Secret # 8: Goal-Setting
According to Wikipedia, “A goal 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.” A common man understands goals as a desirable point which he wants or strives to achieve by planned actions. In chapter 6 of my book The Practical Guide to Exceptional Living I share a methodology for goal setting that is described below. However before you set out to write down or begin striving towards a goal you must take into consideration the following:
Here is an easy acronym to remember when setting goals.
SMART: Specific – Measurable – Attainable – Relevant – Timely
Below is an example:
It is October 10, and your goal is to lose 25 pounds. This is great but you need to be more specific. You might say, “ I want to lose 25 pounds in the next six months (specific) by March 10, (timely & attainable) because I want to be back in a size six, have more energy and feel great (relevant). Following this plan I have to lose 1 pound per week (measurable & attainable). This way I can wear my old clothes, buy some new ones and have more fun with the kids at the pool this summer.” At this point you have a concrete goal with all of the components in place. Now you have to describe you and your situation as if your goal has already been accomplished.
This is how your Goal Card™ may look for the above example. Remember to write the goal as if it has already been accomplished:
It is March 10, (2010) and I have lost 25 pounds
I am so proud of myself for sticking to my exercise program and eating plan. I have continued to work out and move forward with my plan. It is March 10, (2010) and I have lost the 25 lbs. I feel great. I am wearing clothes that I have not worn in years. My husband says I look great and my friends can’t believe the results I have had. I feel confident and strong and I am proud of myself for having the courage and the discipline to accomplish this goal. I can’t wait to get to the pool and the beach this summer.
You must learn to ask yourself the right questions in every aspect of your life if you are truly going to accomplish what you truly want. You must also become a master of your feelings and your emotions. Mastering these two things will give you the power to overcome your negative thoughts and your fears. Here are the two most important questions you have to ask yourself:
Why?
It is the why that will give you the emotional state to go ahead with big plans and accomplish your dreams. Imagine a life of great health and longevity, a positive attitude, turning failure into opportunity, the ability to do whatever you want whenever you want, financial freedom, the ability to travel and experience different cultures and most of all the time to spend with the people you love. Is this what you would truly like to have? Why?
How will this make me feel?
It is the feelings you will get from creating an abundant life that make it all worth the effort. It is the feelings that will be created once you have accomplished your biggest goals that will have the greatest impact on your life. For clarity I will use great health and longevity as an example:
Why would you want great health and longevity? So you can have the energy to spend time with the people you love. So you can live to be 100 and spend time with the grandkids and great-grand kids. So you can have more time to do all of the things you want to do. So you can experience more things in life. So you can have a greater impact on society. So you can do all of the physical activities you want without being exhausted.
How would it feel to have great health and longevity? It would feel great. It would give you peace of mind knowing you were reducing your health risks. It would be a good example to set for others. It would give you the security to know you would be here to take care of your family. It would be exciting to have the energy to do what you want. It would be powerful to have control over your body and mind. And most of all, it would be the self confidence you would gain from exercising the discipline needed to accomplish your goals!
Having a full understanding of this concept is crucial in giving you the emotional power and confidence to create and live the life of your dreams. You must be clear about the reasons why a goal is important to you and have enough emotion tied to the realization of that goal. Then nothing will stop you. You will accomplish it, no matter what.
What you must realize today is that you have to change your perception of reality and what got you to this point in your life. You must accept the fact that only two things have kept you from really breaking out and going after BIG goals and dreams which cause you to stretch and expand your horizons. These two things are:
Your Thoughts and Fear
In my book The Practical Guide to Exceptional Living I talk about your thoughts and what impact they have on you in every chapter of this book. How you think and what you expect is what you will become and what you will get. Your thoughts control how you act every day. If you are afraid of failure, this fear will stop you in your tracks.
If you think about scarcity and lack and what you don’t have, you will take actions that are conservative and restrictive because you don’t have enough and you can’t bear to think about losing what little you have. Your thinking will be small and your circle of influence will be critical of your dreams and restrictive in thought and advice. Does this sound fun and exciting? Absolutely not!
If you think about abundance and are grateful, you will take actions that are bold and exciting because you will appreciate what you have and you will be excited and fearless about creating an abundant future. Your thinking will be BIG and your circle of influence will be supportive and motivating. Does this sound fun and exciting? YES!!
He, who has health, has hope; and he who has hope has everything. Sound health can give you the gift of stronger immunity, a sharp mind, an energetic body and an impressive personality. A general phenomenon of a healthy lifestyle is eating green leafy vegetables, drinking lots of water and exercising. Almost everyone is aware of this fact but only few have in depth knowledge about it.
A healthy lifestyle is a “combination of balanced nutrition, regular exercise and leisure activities. Now, what do we mean by a balanced nutrition here? It means the intake of a measured quantity of calories, carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins. Lately the theory has been that less carbohydrates and more of proteins are healthier which may not true. Let’s make a list of components that come under the category of a balanced diet.
- Carbohydrates: These provide a source of energy. Foods high in carbohydrates are pastas, potatoes, bread, rice, cereals, and beans. Such foods are high in starch.
- Proteins: These provide a source of materials for growth and repair. Foods high in proteins are lean meats, eggs, dairy, seeds, nuts and legumes, etc.
- Fats: These provide a source of energy and contain fat soluble vitamins. Foods high in fats are butter, ghee, olive oil, and peanuts.
- Vitamins: These are required in very small quantities to keep you healthy. Vitamins are further classified into A, B, C, D, K and each one has different properties giving different benefits to the human body. Foods high in vitamins are eggs, cheese, mangoes, spinach, Broccoli, and citrus fruits.
- Mineral Salts: These are required for healthy teeth, bones, muscles, etc. Foods rich in mineral salts are oats, almonds, cucumber, raw vegetables, pork, and lentils.
- Fiber: This is required to help your intestines function correctly. Foods high in fiber are cereal, beans, peas, whole grain breads, apricots, dates, apples, etc.
A good rule of thumb is to have a serving of protein, carbohydrates, and fruits or vegetable at each meal. An amount the size of a clenched fist is a serving.
Regular exercise means a certain amount of physical activity in your day-to-day life which will help burn the excessive fats, calories and toxins. It does not necessarily mean that one should go to gym and workout for 2-3 hours continuously. A simple walking for about an hour everyday will help a person to remain fit forever. It is said that walking 100 steps per minute can make our body fit. A good routine would involve aerobic activity such as running or swimming, light weight training with high repetitions, and stretching exercises such as yoga or Pilates. These can be combined during the course of a routine or each activity can be done on alternating days. Exercise is an essential part for a healthy lifestyle. Regular exercise also improves mental and emotional health. It also helps in avoiding many life-threatening diseases. So, people who wish to have a healthy lifestyle are aware of the two steps they have to take for a healthy life.
We also listed leisure activities above which can be gardening, reading, cooking, golf or fishing. These are all activities that do not require a lot of physical excursion but ease the mind and allows us to relax.
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