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Goal Setting And THE Strategy To Succeed

Saturday, October 31st, 2009

Part-Time Versus Full-Time Entrepreneur Part 10

Goal Setting and THE Strategy To Succeed

Some days you have it and some days you simply struggle.  I have found it a real grind as of late with the seasons changing, it getting darker earlier in the evening and the temperature dropping.  I have found it challenging to say the least to stay the course.

With that being said, I knew it was time to add some fresh content to my blog and other article directories.  So, I looked at the close to 40 articles that I have published to determine which was the most popular.

I am sure you know where this is going……smile.   Yes, you are correct….it was centered around “Goal Setting” and has over 400 views, 100% free marketing!

Here is my Question: Why is this one so popular?  Were all of my other articles poorly written and this one flawless?  I certainly don`t think so.  I am a Part-Time Educator but my area of expertise is Health, Physical Education and Nutrition.  With that being said, I can write but not as fluent as an English Major!

I guess I have to sit back and reflect on the idea that we set goals all the time, no matter what the industry or chosen field of work.  A deadline for some IS the goal.  If we know when something has to be complete, what do we do?  We set small goals that help us achieve the end result.   You need to know what your end result should look like and focus on the process that will get you there.

I coached Volleyball at a competitive level for a number of years and I had my players so focused on the process rather than the importance of the championship that when we would arrive at the final game they would ask, okay Mr Hachey, if we win here who do we play next?

There were many times when I would have to say…..this is the final ladies.  Win you go home and lose you go home.  Just decide to leave everything on the court and you will go home happy regardless knowing that you did your best.

So, when you sit down to determine your goals for the day, week, month, quarter …..  You need to determine what do I want the end result to look like and what is the process that will get me there.

Is it small goals, does it require education, does it mean I need to look for help from others, what time frame to I have, etc ?

If you want to succeed in life, be aware of the end result but FOCUS more on the process that will help you arrive at the end result.  Before you know it, you will need to re-establish another goal.

Cheers – Steve

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Posted in Part-Time Versus Full-Time Entrepreneur - The Series | 1 Comment »

Are you not reaching your goals?

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

Have you taken the time to reflect on your life and discover what your desires are? Your life is divided into different segments, which are all closely interrelated. This means that your health will affect your career family, and much more. Living a balanced and satisfying life isn’t about a goal of a million dollar it’s about taking the time to reflect on all the major segments of your life. This includes your family, physical health, finances, mental heath, career and family.

If you don’t have goals, then you need to set some. You need something to work towards. Put your own goals to the test. When you sit down and start recognizing goals, you will maybe end up with a long list. Choose what is most important to you in your personal lives. All goals do not have equal value. Some will be more meaningful to you. These are the goals to start on. Keep your list of the remaining goals to get back to later. Trying to do over at the same time can be self-defeating.

Write your goals down, as this increases obligation. Make your deadline for each goal reachable and realistic. There is no such right or wrong on how long you determine it will take to reach a goal. It will be different for each person and each goal. Whatever is comfortable for you is what counts.

If all this seems overwhelming or not easy, start with just one goal. Make it easy and short term. Once you have accomplished this, go on to another goal. Remember that life is a journey to be enjoyed. Be kind to yourself. You will find by setting goals and classifying what you need to do to get there, will cut down on a lot of stress in your life. At the same time, you will be making those visions a reality.

Take a bit of time to reflect on your life and decide which sections of your life need goals. With our fast paced, information overloaded society we certainly don’t spend enough time reflecting on our life.

Discovering and living by your core value brings us purpose and true meaning. By not holding yourself responsible to your own goals, you are not taking yourself seriously. Take pride in your future. Commit and follow through. It’s really not that hard.

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Exercise Routines for a Busy Lifestyle

Thursday, September 10th, 2009

Working out doesn’t have to conquest your life, in today’s world everyone seems to be rushing here and there and making the excuse. Exercising can take as slight as 20 minutes per day and if done on a regular basis results can be seen in both your health and appearance.

