Category Archives: Goal Setting

Achieve Your Vital Career Goals . Record Clear Goals and Follow the 15 Easy Steps to Career Success.

Career Goal Setting involves recording clear objectives and the actions required to achieve them. The main reason people do not achieve goals is that they do not set any
To begin with. Use the following steps to focus your efforts and maximize your goal achievements. You can also use this process to set or team or group goals.

1) Define your goals clearly in writing. Writing down your goals increases the likelihood of achieving your chosen goals by at least 75 %. It increases your sense of
commitment, clarifies required steps in the achievement process, and helps you remember important details.

2) Identify and focus on the benefits to you as well as others of achieving your goals. This is a most strong important motivator.

3) Define the purpose of your goals. Link your goals to a practical, specific purpose. To boost your own motivation, base your goals on inspiration, not just on simple logic.

4) Identify your supportive forces. Examples of supportive forces include instructors , books, training people who encourage you to persevere , skilled coaches or mentors , and printed as well as online research materials

5) Develop an action plan, set deadlines and act. Establish sub goals. Divide each main goal into logical progressive steps. Set deadlines for completing each step, and complete the steps on time.

6) Establish priorities. Take action in order of priority.

7) Make a public commitment. If appropriate, share your goals with someone who encourages you to go the extra mile. This will increase your sense of responsibility.

8) Be realistic about limitations. Do not set a short term goal to get a job requiring more education. Set separate goals to get an education, take an interim job, and then reach the ultimate goal.

9) Use positive self talk and affirmation statements. Do this each and every day. As often as humanely possible. Do them compulsively as if you were a Moslem completing his 3 daily prayer routines. Write down your statements and post them prominently in your bedroom, on your fridge and so that you can see them in the mirror in your car.

10) Use positive visualization. This more than boosts goal achievement

11) Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice new skills regularly. Get additional information, training, coaching and feedback on your progress.

12) Evaluate and revise goals as necessary. Evaluate your ongoing progress. Experiment from time to time with new methods especially if you are not getting the results you want. But most importantly remember to be patient. Rome was not built in a day. However if necessary you may want to revise your goals.

13) Persevere. Stay the course until you succeed.

14) Reward Yourself. Rewards are excellent motivators. As you make progress toward your goals, do something nice for yourself that you enjoy.

15) Record progress on your goals. As simplistic as it seems, al long series of check marks on a calendar or a wall chart may actually, motivate you by providing a vital sense of accomplishment. Do not let missing an occasional daily goal deter you, however. Keep focusing on your ultimate chosen goals.

Remember that your career goals are most important to you and your success. By setting career goals you are on the road to obtaining your ultimate success.

By recording clear goals and following the 15 steps outlines you will focus your hard won efforts and maximize your winnings.

Achieve Your Vital Career Goals . Record Clear Goals and Follow the 15 Easy Steps to Career Success.

Remember that your career goals are most important to you and your success. By setting career goals you are on the road to obtaining your ultimate success. Get Ahead with Dynamic Goal Setting . Follow the simple steps of dynamic goal setting to your career success . By recording clear goals and following the 15 steps outlines you will focus your hard won efforts and maximize your winnings.

Goal Setting Adds Purpose To Your Online Business

People used to come to my high school and talk about how important it was to have goals. “You have to set realistic but ambitious goals for your life in order to feel fulfilled with life.” I am paraphrasing, of course, because in high school I was a young punk and never paid attention at those assemblies. I was just happy to get out of class. But as I’ve grown and matured, I have begun to realize what they really meant by “goals”. Goal setting can be an essential part of every aspect of your life. Goal setting needs to be an essential part of your online marketing campaigns, but only if you plan to succeed.

When those motivational speakers were talking about setting realistic goals, I don’t think they were talking about choosing to become a nuclear physicist because you’re good at math. That is unrealistic as a goal, not because you can’t become a nuclear physicist (you can) but because it is too general and better classified as a dream. A realistic goal would be to get an A on the physics final.

