Welcome to "Surpass Your Dreams". This month we will focus on goal setting. Remember that the goal of this newsletter is to help you recognize your potential and surpass your dreams. Reaching your dreams is amazing, but surpassing them is a miracle. I wish that you have the courage to follow your dreams, whatever they may be.

So, tell me what you'd like to see, and what's important to you. Are you trying to figure out what your dreams are? Have you found what they are, but are afraid to pursue them? Have you reached your dreams, and are now ready to take it to the next level? Please share with our readers what is going on with you, and how you came to the place where you are today. You can send your stories to info@surpassyourdreams.com.

What's Keeping You From Saying Your Goals Out Loud?
How To Reach Your Goals Quickly
Book Corner
Free Newsletters
Are You Ready To Set and Reach Your Goals?
Last Month

Are you waiting for the perfect goal, the one that will finally get you moving?

Most of us spend our lives waiting for something. Once we have the perfect job, more money, a better relationship, a nicer house, car, etc., we will finally be happy. We also do this with goals. Once we find the perfect goal, then we can go for it, but not before then. Our wish to be safe and sure keeps us from pursuing a life we love.

The hardest thing about picking a goal is that once you pick it, you will have to commit yourself to doing it. This scares many people because once they commit, they have to stop talking about their goals and start working towards them.

So what keeps you from picking a goal? Is it fear? The thought of choosing the wrong path is so terrifying to many of us that we'd prefer to do nothing at all.

What happens if you pick the wrong goal or you make a mistake? This is the question that stops many people before they get started. But the answer is simple; if you choose the wrong goal or make a mistake, you move on. Use what you learned to adjust your goal or set a new one. We all want a guarantee before we begin so we know that our efforts will be worth it. Unfortunately, life doesn't work this way. We make the commitment first; we see the rewards second.

So ask yourself, "What are you committed to in your life?" Like the perfect job or the better relationship, the perfect goal will not magically appear. Be responsible for your own life and your own happiness. Make it happen!

The key to begin is to say your goals out loud. Saying them out loud makes them real and less scary. Saying your goals out loud gives you the power and confidence to achieve them. So, go ahead and say them now. (I can't hear you!)

So don't worry about picking the wrong goal. Go for it, and live a life you never thought possible. Be more afraid of not trying at all!

II. HOW TO REACH YOUR GOALS QUICKLY

We all have dreams and goals. And yet many of us make little or no progress toward achieving them. We wait and hope, but get no closer to our dreams. It doesn't have to be that way! We all know people who soar from one project to another, achieving their goals and living the life they want. How do they do it?

1. Clarity of purpose. For a dream to become a goal, it must be specific. While it's fun to daydream about being rich, it takes courage and hard choices to decide exactly how much money you want and how you are going to earn it. Being "thin" is an image; losing 23 pounds by your birthday is a goal. In life, we probably can't have it all. You can lose 23 pounds, or you can have the cake and ice cream. Your choice. Be clear.
   
   
2. Commitment. There's a story from ancient Greece about a general who landed his troops on the beach, then burned his ships. He wanted each soldier to know there was no turning back, no retreat, no alternative to victory. Once your goal is clear, emotionally commit to achieving it. There are no alternatives.
   
   
3. Talk about it. This is called "accountability". Once you've defined your goal and committed yourself to achieve it, start talking about it! If you want to lose weight, don't blame your spouse for buying ice cream if they don't know and understand your goal! Talking about your goals makes them emotionally real and powerful. It allows people to help you reach your goal and support you along the way. Some people will also criticize or undermine you. Don't worry about it.
   
   
4. Write it down. This is basic, and one of the oldest, simplest and most powerful techniques for achieving any goal. Write it down! Describe precisely what you want, how you will earn it, when you will have it, and the benefits you'll receive from achieving your goal. Write the details. Write the colors, the shapes and the dates.
   
   
5. Write it every day! Every morning, use a small card or a corner of your appointment book to record a short description of your goal where you will see it all day long. Don't carry the same card day after day! If your goal is worth anything, it's worth 1 minute of your time to write a simple sentence describing your dream and focusing on your priorities. Do this every morning.
   
   
6. Have a plan. Create a map for getting there. And put dates on it! A goal to retire at age 40 has no meaning without a savings and investment strategy. A goal to create your own business is just a fantasy without a plan to attract investors, find a location, hire staff and sell your goods or services. The beauty of a plan is that it allows you to.
   
   
7. Take action every day! "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Any goal that is worthy of you, is worth a few minutes of your time and some of your energy every single day. To one day write a novel, write a chapter this week. To open your own business, read a business magazine today. To create a more loving family, give someone a hug today. To be salesperson of the year, make a phone call right now!
   