Exercising can mean strength training, sweating on a treadmill or even daily activities that we usually don’t think about, like climbing stairs, walking, housekeeping or even going for heavy shopping and walking back from the grocery store. It’s about keeping your body moving. In fact studies have shown that are short stretches of exercise can be just as effective for weight loss and health as longer exercise. This is due to the reality that many people find it easier to stick with shorter exercises.

It is forever essential that you start out with a warm up routine before exercising, this is needed to help avoid cramps during your routine and a cooling down period is also needed after your routine to allow the muscles to relax slowly.

If you don’t have much time to work out then you can do what is know as a cross training workout, this workout will allow you to workout with various equipment and exercise different muscle groups.

The main benefit this type of work out has to offer is that your exercise routine never gets boring and is an excellent way to exercise many muscle groups.

Warming up is still as essential then you could take in such exercises as walking on a treadmill, rowing, stepping and cycling, spending few minutes on each piece of equipment. Remember to cool off with gentle bending and stretching.

It is just as important to cool off after every exercise and this can be done the same way as you did for warming up with stretches.

The key is dedication; it’s about making exercise a main concern in your life by managing your time effectively so that you can incorporate exercise large or small into your daily routine. People who exercise frequently do not have extra hours in a day but have made exercise a priority rather than doing other things such sleeping, watching TV and etc. It’s about making exercise component of your day and stick to it.

You can achieve anything you set your mind to, once you have decided to go for it and have made the dedication then the next step is to start taking action towards reaching your goal, taking the first step is actually the hardest part because it means going out there and actually doing something. Thinking on what it is you have to do is the easy part as is saying you are committed to doing, but doing means facing the strange and putting your plan into action and this stage is very often where most people fail, because things get in the way and stops us from moving forward.

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Posted in Health And Wellness | No Comments »

Tips for Getting Organized

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

Organize, clean and purge your desk

Update your files and change all torn files. Purchase new files in different colors, and organize them by color: purple for clients, green for financial papers and so on. Be sure to label all the files, and then sort out them alphabetically within each color scheme.

Use only one calendar

Pick the one that works best for you: one on your computer, or a paper one on your desk. Then get rid of all your other datebooks and use just the one to record and keep track of everything. If you’re maintaining more than one person’s timetable, like your children, use different colored inks to record information for each family member.

Make a note in your calendar, one week ahead of any occasion or event, about what you need to do for that event

Do you need to send flowers for your mother’s birthday? Do you need to buy cake to bring to a housewarming party? Whatever it is, make a note of it in advance so you can stay of top of your tasks.

Make a list of your goals

Write down at least 10 objectives you want to achieve in your lifetime. Be definite. Then put the list away and update it again next year.

Choose one or two objectives you want to achieve this year with your business

Maybe it’s to land more clients or to make more money. How will you achieve that goal? What amount of money will you formulate this year? How will you do it? Type that information out in a clear sentence, put by your bedside, and read it every morning and every night to help inspire you to reach your goals.

Get rid any workplace supplies you haven’t used in the past year

Donate them to your favorite charity or return them to the store for credit. The less clutter there is in your workplace, the more happiness there’ll be in your life. If you buy a new printer, donate the old one.

Update your rolodex

Clean-up all the cards of people you never contacted last year. If a year goes by and you haven’t called them, chances are, you’ll never call them. If you feel you need to keep the information, put all the “I’ll call them one of these days” cards in a file and label it that.

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Part-Time Versus Full-Time Entrepreneur Part 2 – Goal Setting

Wednesday, August 26th, 2009

Goal Setting – Manage Yourself, Not Your Time

In my last article I spoke of the importance of managing yourself and the value in having an accountability coach.  Some individuals are focused and do not need direction or motivation if you will.  However, most individuals can use that little bit of guidance and direction.

In this article, I want to talk to you about the topic of goal setting and all that it entails from my point of view.  Now I am confident that you the reader understand the definition of a goal.

Just to be certain…..”A goal or objective is a projected state of affairs that a person or a system plans or intends to achieve—a personal or organizational desired end-point in some sort of assumed development. Many people endeavour to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines.  (Wikipedia)

So, we have already established that you cannot manage time, only manage yourself.  How do we set goals?   Do we set goes on a daily, weekly, monthly, yearly or a life time basis?