Goals should be focused and task oriented, rather than abstract hopes for the future. Becoming a nuclear physicist is a dream that you might have in high school; getting an A on the test is a goal you can achieve. Both are necessary in order to get what you want, but the two should not be confused.

What on Earth does this have to do with online marketing? Well, in any venture, online marketing or rock climbing, goals have to be specific and attainable in the foreseeable future. Goals have to have purpose and should lead to the fulfillment of a dream, not be the dream itself. Having a goal of making enough money online to quit your job is useless. That is a dream. You need to have goals that lead to this, such as:

A. I will find five affiliate marketing programs that relate to the subject matter in my blog each week for the next two months.

B. I will sign up 25 people over the next two weeks for my e-zine.

C. I will become a world famous “blogger”.

D. I will post one SEO article that is relevant to my blog’s subject matter every 3 days for the next 90 days.

Goals A, B, and D are all very specific and can be measured. They have a definite quota to fill in a given amount of time. They can be met, measured, and checked off of your to-do list. These goals will move you forward and enhance your online marketing plan in a meaningful and directed way, and will actually make you money. I put goal C in the list to make sure you were paying attention. It’s not a goal at all! When will you become a world famous blogger? How do you quantify world famous? How do you know when such an objective has been met? This is a dream, not a goal.

Dreams are wonderful and when met, drive the world forward. Dream big and reach for the stars! It is ok to dream about staying home all day with your kids while you make money online, but remember that without specific, attainable and measurable goals, dreams can never become reality! Never confuse dreams with goals in your online marketing campaigns. Be specific. Be directed. Have a plan in mind that will turn your dream into reality. Be careful not to get so lost in a dream that you forget about how you are going to get there. You need to keep an eye on both to succeed.

The Stories We Tell Ourselves

The Hasidic master, Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach taught that on Passover night we are bringing our entire life stories to the Seder table to be freed. What exactly does this mean? To begin with, we are by nature, storytellers. Whether we are aware of it or not, we live in a world of stories. Stories that we tell our family, friends, coworkers, and clients. Stories we share over the phone, e-mail, in our journals and the stories that are constantly playing themselves out in our heads. Stories about what’s happening to those we love, stories about those we despise, stories that inspire the spirit, and stories that instill fear.

The sum and total of our life is that, from our birth until our death, we are walking stories, here upon the earth. Yet on Passover, it’s the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves that needs to be looked at and freed. The stories we tell ourselves about ourselves have great power over us. Depending on how they are told, our life stories can either enlighten or mislead, inspire or discourage.

A good exercise for this Passover is to become more aware of the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves and our past. What are the underlying themes of our stories?

Victory? Betrayal? Struggle? Victimization? Each of us has had key events in our pasts, whether it be from our childhood, or more recent episodes of hurt and loss, where a part of us draws a reactionary conclusion about our life stories — even when the conclusions are terribly incorrect. Many perpetuate these stories and our immature understandings of them often make a further mess of our lives in the process – unless a reminder comes to wake us up and reorient our perspective. Our Hebrew Sages teach that Passover is such a reminder.

Passover is a reminder that we need not live in our Egypts forever. There is a G-d, a Higher Power, that has an invested interest in our Liberation. Our job comes in our willingness to understand, heal and ultimately elevate the stories we hold onto that are no longer working for us. After all, it does clearly state in the Haggadah, “In every generation a person is obligated to see themselves, as if they themselves left Egypt”. What are we doing to leave THIS year?

We can simply begin by looking at our life stories and revising parts of the script. Remember, it’s not what happened to us that’s important but what we make of those events.

The following suggestions are designed to help us tell our stories well this year:

Become a Sympathetic Narrator

When telling your story about yourself, to yourself, become a sympathetic narrator.