   
8. Use constant affirmations. One of my clients is a PGA golfer. From the moment his ball lands on the green until he sinks the putt, he repeats over and over "I will make this putt!" He repeats that phrase as many 200 times before every putt! Do you think he would be more, or less, successful if he spent those moments thinking, "I just hope I don't miss it."? Tell yourself what you want to hear!
   
   
9. Review, and recommit, often. Never be afraid to review your goals, evaluate whether you are still 100% committed to them, and recommit to achieving them. If your values, or your choices have changed, change your goals accordingly, and be honest about it! And if you goals still fits, run to it with all your heart!
   
   
10. Celebrate each milestone! Never wait to have a party! Each deposit in your savings account deserves a checkmark on the calendar and a hug from your partner. Each day without a cigarette deserves a smile and congratulations from your loved ones. Every step toward your goal should be documented and celebrated! When you get discouraged or have doubts, your record of past successes will quickly get you back on track. Not sure about this? Ask any marathon runner whether they count each mile on their run to the finish line! Celebrate each and every milepost on your path to victory!

    About the Submitter: This piece was originally written by Philip E. Humbert, Ph.D., a Professional Coach and Entrepreneur who can be reached at peh@newdreams.com.

This month's Book Corner is devoted to providing you with suggested resources to help you set and reach your goals.

The Magic Lamp : Goal Setting for People Who Hate Setting Goals by Keith Ellis.

Do you have trouble setting goals? Would you like to have greater focus, stronger follow-through, and achieve dramatically better results? Would you like to learn how to get anything you want from life-more money, a new home, a promotion, better relationships, a greater sense of fulfillment, or anything else you can imagine? If so, then read The Magic Lamp. This remarkable book describes a simple yet unforgettable process for how to obtain whatever you want from both your personal life and your career.

The 15 Second Principle : Short, Simple Steps to Achieving Long-Term Goals by Al Secunda.

The premise is simple: By taking small steps, big goals can be readily attained. On the surface, our greatest goals, dreams and ambitions can seem intimidating-requiring a commitment of time and energy that's psychologically daunting. Now, motivational speaker and management consultant Al Secunda offers a surprisingly simple solution: work on your goals just 15 seconds a day. It sounds impossible. But when you break down your long-term goals into a series of mini-actions that are easy to plan and easy to do, your dreams are slowly and steadily integrated into your everyday life.

24kt. Goal; Ten Steps to Personal and Professional Success by Erma Roquemore.

In this book you can determine: whether you are left or right-brained, how to use the side you tend to neglect most, how men and women use their brains differently, how to use self-visualization techniques, and how to get rid of GoalBusters, the people or things preventing you from being a success.

IV. FREE NEWSLETTERS

Are you reaching for greater success AND balance? Get help by subscribing to The Business Woman's Advantage, a free, e-mail newsletter for women with entrepreneurial spirit. To subscribe send an e-mail to: bwa-request@listhost.net. Put subscribe in the body (not subject line) of the e-mail or visit the Business Woman's Advantage web-site at http://www.womansadvantage.com/bwa.

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Setting goals takes hard work and perseverance. Sometimes our focus on finding the perfect goal first keeps us from picking any goals at all.

If you are ready to set and reach your goals, then Personal Coaching may be right for you.

For a Free 30-minute Telephone Coaching Session, call me at (516) 432-2440, or send an e-mail to info@surpassyourdreams.com. This session will give you the opportunity to see first hand if a personal coach is right for you. My web-site is at http://www.surpassyourdreams.com

Last month's issue was dedicated to discovering why you are afraid to live your dreams. Fear is the number one reason that people do not live their dreams. Fear holds us back, sometimes paralyzing us, and prevents us from moving forward. But, when you look back at your life, what do you want it to be about? Do you want to say "I could have or I did? I may have made a few mistakes on the way, but at least I gave it my best shot. And, I grew tremendously. I wouldn't change my life one bit." The choice is yours; what words do you want to come out of your mouth?

To find out how to get past fear so you can live your dreams, please check the newsletter archive list at the top of the page.

Anyone can subscribe to the "Surpass Your Dreams" newsletter by sending an email with the word "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject line to newsletter@surpassyourdreams.com. To cancel, send an email with the words "UNSUBSCRIBE" to the same address.

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Have a great month!

Deborah

Copyright © 1999, all rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce, copy or distribute text from the newsletter or the content in its entirety so long as this copyright notice and full information about contacting the author (Deborah J. Brown) is attached.

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