Creating Tomorrow

Dear Friends,

Now that the last champagne cork has been popped, most of us has laid out a more-or-less detailed list of both personal and professional goals we plan to achieve in 2010. Many of us are also aware of the basic rules of effective goal-setting ; e.g. choosing s.m.a.r.t. goals and breaking long-term goals down into short-term milestones.

Those are some of the  functional things we can do to make it easier to tackle our goals effectively. But these rules don’t address one of the most important issues of goal-setting and goal-achievement: ATTITUDE.

To positively influence your attitude while you are going after your goals in the coming year, be sure to counter-check each of your goals against the following criteria:

• IS IT REALLY MINE? Although we rationally know better, many of us find ourselves still stumbling into the trap of getting wrapped up in other people’s expectations. Without really meaning to, we find ourselves internalizing goals and benchmarks that do not sync well with our overall direction or intention in life. So, before you try to convince yourself to invest your time and energy into becoming department head, learning Mandarin Chinese or losing 20 lbs, take a good hard look at your own priorities. Do you believe it’s essential to achieve each of these goals in order to fulfill your life’s purpose? If not, don’t be surprised if you find yourself falling off the proverbial wagon before January get into the double digits!
• WILL IT ALLOW ME TO REMAIN TRUE TO MYSELF? Each of us lives our life according to set of personal beliefs and core values that govern the way we see the world. When we find ourselves doing something that is not in alignment with our beliefs and values, it creates an inner dissonance that leads to de-motivation, loss of focus or feelings of extreme dissatisfaction. That’s why it’s essential to double-check our goals, and ensure they are truly in line with the values and beliefs that make up the foundation of our lives. If they aren’t, we soon begin sabotaging ourselves in order to avoid actually achieving them. Doesn’t it make more sense to invest all that energy into something we really believe in or value instead?
• DO YOU “TALK THE TALK”?Even in the Bible it says “In the beginning was the word“. The way we talk creates important stepping stones towards our goals. Do your words pave the way for your success? Or does the way you talk about achieving your goals already indicate your lack of total conviction? Do you voice doubt or optimism? Do you ‘do’ or do you ‘try’? By making even the smallest corrective adjustments in how we talk about achieving goals, we make necessary corrective adjustments in our attitude - and in our action.
• DO YOU REALIZE YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO IT ALONE? No matter how in line your goals are with your beliefs and values…even if your goals are a true reflection of your higher purpose in life…and though your self-talk us upbeat and empowering, you may find yourself losing momentum as time goes on or temporarily getting off track. Accept this is part of the process, and don’t beat yourself up about it. Instead:  plan ahead! Think of ways to reward yourself for achieving each milestone along the way. Schedule enough time for relaxation and rejuvenation. Work with an accountability partner or coach to add structured reflection and objective feedback to the process.

“The secret to a rich life is to have more beginnings than endings.” (David Weinbaum)

Here’s to a 2010 full of fruitful beginnings!

Trina