In literature, a sympathetic narrator is one who takes the side of the story’s protagonist or main character. For example, when the Torah introduces the life of King David, it includes his shortcomings, yet does not let it take away from his greatness. Similarly, we need to admit mistakes yet not obsess over them. A sympathetic narrator casts daily failures as learning experiences, painful yet helpful steps on the way to success.

Choose What You Want to Emphasize

Any honest reporter will tell you that all stories have a slant. It’s not that reporters try to mislead, it’s just that in choosing what to cover, some things are always left out or minimized in order to create a perspective. And that’s OK. Likewise, in our own stories of loss or pain, deciding what to highlight can bring about the difference between lingering bitterness and a sense of closure.

Seek the Higher Purpose

There is a core spiritual principle that our lives are divinely designed for each one of us to get exactly what we need to support our own soul’s unique evolutionary process. As the Baal Shem Tov taught, “You are exactly where you need to be”, which implies that we should not get too caught up in our internal struggles against what is, or what was, which will only lead to more pain and suffering. According to this spiritual belief, nothing in our world occurs by accident and there are no coincidences, only synchronicity. When reframing our life stories, attempt to see the “Hand of G-d” or the pattern of events that have led us to this moment. These patterns of connectedness or synchronicity are the magical language of the Divine in our lives. When rewriting our stories, seek to see beyond the circumstances and instead at the Divine Order of the unique paths that have chosen us.

As for the Life Story that still plays itself out today:

Work on the 20 Percent

While it is not commonly known, according to the Midrash, when Moses left Egypt, only 20 percent of the nation of Israel left with him. The other 80 percent remained behind, and did not succeed in taking the risk of leaving an imprisonment that was all too familiar to them. An interesting correlation is found in the meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous and other recovery groups where the statistic is the same. It is known that only 20 percent of those in recovery will remain sober, the other 80 percent will inevitably relapse into old behavior as statistics have shown, because the life of addiction, no matter how painful and dark, is at least familiar.

Consequently, when we say we want to change our life stories, the important thing to remember is not whether we feel 100 percent confident and ready. The more realistic question to ask ourselves today is whether we still have a least 20 percent of ourselves that is strong enough to take the steps, and if we can agree to work on that 20 percent that is committed and willing. Passover asks us to at least look for that part, to find that part, and to work on that part, for it is there that we might find the secret of finding the life we want and deserve to live.

Goal Setting And Expectations

Goal setting is not only about the goals but also about what the person expects to get from these goals, the road he or she imagines on their way to these desired goals, and the force in which they imagine getting there.

Expectations are not only important, they are critical for one to achieve the goals he set out for himself, the can be the driving force behind a person with clear and set goals and, on the other hand, may turn out to be the discouraging and breaking elements behind the same person.

The first thing to remember that in goal setting the goals as are the expectations are yours, you will need to ask yourself the basic questions, what is it that you expect to get from a more balanced life? Is it more free time? closer relationship with your spouse, partner or significant other? more time to pursue an advanced degree? Maybe you want to take some hobby or learn something new? Any or all of these things are great goals, but your expectation to achieve balance must take into consideration that some of these goals will take more time away from your family. Its pretty simple when you think of it, investing some time in one thing will ultimately take up time from another. The basic thing you have to do is to be very clear about your goals and about your expectations. What does balance mean for you? Is it more time for yourself? Do you dream of more time for your family? Don’t make a promise to get more work/life balance and then squander that balance with poor planning. This kind of approach will leave you in a worst condition than what you have started at.

Keeping expectations realistic is an important thing, do not let your own ambition and expectation create a barrier for you in the future, be very cleat about what do you expect to achieve and how will this balance change your life. Ask yourself if your expectations are realistic for the planned timeframe and actions you want to take or are you dreams too large, sometimes we can create a perfect picture in our mind that is unreachable in the time frame we set, it is better for you to have realistic targets you can reach. Once you have your own expectations under control, you’ll need to look to your employer and your family and friends to be sure that you understand and can meet their expectations. If you have your own family you will need to listen to what they want too. It is all well and good that you expect to regain some balance in your life but if you need to fill in a huge hour quota at work you will have great difficulties to achieve your goals, it is always best to realistically examine the situation, and if need be, talk to your employer and ask to change your working patterns to allow you with more space for balanced life.