Now there is an acronym that I use which sums it up very well and the acronym is S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely).  Let’s take a look at each category a little closer.

A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal.  If I say I want to lose weight versus I want to join a health club and exercise 5 times a week.  I think you can see which is general and which one is specific.

To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as……How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished?  What will be your success criteria?

A goal becomes attainable not because it is easily achieved but as a result of you changing your skill set, attitudes and beliefs in yourself.  The goals don’t become smaller, you simply begin to grow.

Realistic goals can be of a high and challenging nature because you likely are both willing and able to work towards that goal.  If it is too easy to achieve, you may struggle with it due to the fact that the motivation behind achieving it is so low.  Bottom line, a goal is realistic if, and only if, you truly believe that you can meet it.

Finally, a goal must be timely. There has to be a deadline so that there is a sense of urgency.

If you want to lose 15 pounds, you have to say I want to lose 15 pounds by Thanksgiving.

Although, you may gain it all back shortly there after…smile.

Saying “someday” simply won’t cut it.

Now that we have established what a goal should look like, I want to close with something that works for me when it comes to setting my goals.

I like taking my Sunday evenings when the household is quiet, and laying out my goals for the week.  I can also take a glance at my monthly goals to keep on track with them and more importantly, my end goals. I try to keep it simple and readjust them on a daily basis.  I also try to keep it to 3 things.  If I accomplish my 3 assigned tasks then I will obviously look ahead to other projects that I can get started on.

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Posted in Part-Time Versus Full-Time Entrepreneur - The Series, The Power Of Personal Development | 2 Comments »

Part-Time Versus Full-Time Entrepreneur – Part 2 – Goal Setting

Sunday, August 23rd, 2009

SMARTGoal Setting – Manage Yourself, Not Your Time

In my last article I spoke of the importance of managing yourself and the value in having an accountability coach. Some individuals are focused and do not need direction or motivation if you will. However, most individuals can use that little bit of guidance and direction.

In this article, I want to talk to you about the topic of goal setting and all that it entails from my point of view. Now I am confident that you the reader understand the definition of a goal. Just to be certain…..”A goal or objective is a projected state of affairs that a person or a system plans or intends to achieve—a personal or organizational desired end-point in some sort of assumed development. Many people endeavour to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines. (Wikipedia)
So, we have already established that you cannot manage time, only manage yourself. How do we set goals? Do we set goes on a daily, weekly, monthly, yearly or a life time basis? Now there is an acronym that I use which sums it up very well and the acronym is S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely). Let’s take a look at each category a little closer.

A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. If I say I want to lose weight versus I want to join a health club and exercise 5 times a week. I think you can see which is general and which one is specific.

To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as……How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished? What will be your success criteria?

A goal becomes attainable not because it is easily achieved but as a result of you changing your skill set, attitudes and beliefs in yourself. The goals don’t become smaller, you simply begin to grow.

Realistic goals can be of a high and challenging nature because you likely are both willing and able to work towards that goal. If it is too easy to achieve, you may struggle with it due to the fact that the motivation behind achieving it is so low. Bottom line, a goal is realistic if, and only if, you truly believe that you can meet it.

Finally, a goal must be timely. There has to be a deadline so that there is a sense of urgency.
If you want to lose 15 pounds, you have to say I want to lose 15 pounds by Thanksgiving.
Although, you may gain it all back shortly there after…smile.  Saying “someday” simply won’t cut it.

Now that we have established what a goal should look like, I want to close with something that works for me when it comes to setting my goals.  I like taking my Sunday evenings when the household is quiet, and laying out my goals for the week. I can also take a glance at my monthly goals to keep on track with them and more importantly, my end goals. I try to keep it simple and readjust them on a daily basis. I also try to keep it to 3 things. If I accomplish my 3 assigned tasks then I will obviously look ahead to other projects that I can get started on.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in The Power Of Personal Development | No Comments »