin Luther King Jr. was a peacemaker. A peacemaker would rather go through instead of dancing around things. Jesus Christ was a peacemaker. They understand going through is conquering while dancing around is avoiding. Mohandas Gandhi was a peacemaker. Avoiding is putting things off until they are so big and painful that they become, well, unavoidable. I challenge you, as I have challenged myself to stop avoiding things and deal with them. If things in your life aren’t the way you need them to be in order to feel what you need to feel check yourself. Are you resolving or avoiding?
And so the question, Which are you, a peacekeeper or a peacemaker? Do you see opportunities or do you only see problems? Are you busy keeping the peace, or are you actively confronting and resolving those issues in your life that are calling for resolution? How do you view the challenges you are currently facing, annoyances or welcomed opportunities?
Do you look forward to and welcome opportunities that challenge and grow you in the process? Have you accepted the fact that sometimes life is not comfortable but that "real life" happens in the midst of this discomfort? Are you content to accept what life dishes out or are you scratching and clawing in the trenches to pull from life and yourself the things you want and deserve?
Which is it going to be for you, Victim or Victor? The choice is all yours.
I offer these as my final thoughts on the subject:
Those of us who are crazy enough to think we can change the world, our world, are the one’s who will surely do it. If you want to make your world a better place in which to live, start by seizing the opportunities that are right now before you.
Make that telephone call…Write that letter…Confront that person…Then tell them you love them.Accept that setback and move on to the next battle…Share the gift of ‘you’ with somebody, anybody.Forgive…Forget…Do something… Do Anything!Live!!
Thanks for sharing your time with me. I welcome your thoughts, comments.
Live some. Love some. Learn some. Everyday.
You are blessed.
Some people see problems as opportunities. Understanding that getting through each opportunity puts them closer to the next one. Kind of going through life with a stair step mentality. Excited to get to the next round of new opportunities because they are seen as ‘steps’ along a pathway. They feel like the bigger the opportunity (problem) the better because that means a bigger step taken. With this outlook they welcome big challenges. They push ahead boldly, as though it were a sporting event in which the opportunities were the opponent.
The opportunity being the thing that must be overcome or conquered in order to move up to higher levels of competition. Thereby bringing higher levels of enjoyment. Enjoying the whole process the way one might enjoy a weekend hobby or the companionship of a loved one. These are the kinds of people who charge out of bed in the mornings because they see the upcoming day as another opportunity to be great.
Conversely there are those who don’t ever want there to be any problems (opportunities). Believing that problems are to be avoided at all costs. In the minds of these people problems are all bad. They see the very occurrence of opportunity as a problem. They get caught up believing that it’s the end of something rather than focusing on the new beginning that lies before them once the challenge is met. These are the people who never confront either themselves or others. They just accept. "Whatever works for you." "If that’s what you want."
These people don’t realize it but they are victims. Accepting what comes instead of actively going to where they want to be. Sometimes they see themselves as peacekeepers. Which is not a bad thing to be but peacemaking would be an even higher aspiration.
Peacemakers lean into conflict. Knowing the only true way to keep peace is by resolving issues through confronting them rather than not. Martin Luther King Jr. was a peacemaker. A peacemaker would rather go through instead of dancing around things. Jesus Christ was a peacemaker. They understand going through is conquering while dancing around is avoiding. Mohandas Gandhi was a peacemaker. Avoiding is putting things off until they are so big and painful that they become, well, unavoidable. I challenge you, as I have challenged myself to stop avoiding things and deal with them. If things in your life aren’t the way you need them to be in order to feel what you need to feel check yourself. Are you resolving or avoiding?
And so the question, Which are you, a peacekeeper or a peacemaker? Do you see opportunities or do you only see problems? Are you busy keeping the peace, or are you actively confronting and resolving those issues in your life that are calling for resolution? How do you view the challenges you are currently facing, annoyances or welcomed opportunities?
Do you look forward to and welcome opportunities that challenge and grow you in the process? Have you accepted the fact that sometimes life is not comfortable but that "real life" happens in the midst of this discomfort? Are you content to accept what life dishes out or are you scratching and clawing in the trenches to pull from life and yourself the things you want and deserve?
Which is it going to be for you, Victim or Victor? The choice is all yours.
I offer these as my final thoughts on the subject:
Those of us who are crazy enough to think we can change the world, our world, are the one’s who will surely do it. If you want to make your world a better place in which to live, start by seizing the opportunities that are right now before you.
Make that telephone call…Write that letter…Confront that person…Then tell them you love them.Accept that setback and move on to the next battle…Share the gift of ‘you’ with somebody, anybody.Forgive…Forget…Do something… Do Anything!Live!!
Thanks for sharing your time with me. I welcome your thoughts, comments.
Live some. Love some. Learn some. Everyday.
You are blessed.
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