Try and make sure that the people around you know and understand your reasons for better balanced life and ask for their support and encouragement, this can include you wife, children, parents, and even your boss. Once you get the plan right, you can move forward more quickly and succeed in you better work life balance.

Winning Coaches Know the Secret of Goal Setting

When asking the majority of people before a contest, whether it be a rugby match or a spelling bee, what they want, they will inevitably say, “I want to WIN.”

Who doesn’t?

I have yet to meet anyone who competes that says they don’t care if they win as long as they have fun. That was fine when we were six but it isn’t going to cut it now. So, how do we do it, how do we win?

The answer that you are looking for may be found in goal setting. Too many teams overlook this factor, which may be considered the most important training tool available to any team. It doesn’t cost anything but time and may be the difference between an 8-8 record and a 14-2 record. The reason most teams overlook goal setting is because they assume that everyone on the team wants the same thing; to win, and the responsibility to win is placed squarely on the shoulders of the coach and so is goal setting. What most coaches need to understand is that every individual on the team has different goals for themselves as a part of the team. I stress individual because everyone on the team is different and they have different attributes and attitudes, which is very evident in a sport like rugby, and can be seen in every training session and game. It is the coach’s responsibility to bring these individuals together as a team and the easiest way to do that is by setting team goals.

Let’s be clear: winning is not a goal, it is the outcome or result of achieving the goal(s) we set as a team.

In order to get the maximum results from the goals that we have set we must follow a few basic principles; the S.M.A.R.T. principles which stand for: S specific, M measurable, A attainable, R realistic, T time.

S specific. In order to achieve a goal it has to be specific. For example; or goal is to win 50% more of our games then we did last year. Let’s use the example above with last year’s record of 8-8, in order to achieve our goal of 50% more victories; we now have a goal to achieve a 12-4 record. Please keep in mind that this must be a goal that is agreed upon by every team member. Also know that further goal setting is required to reach this record; how are we going to get to that record has to be answered, what do we have to do as a team to get there, what attitude is needed, what training requirements are needed, and so on.

M measurable. Can our goal be measured? If we are using the goal of winning 50% more games, then the answer is yes it can be measured by the number of wins and losses we achieve. If we said that we want to play better as a team, even though we can feel if we played better, it isn’t something that we can measure. I’m sure we have all been a part of games when we didn’t play well, but still came away with the win and vice versa, we played great, but lost. Playing better isn’t measurable, but winning 50% more of our games is.

A attainable. Can we win 50% more of our games this year compared to last? Can this be achieved? If your team has a record of 16-0 then it is impossible and can’t be attained, but our 8-8 record turning into 12-4 record can be achieved. We have to remember that everyone on the team has to believe that it is attainable, not just the coach or a select few. Without the collective agreement of the team the goal may not be achieved.

R realistic. The biggest problem most coaches are faced with is the reality of the goals they are striving to achieve. For examples; our record last year was 2-14, to come out and say that our goal is to have a record this year of 12-4 isn’t very realistic. The team must believe that the goal can be achieved or they will not buy into it. We have to make sure that we set a goal that everyone thinks we can reach. If we set a goal that is too high, the majority of our players will recognize this and not put the effort needed because it’s too unrealistic. The mentality will possibly be, “why kill myself for something that isn’t going to happen?” On the other hand if we set our goal too low we will get the same effect, “I don’t need to put in much effort to achieve that goal.” As a coach, we hope we never see this mindset in our rugby players, because it is a direct reflection on us and our ability to help the team set realistic goals. When we set a goal that everyone on the team thinks we can achieve, they will all put in the effort necessary to achieve that goal.

T time. A big problem that arises when goal setting is that we don’t set a specific date to achieve the goals we have set out. Using the example of winning 50% more games and having a 12-4 record seems like the time is already set out for us; by the end of the season. However, to ensure that we achieve our goals we must break them down into smaller goals. For example; after our first four (4) games we need our record to be at the minimum 3-1 in order to have a realistic shot at attaining 12-4. After eight (8) games we need to be 6-2 and so on.

We only used one example to show team goal setting, but we can’t stop here. In order for us to achieve this goal we must devise the proper strategy and action plan. It isn’t enough to say we want to win 50% more of our games, anyone can say that. As a coach, it is our responsibility to set goals with all of our players in order for them to achieve their individual goals and to attain the desired team goals.

These principles apply both on and off the rugby field. We must set a goal and mini goals for everything we wish to accomplish; nothing will be accomplished just because we set a goal, we have to continuously work towards reaching that goal.

Setting Smart Financial Goals

Managing your money wisely is the best way to make sure you and your family gain financial security. Money management is also extremely important if you own a business. All business owners need to understand how money comes in and goes out of their business-if you ignore budgeting details, your venture might not be successful. There are many similarities between budgeting for yourself and budgeting for your small business. When you understand the basics of money management for yourself, you will be more prepared to set up a budget for your company.

To manage your money wisely, start by setting financial goals and establishing a budget plan to help you achieve those goals. Financial goals are simply statements about things you wish you could afford; for example, you may have a goal to establish an emergency savings fund of $2,000 by the end of the year.

What are your personal financial goals? If you had $2,000, what would you do with it? Would you invest it in your small business? Would you buy a car? Would you make a home improvement?

You will be able to accomplish your goals if you manage your finances and put money aside on a regular basis. The key is to setting financial goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Trackable (SMART):

Specific. State exactly what you want to achieve, how you’re going to do it, and when you want to achieve it. For example:

General Goal Statement: I want to improve my finances.

Specific Goal Statement: I want to pay off my credit card bill in 8 months by negotiating a payment plan with my creditor.

Measurable. A financial goal should be measurable so you know when you have achieved it.

General Financial Goal Statement: I will pay off most of my credit card debt soon.
Measurable Goal Statement: In the next six months, I will pay three of my five credit card bills in full.

Attainable. Make sure the financial goal is within reasonable reach.

General Goal Statement: I will save money.

Attainable Goal Statement: I will save $1,000 in a year by putting aside $3 each day.

Realistic. Is the economic goal realistic for you? Don’t ignore your limitations. Your economic goals need to be tasks that you can reasonably accomplish.

General Goal Statement: By managing my money well, next year I will become a millionaire.

Realistic Goal Statement: By managing my money well, next year I will be debt free and will have an emergency fund equal to three months of living expenses.

Trackable. Being able to track your progress encourages you to keep going and reach your fiscal goal.

General Fiscal Goal Statement: I will increase my savings goal every year.

Trackable Statement: Each year I will save 10 percent more money than the previous year.

If you are SMART about setting financial goals, you will be well on your way to managing your money in a way that will provide financial security for you and your family for years to come.

Hustle While You Wait

Everything comes to those who hustle while they wait -Thomas Edison

Thomas A. Edison was one of the most prolific inventors of all time. His inventions continue to shape our daily lives decades after his death in 1931. He fundamentally changed our lives by giving us indoor lighting, records, movies, batteries, and hundreds of other objects we have come to believe we can’t live without. He patented over 1,000 objects during his life. His advice to “hustle” while you wait gives us some insight into how he became a legend.

Many people who dream of changing their lives are in a “waiting” time in their lives. For financial or personal reasons they are not yet able to leave their current jobs, move to their preferred geographical area, or start that business they dream of. During these waiting times you can do much to lay the foundation for your dreams. Here are some ideas that can get you started as you begin to move towards a life you compose rather than one you fell into:

*Research your dream job or business. Learn all that you can about it. You can easily become an expert about any topic in 3-6 months. Read, search the web, interview people who already work in the field, and do all that you can to learn about the history, trends and topics that are important in your field. When the time comes to move forward, you will have a solid knowledge base.

*Develop your network. Meet others who are in your chosen field. Nothing leads to success faster than having a solid support network in place. Don’t fear competition, just meet as many people as you can in that field. This networking will help you understand what it takes to succeed and give you the support you need to make those first steps. Nothing increases learning faster than having a mentor who can show you the way. You will increase your confidence and your learning pace, and you may even get “lucky” and find a job or your first client.

*Lay the groundwork. Write your business plan. Draft a press release. Outline your book. Learn how to design web pages. Any progress is movement forward and that momentum can help propel you towards the life of your dreams. As you develop skills and create the platform for your new life, new ideas and opportunities will come your way.

No matter where you are in developing the life of your dreams, you can “hustle” while you wait. Even if you have no idea what you want yet, you can create a foundation that will support your new life. No effort is wasted. The skills and knowledge you gain will fit into your new life in some way.

As I searched for my dream and mission I researched dozens of topics. I am consistently amazed at how many of those “dead ends” have helped me to develop my current business. Learning how to edit, write copy, design web pages, research, and even cook have all helped me to build a stronger foundation for my roles as a life coach and infertility coach. Don’t wait for the perfect time to arrive, begin today to move forward and the universe will meet you with more opportunities than you can now imagine.

Achieving Your Goal

Most marathons provide more than their fair share of heroes and heroines who provide great examples. The London Marathon in April 2005 provided one or two especially heroic examples. The competitors have much to teach about achieving goals.

On Sunday 17th April 2005, Paula Radcliffe was running in the London Marathon and had to stop for a call of nature. Instead of running off the course and possibly losing the race, she decided to answer the call close to a drinks table at the side of the road.

She knew that this might well be filmed and broadcast to millions but was determined not to stop for longer than necessary. I am more impressed by her answering the call of nature in public than by the fact that she won the marathon. Her priority was to win and not to save herself embarrassment. Her sheer guts and determination have never been more obvious.

Some really ignorant person wrote in to complain that Paula’s behaviour was disgusting. She clearly had no idea what running a marathon can do to your body. The organiser offered the critic a place in next year’s marathon to provide a chance to find out!

Paula stopped 5 miles from the end of the race and squatted on the ground. She had endured stomach cramps for several miles before that and was losing 10 seconds every time her stomach cramped up.

Later, after she had won the Flora London Marathon in 2hrs 17 min 42 sec, a world record for a women-only race, she apologized for having to relieve herself in the street. She was embarrassed but was also smiling because she had achieved her goal of winning the race.

She commented: “I’ve got to apologize to the nation for having to stop but I was losing 10 seconds every time my stomach cramped up. I didn’t know how far I was ahead but I felt I just had to stop.”

In fact, Paula had more than a two-minute lead over Constantina Dita, of Romania. Paula had joked about finding one of the 950 Portaloos. “That would have been OK but I would probably have had to fight my way through the crowd and then sign a couple of autographs on the way out.” That could have taken at least two minutes and stopped her achieving her goal.

“I was annoyed because I was feeling good and looking forward to running faster in the second half of the race,” she said. “But my stomach got so bad I thought, why not stop, and then I would be able to concentrate on running properly again.”

In 1985, another top runner had felt compelled to take a toilet stop in London. Steve Jones relieved himself behind a sentry box at the Tower of London before going on to beat Charlie Spedding in the 1985 race.

However, he at least had some decent cover available and so I would not rate him in the same class as Paula!

Paula’s mind was focused firmly on the goal of winning:

“The main thing was to win the race – when you are in a race all you think about is getting to the line first and that’s what I had to do. Everyone is paranoid about it. You try to eat as plain food as possible but you can’t get much plainer than plain pasta. It’s the first time it has happened to me in a race.”

The organizer tried to shed light on the loo situation: “We had every single Portaloo in the country around the start, finish and along the way. The route is lined with houses and pubs so for the average person it’s not going to be a problem but there is no way that’s an answer for someone running at the speed of Paula.”

Paula’s call of nature has provided the world with an inspiring example of the kind of determination that might be necessary to achieve a big goal.

Clare Forbes, 10 years younger than Paula at the age of 21, provided another example of ferocious determination. She took 19 hrs and 10 mins together with a 3 hour break to cross the finishing line.

She was moving on artificial legs. 4 years ago she had suffered from meningitis. It was uncertain whether she would ever walk again. She entered the marathon on behalf of the Meningitis Trust to raise money to help sufferers. She must also have inspired many other people with artificial limbs to realize what can be achieved with courage and determination.

Have Your Cake and Eat it Too Triumphing over Mediocrity

Are you tired of the same old existence? Do you want more out of life than what life seems to be handing you? You can rise above mediocrity but you must first change your mindset.

To begin, you must have a keen desire for change in your life. You must know what you want, even if you don’t yet know how to get it. Be definitive in your desire. If you only had a short time to live, what would you really want to see, experience and do? Manifest clearly in your mind what you want or need.

Concentrate your energy and thoughts about your desire on the here and now, and not on the past or future. Embrace the present and let tomorrow take care of itself.

Be patient and let go of any anxiety, disbelief and doubt. Expect and believe that you have your desire already.

Get charged up emotionally about your desire. Don’t just visualize it; feel it. The more you’re enthused, excited and charged up about your desire, the faster you’ll have it.

Daily, affirm to yourself what you want. An “affirmation” is “a solemn and formal declaration.” Believe that you will get what you affirm you want.

Clear your mind of any and all negative thoughts. Negativity leads to mediocrity. Stay focused in a positive way at all times on your desire.

Believe in yourself. A belief is a thought, which is a kind of energy. Your beliefs have a great influence on you (and others around you) and can work for or against you. Recognize and get rid of limiting beliefs that don’t serve you. Retain those beliefs that bring contentment and quality to your life.

Stay focused on your desire. The more you visualize, feel, believe and affirm your desire, the more real it will become. The more you focus on what you want, the more your thoughts will help produce that desire at some point in the future.

Clearly set your intentions. An “intention” is “an anticipated outcome that guides your planned actions.” A realized goal or desire is the result of your intentions.

As attributed to Lisa Diane, a well-know inspirational leader, to get that which you desire, you must have it (in your mind), think it (your thoughts form your perceptions which form your reality), speak it (speak only positive thoughts about it), and act on it.

If you intently follow the above, you will attract those people, things, and circumstances that will bring about your desire. You will be a better person for it, and you will have what you want.

Jim McCabe

Plug in with a Purpose

Imagine that each person on this planet carried with them a teaspoon of soil or rock from Mt. Everest. Certainly Mt. Everest would shrink! Those individual teaspoons of material from the tallest mountain on Earth now in the pockets of billions of people also wouldn’t mean much. Well I suppose each of us could put that small amount of mineral material into a bottle and keep it as a souvenir. But like most souvenirs we collect, we tire of dusting them and they become added to the already crowded drawer or box of meaningless, useless items. A teaspoon of dirt, in a jar, in a drawer, that by itself, means little.

But, wait a minute…. What about it’s P-0-T-E-N-T-I-A-L?

From Webster’s Dictionary:

“Contribute”: to give or supply in common with others

What if each person on this planet brought their teaspoon of Mt. Everest to the site where it used to stand and contributed it? What would happen? Why, we would build the highest, mightiest mountain on Earth…TOGETHER.

Good thought. Doubtful it would happen. Why not? Let’s explore that. We can start by applying this Mt. Everest metaphor to our own lives.

Modern times finds we human beings have, at least in the developed world, become rather insular (just think of the word “insulate”). We cocoon in our homes. We don’t have time, we don’t have enough money, we are tired. We don’t have any time to ourselves, we go to work and slave for someone else’s goals and often receive a pay cheque for much less than we feel we are worth. We provide for our families, do the myriad of tasks and chores in and for the home. Sacrifice for and fearfully protect our children. We amass debt to do many of these things. We feel trapped in a vortex of stress. And yet, with all this striving for what we think we want, if we are honest, we still feel unfulfilled and probably guilty for feeling that way!

Something elusive is still missing.

We are living our “separateness”. We are not acknowledging our “interconnectedness”.

We avoid asking ourselves “Who am I, why am I really here?” because we already know that we don’t know or are afraid the answers will jolt us out of what we think is our comfort zone. Finding out may take more of that precious time we don’t’ have or take more of that effort we are too tired to perform! It’s one of those conundrums: we want to know, but we don’t want to know because it may shake up our lives, it may cause our lives to….here it comes…..CHANGE! And human beings don’t like change, yet it is the one thing we can all count on. So there we are, unfulfilled vs. having to change. Yup, it’s scary. But so worth it!

Have you ever listened to Nelson Mandela, Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, Mother Theresa, the Dali Lama or so many other highly spiritually evolved human beings? And I mean really listened to them? Would you say all of them know “who” they are? And are they living their purpose, their passion? Of course. We can ‘feel’ that they are. All of them have their roots in different countries, all of them teach the same message, which is, we are all interconnected. We were not put on this earth to be separate, we are all teaspoons of the Whole. And the way we can come together and build a “Mt. Everest” world of harmony is through contribution.

We likely think of ways in which to contribute as the usual volunteering our time or donating our money. Heck, we receive unsolicited begging for money via telemarketing phone calls and the postal system on an endless basis! Of course charitable organizations do need our donations of time and money, but there is another, more intangible way to “add your teaspoon”. It is through fulfilling your life’s Purpose. This means:

Living life intentionally, not by accident

Capturing the essence of what it means to be fully alive

You have a powerful direction in your life

You make choices that increase the value of life to yourself and others

Being fulfilled today and every day

Living your life based on your values

Due to our spiritual interconnectedness, there is no true life Purpose that does not include contribution. And there is no contribution that does not include reward for you, tangible or intangible. You are here to make a difference on this planet. Wouldn’t you like to know what you will leave behind, the difference you will make in the lives of those you touch?

Your life Purpose is an underlying theme to your life, not a specific job, parenting or partnering. Your Purpose can be fulfilled through these, but it is not these. Your life Purpose is not to be a title, it is to do something, something that contributes. Never underestimate your power, your “teaspoon” has the potential to become Mt. Everest! You can be fulfilling your life Purpose with as little as an acknowledgment, a warm touch, a phone call, a letter, a kind smile or word, lending an ear, anything that contributes to the mental, physical or emotional well being of another living soul. Or conversely, refraining from judgment, harsh words within or without the presence of the target, anything that you know, deep in your heart, would be hurtful to another.

The special wording of your purpose is uniquely yours. Certain words have specific meaning to each of us. When you speak your purpose, something physical happens to you, you know this is you. Others hearing it may not feel that power, because it is not theirs, but it is not meant to impress anyone else, it is the Universe speaking to your heart and that is all that matters.

Who Lynn is and what I am here to do is the following:

“I am a strong and free woman, leading people to discover their true value”

When I say this I feel an angel kiss my forehead, my heart is full and I have such a peace and understanding. And even better, I know I am contributing to the lives of others.

Up to now, I have been fulfilling my life Purpose to about 80% potential in the career aspect of my life. It is through Personal Life Coaching that I know I am fulfilling my life’s Purpose 100%. I know the potential of my ‘teaspoon’ and through my Purpose I hope to touch as many lives as I can reach to enable them to know their potential as well.

You are not separate, you are connected, just Plug in with a Purpose!